Softball drill
Infield low arm slot throwing drill
Partners kneel close together with the front leg out straight and the chest tilted forward, and throw from a lower arm slot to each other's chest. It teaches infielders to make short, low throws on a line instead of spiking them.
At a glance
- Sport
- Baseball and Softball
- Skill
- Throwing
- Ages
- 10U to High school
- Players
- 2 per pair (any number of pairs)
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Gloves, One ball per pair
- Indoors
- Yes
Infielders field the ball low, and many of their throws are short: a feed to second, a flip to first on a slow roller. A player who only knows how to throw straight over the top has to stand up first, or throws downhill from a low position and spikes the ball in front of the target. This drill teaches the lower slot by tilting the body, not by dropping the arm.
On one knee with the front leg out straight and the chest tilted forward, the arm stays in line with the shoulders and comes out at three-quarters or lower. Use it at the start of an infielder's throwing warm-up.
Setup
- Pair players about 10 to 15 feet apart, facing each other.
- Each player kneels on the throwing-side knee and stretches the front leg out straight toward the partner.
- Tilt the upper body forward over the front leg, so the chest stays low.
How to run it
- Hold the forward tilt with the ball in the glove at the chest.
- Break the hands, keeping the throwing elbow and hand in line with the tilted shoulders rather than lifting the arm straight up.
- Throw firmly from that lower slot, aiming at the top of the partner's chest so the ball travels slightly uphill.
- The partner catches in the same low posture and throws back the same way.
- Fifteen to twenty throws each at a steady rhythm.
Coaching points
- Throw slightly uphill, at the partner's chest, so the ball stays on a flat line.
- The arm follows the tilt of the shoulders. Do not stay bent over and then reach the hand back up to the top.
- Fingers stay behind the ball; no cutting under it or rolling over it.
- A smooth, quick transfer straight into the low throwing position.
Common mistakes
- Bringing the arm back over the top while the chest is tilted down, which drives the ball into the ground.
- Sitting up straight on the knee instead of tilting.
- A loose, floppy wrist instead of firm fingers behind the ball.
Printable drill card
Take this drill to the field: the setup, steps, coaching points and equipment on one card, with the video's address to find it again. Free, no account needed.
Print the drill cardSmaller: half page or quarter page (PDF).
By age
10U
Stay at about 10 feet and look for a three-quarter slot, not a full sidearm. Keep it to a few minutes.
12U
Add it to the daily infield warm-up and ask for ten chest-high throws in a row.
14U and up
Speed up the transfer so the catch and throw become one motion, at the tempo of a second baseman feeding the shortstop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a sidearm throw safe for youth infielders?
When the body tilts to make the angle, the arm stays in its normal line with the shoulders. The trouble comes from standing straight up and dropping the elbow below the shoulder line to throw sidearm.
Why do my infielders spike short throws into the dirt?
Usually because they field the ball low and then throw straight over the top from close range, which sends the ball steeply downhill.
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