Baseball drill
Outfield star drill
Outfielders start from one spot and run to the point of a star the coach picks, in, back or to either side, to catch a thrown fly ball and set up to throw. It covers every first-step direction in one drill.
At a glance
- Sport
- Baseball and Softball
- Skill
- Outfield
- Ages
- 10U to High school
- Players
- 3 to 6 per group, one coach
- Time
- About 10 minutes
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Gloves, A bucket of balls, A base or cone for the starting spot
- Indoors
- Needs a field
Outfielders have to move in every direction off the first step: straight in, straight back, and at angles to both sides. Most players are better one way than another, and a coach who only hits balls to one spot never finds that out. The star drill sends the player in a different direction each time from the same starting spot.
The coach chooses the direction by pointing, so players react rather than plan, and every catch ends with the feet set to throw. It works well as a warm-up for the outfield group and needs only a starting marker and a bucket of balls.
Setup
- Put a base or cone down as the starting spot.
- The coach stands about 30 to 40 feet in front of it with a bucket of balls.
- Players line up behind the starting spot and step up one at a time.
How to run it
- The first player steps up to the marker in a ready position.
- The coach points in a direction: in, back, or at an angle to either side.
- The player opens up with the right first step and runs that way.
- The coach throws a fly ball to that area, and the player catches it.
- The player gathers the feet after the catch and sets up as if to throw to the infield, then returns the ball and goes to the back of the line.
Coaching points
- On balls back, open the hips with a drop step instead of backpedaling.
- Run on the balls of the feet so the head stays steady while tracking.
- Catch on the throwing-hand side when possible, which shortens the transfer.
- Break down quickly after the catch and get the feet ready to throw.
Common mistakes
- Backpedaling on balls behind the starting spot.
- Catching flat-footed and then needing extra steps to throw.
- Drifting to the ball instead of running to the spot and beating it there.
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
Keep the throws shorter and stick to four directions until players are comfortable, then add the angles.
12U
Look closely at the first step in each direction and the route to the ball.
14U and up
Throw farther and make the player finish with a real throw to a teammate standing in as the cutoff.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the star drill in baseball?
An outfield drill where players start from one spot and run in a direction the coach points to, in, back or to an angle, to catch a fly ball. Over a few rounds, every direction gets worked.
More drills
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