Baseball drill
Seated quick transfer drill
Players sit on the ground with legs spread, bounce the ball to themselves, catch it with two hands and snap into a throwing position with a four-seam grip. It isolates the glove-to-hand exchange and the turn of the upper body.
At a glance
- Sport
- Baseball and Softball
- Skill
- Throwing
- Ages
- 6U to 14U
- Players
- 1 (solo), or 2 facing each other
- Time
- About 6 minutes
- Level
- Beginner
- Equipment
- Gloves, One ball per player
- Indoors
- Yes
A slow exchange from the glove to the throwing hand turns routine outs into safe runners. Sitting down takes the feet away, so the player can concentrate on the hands: catching with two, finding the four-seam grip on the way out, and turning the upper body into a strong throwing position.
Players can do it alone by bouncing the ball to themselves, then pair up and bounce it to each other. It suits a pre-practice warm-up or the start of an infield station, and players can do it at home on a driveway.
Setup
- Each player sits on the dirt or a gym floor with legs spread wide in a V.
- Solo: one glove and one ball per player.
- Partners: two players sit facing each other about 8 to 10 feet apart with one ball.
How to run it
- Start with both hands out in front of the body, glove open between the legs.
- Solo: bounce the ball firmly into the ground between the legs and catch the hop with two hands.
- Take the ball straight out of the glove while turning the upper body, glove shoulder pointing at the target and throwing arm going back.
- Freeze in the throwing position and check: four-seam grip, ball facing away.
- Do this for a few minutes, then pair up: bounce the ball across to the partner, who catches, turns and makes a short, controlled throw back.
Coaching points
- Two hands out front on the catch, so the throwing hand is at the ball as it arrives.
- Turn the upper body briskly as the hands come apart, with the front elbow pointing at the target.
- Fingers come out on top of the ball.
- Check the grip at the freeze. Every rep should end with four seams, not a palm grab.
- Slow first, then build toward game speed.
Common mistakes
- Catching one-handed and reaching across with the throwing hand afterward.
- Keeping the shoulders square instead of turning the chest.
- Pushing the ball straight up like a shot put instead of taking it down and back.
- Going so fast that the fingers miss the seams.
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
Coach pitch and 10U
Stay with the solo bounce and freeze, so players can look back at their hand and check the grip and arm on every rep.
12U and 14U
Move to the partner version quickly, and count how many clean catches and throws a pair can make in 60 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do a quick hands drill sitting down?
Sitting takes the legs out, so the player has to turn the upper body, point the front side and use a clean arm path without help from the feet.
Can players do the seated transfer drill at home?
Yes. The solo version needs only a ball, a glove and a few feet of floor or driveway.
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