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Baseball drill

Short toss catching progression

Partners start 15 feet apart with gloves on and play underhand catch, two hands and then one, and only back up and switch to overhand throws once the catches are clean. A step-by-step way to build up to real partner catch.

Two young baseball players in gloves on the grass, one tossing underhand as the other waits with glove and bare hand up at the chest
Video by Pro Speed Baseball on YouTube. The write-up below is ours.

At a glance

Sport
Baseball and Softball
Skill
Catching the ball
Ages
6U to 10U
Players
2 (partners)
Time
About 10 minutes
Level
Beginner
Equipment
Gloves, One ball per pair
Indoors
Needs a field

New players often go straight to throwing overhand from far apart, and the result is a lot of dropped balls and some that hit the player. This progression earns the distance. Partners start close with gentle underhand tosses and move back only when they are catching most of them.

Before every toss the tosser should be able to see inside the receiver's glove. That one check takes care of the most common beginner problem, a glove hanging at the side that gets flipped up at the last second, and it gives the tosser a target.

Setup

  • Partners put their gloves on and stand about 15 feet apart.
  • The receiver stands in a ready position with both hands up at chest height.
  • The glove's pocket and the bare palm both face the tosser.

How to run it

  1. The tosser makes light underhand tosses to the receiver's chest.
  2. The receiver catches with two hands, letting the glove and bare hand give back toward the body.
  3. After several clean catches, the receiver catches with the glove alone, with the bare hand still up and ready.
  4. Once the pair is catching consistently at 15 feet, both step back 5 to 10 feet.
  5. Keep backing up in steps and switch to light overhand throws when the distance calls for it.

Coaching points

  • The tosser should see the inside of the glove before every toss.
  • Hands up before the ball is in the air, not hanging at the sides.
  • The same soft give with the glove as with the bare hand.
  • Speed takes care of itself as the distance grows. Keep each throw easy and accurate.

Common mistakes

  • Backing up after one or two good catches. Move back only when most catches are clean.
  • Flipping the glove up at the last second.
  • Stabbing at the ball with the glove. Go back to a short barehand drill for a few minutes, then return.

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 card

Smaller: half page or quarter page (PDF).

By age

Tee ball and coach pitch

Start at 10 to 15 feet with soft balls, and do not worry about getting far apart. A good session might end at 20 feet.

10U

Move through the underhand stage quickly and use the progression as the start of the team's throwing warm-up.

Next: Free defensive lineup generator.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should kids switch from underhand tosses to overhand throws?

When they are catching most underhand tosses cleanly and the distance has grown to where an underhand toss no longer reaches comfortably. Start the overhand throws easy and close.

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