Baseball drill
Stay low shuffle drill
A fielder shuffles sideways and fields three or four rolled ground balls in a row without standing up between them, then throws the last one. It builds the leg strength and the habit of staying low while moving.
At a glance
- Sport
- Baseball and Softball
- Skill
- Infield
- Ages
- 6U to High school
- Players
- 2 (a roller and a fielder)
- Time
- About 10 minutes
- Level
- Beginner
- Equipment
- Gloves, A bucket of balls, A target or partner for the last throw
- Indoors
- Yes
Infielders often get into a good fielding position for the first ball and then pop up between plays, so the next ball catches them standing tall. This drill strings several ground balls together, each a little farther to the side, so the fielder has to shuffle and stay at the same low height the whole way.
It doubles as leg conditioning and gets a lot of reps into a short time. It needs only a roller and a bucket of balls, so it fits in a gym, a cage or a corner of the field.
Setup
- The roller stands or kneels about 10 to 15 feet from the fielder with a bucket of balls.
- The fielder gets into a wide, low fielding position with the chest forward.
- Leave room for the fielder to shuffle four or five steps to the side, and set a target or partner for the final throw.
How to run it
- The roller rolls a ground ball a step or two to the fielder's glove side.
- The fielder shuffles over, staying low, fields it out in front, brings it to the middle of the body and tosses it aside.
- As soon as the ball is tossed, the roller rolls the next one a little farther to the same side.
- Repeat for three or four balls in a row.
- On the last ball, the fielder fields it, sets the feet and makes a real throw to the target. Then go the other way.
Coaching points
- Hips stay at the same height the whole set. Watch the top of the head: it should not bob up and down.
- Shuffle with the feet apart. They should not cross or click together.
- Field the ball out in front with soft hands, then bring it to the middle of the chest.
- Keep the rhythm going. The fielder should be ready for the next ball as soon as they toss the last one.
Common mistakes
- Standing up after each ball, then dropping back down for the next one.
- Crossing the feet while moving sideways.
- Fielding the ball deep between the legs instead of out in front.
- Rolling so many balls that the fielder's form falls apart. Three or four is enough.
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
Roll slowly, use two or three balls and skip the final throw. Work on the shuffle and the glove out front.
10U and 12U
Run it as written, and check that every ball comes to the middle of the body before it is tossed.
14U and up
Roll quicker, add the backhand side and make the last throw a strong one to a base.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ground balls should be in one set?
Three or four is usually enough to test the fielder's posture and legs. More than that and form tends to break down.
Can the drill go to the backhand side?
Yes. Run the same set shuffling toward the throwing-hand side, fielding each ball on the backhand out in front of the lead foot.
More drills
Start free. Upgrade when your season needs it.
The free plan includes one team and one of each document type, with no license fee and no credit card. Paid plans start at $2.50 a month billed annually, cancel anytime.
No credit card required. Free plan available.