Baseball drill
Step-down prep step drill
An infielder stands on a low box and steps off it as the coach swings or tosses, landing in a ready position just as the ball is hit. It teaches the timing of the prep step so fielders are moving, not flat-footed, at contact.
At a glance
- Sport
- Baseball and Softball
- Skill
- Infield
- Ages
- 12U to High school
- Players
- 2 (a coach and a fielder), or a short line taking turns
- Time
- About 15 minutes
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- A low, sturdy box or step (about 6 to 12 inches high), Gloves, A bucket of balls, A fungo bat (optional)
- Indoors
- Yes
Good infielders are already moving when the ball is hit. They take a small step forward as the pitch comes in and land on the balls of their feet right at contact, ready to go any direction. Many young players either stand still or time it so early that they are flat-footed again by the time the bat meets the ball.
Stepping off a low box exaggerates that landing, so the player can feel when it happens. It works as a station at practice or indoors with tossed balls, and it fits older players who already field the ball well and are ready to work on their first step.
Setup
- Put a low, sturdy box or step at the fielder's spot. It must not tip or slide.
- The fielder stands on the box in a relaxed, upright stance, glove on.
- The coach stands at home plate with a fungo, or 20 to 30 feet away to toss.
How to run it
- The coach starts the swing or the toss.
- The fielder steps down off the box, timing it to land as the ball is hit or released.
- The fielder lands softly on both feet, wide and low, with the weight on the balls of the feet.
- The fielder reacts to the ball, moves to it and fields it.
- The fielder climbs back on the box for the next rep. Do five or six, then rotate.
Coaching points
- Timing is everything: the feet touch the ground at contact, not before and not after.
- Step down, do not jump. The landing should be quiet.
- Land with bent knees and the chest forward over the toes, ready to move.
- Once the step-down feels natural, have the player make the same move on flat ground before each pitch.
Common mistakes
- Stepping down too early and standing flat-footed when the ball is hit.
- Jumping off the box, which leaves the player in the air at contact.
- Landing with stiff legs.
- Using a box that is too high. The point is timing, not a plyometric workout.
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
12U
Start with underhand tosses from a coach so players can learn the timing on a slower, easier ball.
14U and up
Use a fungo so fielders time the step to a real swing, and mix ground balls to both sides.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high should the box be?
Low: about 6 to 12 inches. It only needs to give the player a small drop to time, and a low box is safer to step off over and over.
What is a prep step in fielding?
The small step or hop an infielder takes as the pitch reaches the plate, so they land on the balls of their feet at contact and can move quickly in any direction.
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