Baseball drill
Up top, down low catching drill
Partners toss underhand to each other, first above the chest and then below the waist, and catch with the glove fingers up for the high balls and down for the low ones. A simple way to teach young players which way the glove turns.
At a glance
- Sport
- Baseball and Softball
- Skill
- Catching the ball
- Ages
- 6U to 10U
- Players
- 2 (partners), any number of pairs
- Time
- About 10 minutes
- Level
- Beginner
- Equipment
- Gloves, One ball per pair
- Indoors
- Yes
Many young players hold the glove the same way for every ball, usually palm up like a basket. That works for a low ball and fails for a high one, which can bounce off the heel of the glove toward the face. This drill splits catching into two clear rounds, up top and down low, so players learn one glove position at a time.
Kids already know what a high five and a low five look like, and those two pictures are the whole lesson: fingers to the sky above the waist, fingers to the ground below it. Run it early in the season and come back to it any time players start catching high throws with the glove flat.
Setup
- Pair players up and have them face each other about 10 feet apart, with each pair in a line next to the others.
- One ball per pair. Everyone wears a glove.
- Partners start in a ready position: knees soft, both hands up in front of the chest.
How to run it
- Round one, up top: one partner makes a soft underhand toss to the other's chest or face. The receiver catches with the glove fingers pointing up, thumbs together, and covers the ball with the throwing hand.
- Partners go back and forth until each has made about ten high catches.
- Round two, down low: the tosses now arrive between the knees and the waist. The receiver bends the knees and catches with the glove fingers pointing down, pinkies together.
- After ten low catches each, mix the two: the tosser picks high or low, and the receiver has to turn the glove the right way.
- Finish with a scoring round: each pair counts clean catches out of 20 tosses.
Coaching points
- Use the words high five and low five. They are easier for a young player to picture than thumbs and pinkies.
- The waist is the dividing line. Above it the fingers point up; below it they point down.
- Keep the throwing hand next to the glove so it can cover the ball right away.
- On low tosses, bend the knees and get down to the ball rather than bending at the waist.
- The tosser's job is to help the partner succeed: soft, accurate tosses.
Common mistakes
- Catching high balls with the palm up. Stop and show the high five again.
- Turning the glove over late, after the ball is already there. Set the glove as soon as the toss leaves the hand.
- Tossing too hard or too high, which turns the drill into chasing instead of catching.
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
Tee ball
Use soft balls and move partners in to 6 to 8 feet. A coach can be one partner for each pair that struggles.
Coach pitch and 10U
Run all three rounds, back the pairs up a few feet, and finish the mixed round with short overhand throws instead of tosses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a ball at the belt be caught fingers up or fingers down?
Either can work right at the belt, but young players do best with a simple rule: above the waist, fingers up; below it, fingers down. As they get better they will feel which is easier on a ball right in the middle.
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.