Softball · Player Development Rubric · Ages 11-12
Infield Defense
Hands, footwork, range, double-play turns, and pre-pitch positioning. Premium edition includes prescribed drill blocks for advancing each level.
Dugout Edge
Player:
Age / Level:
Coach:
Date:
LevelMastery CriteriaNext-Level Drill PlanMark
Rookie Ball
  • Athletic ready position before the pitch
  • Fields slow rollers cleanly with two hands
  • Knows where to throw on a force play
Bare-hand work, alligator drill, walk-through positioning.
Low-A
  • Charges the ball under control
  • Fields one-hop ground balls in front of feet
  • Makes accurate throw from short distance (40 ft)
Short-hop drill, chair drill, charge-and-throw progression.
High-A
  • Reads hop and stays in athletic position through release
  • Backhand & forehand reads on routine balls
  • Knows situations: where to throw with runners on
Short-hop barehand series, decision-making fungo (situational).
Double-A
  • Average to plus range at position
  • Turns routine 6-4-3 / 4-6-3 with footwork < 1.0 sec
  • Charges slow rollers, throws on the run
Full-speed fungo, double-play turn drill, communication reps.
Triple-A
  • Plus range to glove and arm side
  • Fields backhand on the run, makes throw on a line
  • Communicates rotations & bunt coverage clearly
Lateral-range drill, glove-side run-throwing, comm chart practice.
Major League
  • Top-tier defender at position (varsity SS / 3B level)
  • Makes the spectacular play look routine
  • Holds runners with strong arm + quick release
Reaction-ball drills, multi-step DP turns, video of best MLB peer.
All-Star
  • Recruitable defender — elite range, hands, arm
  • Plus instincts: positions self pre-pitch correctly
  • Defines the team’s defensive identity
Year-round elite defensive maintenance, scouting integration.
How to use this rubric
  1. Evaluate the player against every level’s criteria, lowest first.
  2. Assign the highest level where they meet ALL criteria.
  3. The next level’s criteria become this season’s focus.
  4. Re-evaluate at mid-season & end-of-season checkpoints.
Typical level by age
4-6 (T-Ball)Single-A → Double-A
7-8 (Coach Pitch)Double-A → Triple-A
9-10 (Kid Pitch)Triple-A → Major League
11-12 (Little League)Low-A → Double-A
13-14 (Travel)Double-A → Triple-A
15-16 (JV)Triple-A → Major League
17-18 (Varsity)Major League → All-Star
College / EliteAll-Star
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