Hitting Drill: Ball-Hit Front Toss (Baseball & Softball)
Front toss drill incorporating verbal cues ("ball"/"hit") to improve pitch tracking, timing, and visual focus.
How to Run This Drill
- Screen set up 30 feet from the plate
- Hitter sets up even with the plate
- Coach throws overhand while seated on a chair or bucket, down the middle of the plate on a line at a slow to medium speed from behind the screen
- Hitter says “ball” when they first see the ball in the coach’s hand, and “hit” when they make contact
- Focus should be on good quality swings, with hitters finishing their swing and staying balanced
- Partners switch after 10 swings
Coaching Points
- Say "ball" when you first see it in coach's hand
- Say "hit" at contact
- Tracks ball from hand to bat
- Develops visual focus and timing
- Medium speed tosses down the middle
- Finish your swing, stay balanced
Quick Actions
At a Glance
- home-plate
- net-or-screen
- baseballs or softballs
Similar Drills You Might Like
Explore more drills to build your practice plan and develop well-rounded skills
7 Ball Front Toss
Front toss drill using numbered zones (1-7) to develop plate coverage and understanding of pitch locations, building strike zone awareness.
Chair Drill
Uses a chair to correct stride length issues. The front foot should land just in front of the chair, preventing over-striding or under-striding.
Angled Force Plate Tee - Back Foot
Biomechanical drill using an angled force plate to prevent back leg drift and teach proper weight distribution during the load phase.
Add This Drill to Your Practice Plan
Use our free Practice Planner to build complete practice plans with this drill and 100+ others. Drag and drop to customize timing and order.
Try the Practice PlannerFree forever - No account required