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Warmup Drill: Short Hops (Baseball & Softball)
Essential drill for learning to pick short hops, teaching proper glove work and hand position for bad bounce grounders.
How to Run This Drill
- Partners 15 feet apart facing each other in defense ready position
- Players keep feet planted in the defense ready position
- Partners throw short hops to each other
- Receiving partner keeps their feet planted and their glove out front
- Receiving partner keeps their eyes on the ball and follows it into their glove, catching it immediately after the bounce
- Partners throw grounders back and forth to each other until each partner has had 5 repetitions
Coaching Points
- Watch ball all the way into glove
- Push glove through the ball - don't stab
- Catch ball right after it bounces
- Soft hands - absorb the hop
- Keep glove angle correct
- Short hops are easier than in-betweens if you stay down
At a Glance
Categories
WarmupInfield
Focus Areas
Glove Work
Age Groups
11-1213-1415-1617-1818+9-10
Players
2-3 players
Difficulty
beginner
Equipment Needed
- baseballs or softballs
Quick Actions
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