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Hitting Drill: Lob Toss (Baseball & Softball)

Advanced patience drill using high-arc tosses like slow-pitch softball. Teaches hitters to stay back and let the ball travel deep before driving it.

How to Run This Drill

  1. Coach stands or sits behind a screen 20-40 feet in front of home plate.
  2. Coach tosses balls with a high arc, like slow-pitch softball.
  3. The batter lets the ball travel as deep as possible before driving it.
  4. Verbal cue: "Let it get deep."
  5. Adjust the distance based on coach accuracy and player ability.
  6. This drill prevents shifting weight to the front foot too early - a common flaw.
  7. For more advanced players 13+, mix between normal batting practice speed and really slow lob toss. This will ensure players are balanced and can adjust to off-speed pitches.

Coaching Points

  • Verbal cue: Let it get deep
  • If weight shifts forward too soon, widen stance and shorten stride
  • This was one of Cal Ripken Jr daily drills
  • Teaches patience and waiting on the pitch
  • High arc forces hitters to stay back

At a Glance

Categories
Hitting
Focus Areas
AdvancedPatienceWeight Transfer
Age Groups
7-89-1011-1213-1415-1617-1818+
Players
2-6 players
Difficulty
intermediate
Equipment Needed
  • L-screen
  • bucket of balls
  • stool or bucket for coach

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