Outfield Drill: The Box (Baseball & Softball)

A fielder starts on a centre cone and chases shallow pop-ups thrown to any of four corners. Three reps each, scored on catches, so the route has to be right from a standing start.

The Box - Video Demonstration

How to Run This Drill

  1. Set four cones as a large rectangle and put a fifth cone in the middle
  2. Stand at the edge of the box with a bucket of balls
  3. The first fielder starts on the centre cone facing you
  4. Throw a shallow pop-up toward one of the four corners
  5. The fielder reads it, takes the angle, and catches it out at that corner
  6. They throw the ball back and return to the middle cone for the next one
  7. Each fielder gets three pop-ups before the next player steps in
  8. Give a point for every ball caught and have them try to beat the score next round

Coaching Points

  • Turn the belt buckle toward the ball and run to where it is going to land, not to where it is now
  • The fielder starts from a standstill in the middle, so they have to be ready to break in any direction
  • Keep the pop-ups shallow, the drill is about the route rather than the distance

Quick Actions

At a Glance

Categories
Outfield
Focus Areas
Fly BallsTracking
Age Groups
9-1011-1213-14
Players
2-12 players
Difficulty
beginner

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