A great infield is the key to any great defensive baseball team.  The ability to get to groundballs, make quick transitions and accurate throws can take away hits and runs and be the difference between a win and a loss.  So it’s important that infielders be on their game at all times.

If you play the infield and you are looking to keep your skills in the dirt sharp, try these five baseball infield drills you can do by yourself at home to turn yourself into a defensive wizard.

 

  1. BALL HANDLING

Infielders touch and handle the baseball with much greater frequency than their outfield teammates, so it’s vital for them to get used to how the ball feels in their hands.  And this drill will help develop muscle memory on how the ball should feel in your hands and help a little with your transitions as well.

For this drill, all you need is a baseball.  Take the ball in one of your hands, then move both hands behind your back, and pass the ball to your other hand.  Now move both hands back in front of you and toss the baseball back to your other hand.  Now do the same behind your back again, then your front, then back, front and repeat.  Start your movements slowly, and gradually pick up speed as you get used to feeling the ball in both of your hands.

Once you have this motion down and can do it full-speed, start passing the ball in the same manner around your ankles and slowly move the ball back up towards your chest.

This drill helps you get a better feel for the baseball as you grasp it in your hand and as you transition it to your hand.  It also helps you recognize the seams on the ball, so you can quickly make adjustments in your hand to better grip the seams to make the perfect throw.

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT:

Rawlings Official League Baseball

 

 

DURATION:  5 Minutes

REPETITION:  Daily

 

 

  1. STAND AND THROW

This drill works on developing proper fielding footwork, transitioning from glove to throwing hand, and throwing accuracy

Do this one in a large side or backyard.  Grab a baseball bucket and set up a net roughly 30 feet away from you.   Now take a baseball and your glove and get into your fielding position.  As you get into position, put the ball into your glove, pretending to field a grounder, and then throw the ball into the net you just set up.

As you “field” the groundball, pay close attention to how your body is situated.  Make sure your chest is in proper position to knock down any ball that takes a bad hop and that you are fielding the ball slightly closer to your glove side. 

As you sit up and grip the ball out of your glove, look at how you grab the ball from your glove and properly adjust the ball in your throwing hand to find the proper seams.  Now throw the ball, making sure to point your toes in the direction you want to throw as you step towards your target.

Once you have your mechanics and throwing motion down, start doing this drill at game speed.  You can also do this drill from different distances and different angles away from the net to simulate fielding and throwing from 2nd base, 3rd base, and shortstop.

DURATION:  15 Minutes (5 minutes at each position)

REPETITION:  Daily

 

 

  1. RUBBER BALL WALL TOSS

Grab a rubber baseball and head to any open wall, preferably outside.  Stand with your body square to the front of the wall.  Now throw the ball at the wall at different angles to practice fielding different types of groundballs like short hops, high bouncers, or even those that come at you straight on.  As you go through the drill, change your distance every now and then standing further away from the wall and throw with varied velocities to practice fielding at various speeds.  You can do this with a baseball glove, but we recommend using a fielding trainer to work on developing some soft hands.

DURATION:  10 Minutes

REPETITION:  Every Other Day

 

  1. THREE CONE DRILL

Proper positioning and proper mechanics are extremely important to be a good infielder.  But to be a truly great infielder, you also need to know how to approach a groundball hit right at you.  This drill teaches you just that.

Put a baseball on the ground and set up three cones in a triangle formation a couple feet away from it, just like in the picture below:

Put on your glove and stand directly behind the middle cone.  Now circle behind the cone to your right, get into your fielding position, field the ball, and throw.

The important part of this drill is circling around the cone and approaching the ball from the side.  Most coaches refer to this as “rounding the baseball” and makes it so your body’s momentum is already moving in the direction you want to throw the ball.

Rounding the baseball can give you some extra velocity on your throws so those close plays at 1st base are called more often in your favor, turning you from a good infielder, to one that is a perennial all-star.

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT:

Champro Marker Cones

 

 

DURATION:  5 - 10 Minutes

REPETITION:  Daily

 

  1. FOREHAND / BACKHAND WALK

This simple drill is a great way to finish any home practice or work out, and all it requires is a glove.

Get down into your fielding ready position.  Now take a step back with your left foot (right foot if your are left handed) and move your glove to the forehand side, keeping it on the ground.  Now return to the center fielding ready position.  Now move your right foot and move your glove to the backhand side, keeping it on the ground.  Return to your fielding ready position.  Repeat this several times.

Doing this drill serves two purposes:  1) It teaches you proper positioning when going to your forehand and your backhand for a ground ball.  2) This is a small conditioning drill as it strengthens your legs and gets your heart pumping faster.

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT:

Infield Glove

 

 

DURATION:  5 Minutes

REPETITION:  Daily

 

These drills may not seem like much, but doing them consistently on your own time will elevate your game to the next level.

And if you are in the market for a new infield glove, check out everything we have in stock.  Whether you prefer Wilson, Rawlings, Marucci, Easton, or Mizuno, we’ve got the baseball glove to fit your style and your game.  Let us hook you up and get you ready for games to resume.

 

OTHER AT HOME DRILLS