5 Outfield Drills to Work on in Season
- By Alec Burris
Developing your outfield doesn't stop in the offseason. Continuing to work on new drills with your team during the season is crucial as injuries and fatigue begins to set in.
Implementing new drills in practice will keep your players on their toes and constantly improving as the wear and tear of a grueling multi game week starts to affect their performance.
Let's take a look at 5 outfield drills you can put your players through when getting ready for a big game.
Jake Boss Jr. . was appointed the 16th head coach in Michigan State baseball history on July 1, 2008, and has quickly become one of the most successful coaches in the program’s 131-year history. Coach Boss is constantly coming up with new drills to keep his outfielders prepared for any type of ball that comes their way. In the clip below, check out his different drills including diving for fly balls and tracking angles. (click image for video).
Darren Fenster became the Boston Red Sox's Minor League Outfield & Baserunning Coordinator in 2019. Coach has become known for his innovative drills and philosophies when training outfielders to get the most out of their athletic abilities on the field in game situations. One of his favorite daily drills in practice is “Tapbacks” which is done consistently right after stretches and warm ups.
John Marshall is the former varsity baseball coach at Kinnelon High School in Kinnelon, N.J. and also played at Harvard University and then for the semi-pro Paramus Pitbulls of the North Jersey Amateur Baseball League. He believes that footwork is the key to consistent outfield play, and is a simple but effective concept that you can work on with your players in the middle of the season. Here is a look at some of the drills he uses that can be replicated in your own training sessions.
Former head baseball coach at Indiana University Bob Morgan knows all about turning your outfield into a well oiled machine. In his course "Outfield Play: The Defense's Secondary", Coach Morgan covers the crucial components for the last line of defense including throwing grip, stance, creep steps, and proper techniques and footwork for catching the baseball. In the drill shown below, he talks about creep steps and stance techniques he worked on at the division 1 level.
Former Detroit Tiger Kevin Hooper has preached TEAM DEFENSE since he got into coaching. His course on team defense includes things like:
Pop Fly Priority
Cuts & Relays
PFP
Pickoffs and Rundowns
Scripted Plays
Having your defense act as a single unit is key to saving runs and getting the team off the field to go hit. This clip covers the proper cut and relay drills for empty bases and a ball down the left field line.
Keep in mind that a lot of outfielders rely on instinct when it comes to in-game situations they find themselves in on the field. When you continue to pump in new drills each week before the game, you are adding to their muscle memory and increasing their chances of success when the game is on the line and you are in need of a big play.
Fundamentally sound players WIN!
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