Baseball Practice Drills for High School + College Players

10 min read

How you practice translates to how you perform on the field, especially when it comes to baseball. For high school and college-aged players, practice drills are an integral part of any baseball player’s training routine. Drills help players find their strengths, identify their weaknesses, and keep their focus sharp for in-game decision-making.

Whether you are looking to improve your hitting performance, put speed and power behind your pitch, or desire to take your footwork up a notch, here are some recommended baseball practice drills to perfect your skills on the diamond.

Baseball Hitting Drill

Hitting the ball is not as easy as it may appear. Before even picking up and gripping a bat, hitters must understand timing, maintain a balanced form, cultivate a keen sense of focus, develop muscle memory, and stay ready for anything a pitcher sends their way.

To hit with confidence, give this drill from Hunter Pence Baseball Academy’s Sean Danielson a few swings. When done correctly, these baseball hitting drills for power and body control help players maximize their bat speed, path, and follow-through. Performing this drill also helps ensure proper head positioning for an improved overall baseball swing.

For Best Hitting Results:

Before batting practice, put on your batting gloves and stay safe with the right helmet and protective equipment
Step into the box with a nice, wide batting stance with your bat in hand
Keep your feet grounded in and stable
Get loaded into a trigger position
Have your coach or personal trainer rapid fire up to five balls in a row
Focus on holding your stance and staying balanced

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Baseball Pitching Drill

A pitcher’s goal is to throw the ball, but not just any throw will suffice. The best pitchers know that throwing great pitches requires balance, rhythm, and an adaptable pitching velocity with tempo and direction at the forefront of his mind.

This effective drill from Aaron Cunningham, the Head Pitching Instructor at Hunter Pence Baseball Academy, is ideal for breaking down each part of your pitch. From your pitching delivery and sequencing of rotation to your glove side arm separation, this drill well help you consistently deal from the mound.

For Best Pitching Results:

Gear up! Gather up some baseballs and put on your baseball gloves
Start with a good posture and a responsive, athletic stance
Keep your chest over your feet
Keep your eyes on your target
Shift energy to your legs to create a consistent pitching motion

Be sure to choose the right baseball glove for yourself or the future Cy Young Award winner in your household.

Baseball Drill for Infield Footwork

In addition to staying focused on the locations of the baserunners and the baseball, infielders prove to have some truly demanding tasks to perform when it also comes to fielding the ball. They must remain adaptable whether snagging pop flies or scooping up ground balls, but they also need footwork that can get them in the proper position to catch, change direction, tag, and throw when the timing calls for it.

The Hunter Pence Baseball Academy’s Ryan Crew shares his effective drill for improving your infield footwork and body control so you can stop your opponents from finding their way home.

For Best Baseball Infield Footwork Results:

Pick baseball cleats that supply the right dig, comfort, support, and stability for your position
Get a coach or personal trainer to toss you baseballs from different positions, the way baseballs would be tossed in a game setting
Consider your position, locate the ball, take a quick first step and set up your proper stance
For a pop-up, work out your drop step and get underneath the ball
Train body control and footwork simultaneously as this is often how they are used on the field

Let’s Play Ball

Baseball drills are designed to take your skills to the next level while also teaching you the fundamentals of the game and more about the best way to succeed in your role on the team.

Shop Academy Sports + Outdoors online and in-store to find the baseball accessories and training equipmentto help improve your hitting, pitching or infield skills for practice or game day.

You can also find all your essential baseball gear, including mitts, gloves, bats, protective gear, cleats, and more.