This is also a valuable drill to run in a tryout situation, whereby many players can be looked at, in multiple positions. The opportunity is built in to evaluate arm strength, ground ball technique, footwork and throwing mechanics.
Infield Fungo Drill
With regard to the fundamentals of fielding a routine ground ball, a focus must be placed not only on the hands, but also more importantly, on the feet. Most understand that all good infielders possess good, soft hands. Well, when you see those sure-handed infielders, be sure to take notice of what their feet are doing. The two work together, and below is a drill progression that will help improve both.
A short distance fungo is hit from about half way in between home plate and each infield position and done so with a softer pace to the ground ball which enables infielders to really concentrate on a controlled approach to the ball, while reading and creating a good hop to field, before setting the feet up to throw. Additionally, an emphasis can be made on the pre-pitch stance (or ready position as many refer to it) where we are looking for infielders to be on the balls of their feet (front part of their feet, not solely on the toes) at the moment of contact, which makes for a great first step to the ball. Want to put a focus on the backhand? The softer pace and the shorter distance allow the infielders to concentrate of perfecting his feet and hands on what can be a very challenging play. You can put that kind of emphasis on any type of ground ball with the short fungo.
The circle drill with the short fungo can serve two purposes. Draw a circle in the dirt, and for players who sit back on ground balls, start them 10-15 feet behind the top of the circle, and force them to field the batted ball inside of the circle. This helps develop an approach of going to get the ball. For infielders who are flat-footed upon fielding the ball, have them start inside of the circle, and teach them to aggressively move their feet out of the circle when they go to field the ball. This not only helps them get their legs into the throw, but also gets them moving thru the ball.
A regular fungo hit from home plate gives infielders as close of a game rep as they can get in a practice environment, truly combining every aspect of the entire drill progression detailed above. Not only can the ground ball be hit at any speed, from routine to rocket, situations can be added into each rep (like runner on 1st, fast runner, or bases loaded with the tying run on 3rd in the 9th with one out) to introduce some on the fly thinking, a skill that all good infielders have.
Watch as Coach explains, and infielders demonstrate this short fungo drill. The infielders get instant feedback on their foot movement and rhythm. The coach will hit different types of ground balls and hops working on the forehand, backhand, and slow rollers.
Coaching youth baseball successfully involves implementing baseball drills that repeat fielding and throwing in every day strategies. Since making the routine play is so important it makes common sense in running practice to spend the majority of time practicing the plays that happen the most.
The professionals use baseball practice drills for the routine defense plays in spring training every season. Forget wasting time and energy on trick plays and pick-offs that you rarely need or are high risk for making mistakes on.
This is a pretty fast paced defensive baseball practice drill. If a player bobbles the ball give them instruction by telling them they can pick the ball up quickly and still have a chance to throw out the runner then let him finish the play.
Coaching Side NOTES: Put the lefty players at 1B. If the right-handed players also play other infield positions then rotate them in and out of 1B so they all get groundball fielding practice. The lefty players will get a defensive turn fielding and throwing to 2B after the doubleplay round.
For Part II and learn more baseball practice drills, strategies and coaching fundamental options using the 15 minute Rapid Fire Defensive Drill. Go to Part II of Baseball Practice Drills Rapid Fire
If you have an infielder who also pitches, you will need to adjust based on when he last pitched and how many pitches he threw. I also believe that middle infield is a position, and that every middle infielder should be able to play both shortstop and second base.
The fungo hitter should alternate ground balls to the third baseman and shortstop, then hit two balls in a row to either position. If the fielder misses the ball, move on to the next fielder. The first baseman should take these throws and drop the baseballs into a bucket beside him.
To give the third baseman some rest between reps, the fungo hitter should hit two ground balls to second for each one hit to third. The first baseman should take these throws live, and then drop the baseballs into a bucket beside him.
Set one player at each infield position, extra players at the edge of the outfield grass, the first baseman holding the runner on, and the middle infielders at double-play depth. The fungo hitter can hit the ball to anyone, and the fielders will go for two. If an infielder bobbles the ball, he should pick it up and throw to first.
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This is the drill we ran all through high school. It is the most time effective and skill intensive way to warm up a team, but your boys must be able to play catch! Fungo-ers stand in the "fungoe circles" that any good field has (and if it doesn't, you know where they're supposed to be - just outside of the home-plate dirt circle, towards the dugouts). The catch to this method is this - you have two first basemen, allowing both sides of the infield to throw across. Herein lies the only danger - one of the firstbasemen has a lengthy throw back to a shagger, so caution must be excersized (a catcher with a good head on his shoulders really helps).
Now to confuse things. First we start with outfield pregame, two fungoes, but the two firstbaseman thing doesn't start until infield does. So, both (or all three depending on the makeup of your team) players play "real" first.
First base fungo hits fly balls to center field (helps here if both fungo hitters move up and apart, hitting from about the front of the mound extended towards the bases). Center throws to second, second baseman is cutoff (for us it was, anyways - change to suit your style). Third base fungo hits balls to left field, who throw to third, with a second shortstop as cutoff (but you really don't need one, if you're shorthanded).
Next, third base fungo hits to left, who throw to second, SS cuts (make a few of these the "cut off a double on a ball hit into the corner" variety - timing becomes important here, as the other fungo needs to hit many fewer balls than the fungo hitting to left). First base fungo hits to right, who come home, first baseman is cutoff, 60' from home (about pitchers mound - this postitioning puts him out of harms way should the SS overthrow second). On the throws home from right, make sure that they are the "normal" kind - hit the cutoff man, and don't hit too many. The right fielders will get to go again, as they're last throws will be the "do-or die" variety.
Next, the third base fungo hits to left, who come home, third baseman cuts (again, 60' from home, about the pitchers mound). First base fungo hits to right, who throw again to second (this is where we practised cutting off doubles on balls hit into the right field corner - it's really practiseing hitting your cutoff man quickly than anything else - also the reason it's safe to do while left field goes home).
Then, third base fungo backs off, and fist base fungo hits to center, who come home, first baseman cuts, right behind (second base side) the mound. After all of the center fielders have thrown the last "do-or-die" ball, the first base fungo hits one more ball each to the right fielders, who throw their "do-or-die" ball, and sprint off the field.
Make the last ball on the "come home series" a "do-or die" (i.e. give it everything you have to gun the guy at home) and sprint off the field. Wait for a while, support your infielders warming up, and be ready to form the high-five line (discussed later).
First, the third base fungo hits ground balls to the second baseman (this takes some doing to avoid hitting the mound, but it can be done), who throws to the deep first baseman, who returns the balls long and soft to the shagger. Meanwhile, the first base fungoe hits balls to the third baseman, who throws to the normal first baseman.
Secondly, the first base fungo hits balls to the third baseman, who turns a double play with the second baseman to the normal first baseman, while the third base fungo hits balls to the shortstop, who throws to a shortened deep firstbaseman (this means that the deep firstbaseman stands closer to the shortstop than normal, so that the throw across this infield is the correct distance - this does NOT mean that the deep man stands any closer to the normal first base position - this length should always be sufficient) 2ff7e9595c
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