Youth Baseball Pitching Drills
Here are 2 great pitching drills for youth baseball. Both will help your pitcher learn to throw with more velocity and control.
Foot Pitching Drill
• Place a brick or block of wood just in front of the pivot foot of the pitcher.
• The pitcher needs to work on his stretch and be reminded to clear the brick or block of wood with his back foot up.
• The pitcher then pitches the ball using his normal motion and delivery.
• If his or her back foot does not clear the brick or block of wood then he or she is dragging their back foot. This means they are over striding.
• Continue this drill until the pitcher can pitch the ball and get his back foot over the brick or block of wood.
Tips: If the player is not clearing the brick or block of wood, teach him to step out properly and hold up and over the brick or block of wood.
Remind the player that this drill will help him develop proper back leg action. It will stop foot drag and prevent over striding.
Spot Pitching Drill
• The pitcher is placed on the pitching mound with lots of balls.
• The catcher is behind the plate.
• The catcher has four spots on his gear. They are numbered one through four.
• The numbered spots are taped to both of the catcher's knees (on his shin guard), one is on his left shoulder and one is on his right shoulder.
• The coach tells the pitcher a number.
• The pitcher must hit the number on the catcher that the coach called.
• The pitcher gets six pitches to hit all four spots on the catcher.
Tips: The numbered spots can be placed lower on the catcher. This will help teach the pitcher to keep the ball low and down in the zone.
This drill will help build confidence in young pitchers and will help them to have better ball control.
Building confidence into young pitchers is very important. Coaches can work on the mental aspect of this part of the process by constantly encouraging and coaching up their pitchers.
Success in these youth baseball drills will also be a confidence builder. Every time a young pitcher has success in a drill or a game make sure and reward him and tell them, reiterate the things that they did successfully.
Pitching is a mental thing as much as a physical sport. Pitchers must be able to pull out of tight spots and put the ball over the plate. Your young pitcher can do that by being able to be successful in practice, in running drills and in game situations.
Foot Pitching Drill
• Place a brick or block of wood just in front of the pivot foot of the pitcher.
• The pitcher needs to work on his stretch and be reminded to clear the brick or block of wood with his back foot up.
• The pitcher then pitches the ball using his normal motion and delivery.
• If his or her back foot does not clear the brick or block of wood then he or she is dragging their back foot. This means they are over striding.
• Continue this drill until the pitcher can pitch the ball and get his back foot over the brick or block of wood.
Tips: If the player is not clearing the brick or block of wood, teach him to step out properly and hold up and over the brick or block of wood.
Remind the player that this drill will help him develop proper back leg action. It will stop foot drag and prevent over striding.
Spot Pitching Drill
• The pitcher is placed on the pitching mound with lots of balls.
• The catcher is behind the plate.
• The catcher has four spots on his gear. They are numbered one through four.
• The numbered spots are taped to both of the catcher's knees (on his shin guard), one is on his left shoulder and one is on his right shoulder.
• The coach tells the pitcher a number.
• The pitcher must hit the number on the catcher that the coach called.
• The pitcher gets six pitches to hit all four spots on the catcher.
Tips: The numbered spots can be placed lower on the catcher. This will help teach the pitcher to keep the ball low and down in the zone.
This drill will help build confidence in young pitchers and will help them to have better ball control.
Building confidence into young pitchers is very important. Coaches can work on the mental aspect of this part of the process by constantly encouraging and coaching up their pitchers.
Success in these youth baseball drills will also be a confidence builder. Every time a young pitcher has success in a drill or a game make sure and reward him and tell them, reiterate the things that they did successfully.
Pitching is a mental thing as much as a physical sport. Pitchers must be able to pull out of tight spots and put the ball over the plate. Your young pitcher can do that by being able to be successful in practice, in running drills and in game situations.
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