Chandler American Little League: League News and Baseball Tips: Off Season Work Outs

Drills for Outfielders- Besides outfield communication, the nine-skill drill, hitting fly balls and breaking on balls in BP, these are other drills you can use for your outfielders.

       Charging ground balls drill- Coach fungoes ground balls directly in front of the outfielders. Have them deep enough so they have to sprint in to make the play. They throw to cutoff man.

       Line drive communication drill- for two lines one hundred feet apart. Coach throws or fungoes line drives between the two outfielders.

       Chest over ball- Playing a ball that has stopped rolling along the fence. Players field ball with bare hand and don't reach for ball but get their chest over the ball. They step to the inside and throw to a cutoff man.

       Sun drill- Line outfielders up facing the sun. Hit fly balls and line drives. Practice use of glove to shield eyes from the sun.

       Lob fly balls so players can practice setting up to throw.

       Lay out drill- players line up and kneel in front of coach who throws balls left and right so player must lay out to catch it.

       One-hop drill- outfielders 90-150 feet apart and make one-hop throws to each other. Check for 4-seam grip and the way the ball bounces after it contacts the ground. It should bounce straight ahead and not move left or right. Consider this a throwing accuracy drill.

       Fence drill or wall drill. Throw balls over the outfielders' heads so they must get to the fence to make the play.