A drill is only useful when you know what it is for. These are the drills in Coach Bass's Outfield Development program, grouped by the part of the play each one trains.
Ready position and the first step
- Crossover to sprint: Connect the drop step and crossover to a full sprint, to both sides. Key points: Drop step, crossover, sprint; Run on the balls of the feet.
- Drop step: no ball: Learn the drop step in both directions, without a ball, so the first move on a ball over the head is right. Key points: Open the hip: drop the foot back, do not step forward first; Eyes up, as if finding the ball.
- In-and-out: Make the first step honest: the coach fakes deep and throws short. Key points: React to the ball, not the arm; Balanced first step.
- Pre-pitch gather: Load the body as the ball reaches the hitting zone so the first step on any ball starts from a ready, balanced position. Key points: Land as the ball reaches the zone; Weight forward on the balls of the feet.
Routes
- Ball over the shoulder: Train the ball over the shoulder: thrown over each shoulder, caught on the run. Key points: Run, then find the ball; Turn the head, not the shoulders.
- The gap ball: Train the gap ball: take the angle to the gap, full speed, and catch it in stride. Key points: Angle first, then run; Glove down while running, up at the catch.
Reading the ball
- Ball straight at: Train the hardest read in the outfield: the ball hit straight at the fielder. Key points: Hold, read, then go; Short choppy steps while reading.
- Blind read: Train the blind read: back turned, turn on the call and find the ball. Key points: Turn fast, eyes up; Find the ball before moving.
- Curve of the ball: Train the curve of the ball: balls hit down the line that tail. Key points: Expect the tail; Bend the route to it.
- Random fly/ground-ball start: Train the outfielder to read and react when the play may begin with either a fly ball or ground ball. Key points: Read the ball first; React instead of guessing.
- Sun and lights: Learn to track the ball through the sun and the lights: glove up to shield, track through it. Key points: Know where the sun is before the pitch; Glove up to shield.
Playing the wall
- Wall work: Learn to play the wall: find the wall with a hand, then find the ball. Key points: Hand to the wall, then the ball; Know where the wall is before the ball arrives.
Catching on the move
- Dive and recover: Train the dive and the recovery: dive, get up, find the ball and throw. Key points: Glove out first, land on the chest and forearms; Get up fast.
- Tag-up throw: Train the tag-up catch: catch it moving toward the target and get rid of it. Key points: Moving forward at the catch; Catch on the throwing side.
Ground balls
- Backhand and throw: Train the ground ball to the glove side on the run, and the throw. Key points: Get to the ball; Field it on the run.
- Do-or-die: Train the outfield do-or-die: charge, field to the glove side and throw off the run. Key points: Charge it; Field it outside the glove-side foot.
- Do-or-die approach: Train the outfielder to attack a ball with urgency while staying under enough control to field and throw accurately. Key points: Attack with purpose; Keep the body under control.
- Ground-ball approach to throw: Train the outfielder to approach a ground ball under control and transition efficiently into an accurate throw. Key points: Take a good angle to the ball; Stay under control through the fielding action.
The crow hop and the throw
- Base accuracy: Develop accurate outfield throws to a specific base or target. Key points: Identify the target early; Get aligned.
- Catch/field to crow-hop to throw: Develop a controlled outfield transition from the catch or fielding action into a crow-hop and accurate throw. Key points: Secure the ball first; Move through the catch with control.
- Crow hop: no ball: Learn the crow hop footwork alone, without a ball. Key points: Hop toward the target, not up; Back foot lands sideways.
- Crow hop into throw: Connect the crow hop to the throw from a stationary catch. Key points: Catch it on the throwing side when possible; Crow hop toward the target.
- Game-target throws: Reinforce game-like outfield throws to realistic targets while maintaining control and accuracy. Key points: Read the play; Identify the correct target.
- One-hop to the base: Train the throw that saves runs: low four-seam, one hop, on the bag. Key points: Four-seam grip; Low and on line.
- Throw from the corner: Train the long throw from the corner: from the line to third. Key points: Turn to the glove side; Crow hop.
Cutoffs and relays
- Cutoff/base late call: Train the outfielder to react to a late cutoff or base call and complete the correct throw. Key points: Do not guess the target early; Stay under control.
- Hit the cutoff: Train the relay from the wall to home, competitively. Key points: Retrieve quickly; Throw to the relay's chest.
- Through the cutoff: Train hitting the cutoff man: chest-high, accuracy over distance. Key points: Chest-high to the cutoff; Accuracy over distance.
- Throw through cutoff: Develop a strong, accurate outfield throw that travels through the intended cutoff target. Key points: Get aligned toward the cutoff; Use controlled momentum.
- Wrong-base decision: Train the decision: the coach calls a situation after the catch. Key points: Listen for the call; Know the right base.
Communication
- Communication fly ball: Train infield-outfield priority calls on every ball. Key points: Outfielder has priority over infielder; Call it loud and early.
- Communication triangle: Train communication on every ball: two outfielders and a middle infielder; the loudest voice wins. Key points: Call it loud and early; Center fielder has priority, outfielders over infielders.
Train it
The Outfield Development program puts these drills into a plan: which ones, how much and in what order. That part is for members.