11 Best Baseball Catching Drills
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Being an elite catcher begins with strong training habits. Catching drills can cover a variety of areas including blocking skills, throwing advice and other traits associated with the position. Discover more with these 11 essential catcher workouts as you aim to become a better backstop this baseball season.
Receiving the Ball
One of the main duties of a catcher is receiving the pitch. To do this properly, you’ll want to have soft hands and a firm wrist. Improve your receiving game and maximize your performance with this simple drill.
Throwing Advice
Catchers work hard to keep their opponent’s running game short. Success in this position can come down to having the proper throwing technique. Use these tips to keep your arm in top shape so you can manage opponents on the base paths.
How to Properly Block a Ball
To stop wild pitches, you need toughness and agility to prevent the ball from ricocheting out of reach. That starts with getting into the right position. Build your skills and become a wall behind the dish with these drills and tips.
How to Block and Recover with Runners on Base
Recovering from a block is a key skill for any catcher who wants to keep precise control of their opponent’s running game. This can help keep opposing runners from advancing to another base or reaching base on a dropped third strike. Get ready for the task with these catching drills.
The Barehand Receiving Drill
A top priority for catchers, naturally, is catching the ball. However, there’s more to this skill than receiving the incoming pitch. Stress the importance of rock-solid reception with this helpful catching drill.
The Barehand Rapid-Fire Drill
Working on your receiving skills is necessary to dominate at catcher. Your glove hand should be strong and able to receive pitches at all locations. Add some speed to your catching drills with the help of this fast-paced training tool behind the plate.
Setup Closer to the Hitter
Location is crucial to pitchers and catchers. That’s why setting up closer to the hitter is important to preserving the true nature of each pitch. Aim to steal more strikes for your battery mate with these catching workout tips.
The Line Footwork Drill
As a catcher, it’s important to ensure every detail is correct when throwing to a base. Popping up from your stance and gaining ground while keeping your feet in-line can help you start the process off on the right foot. Look to improve your footwork with this exercise and lay the foundation for another successful putout.
The Handing Ball Footwork Drill
There’s a lot of moving parts in a catcher’s throwing process. Because of this symphony of movement, it can be difficult to break down form to pinpoint areas of improvement. That’s why the handing ball footwork drill can be a beneficial training tool to give you a better look at what drives your throws from the catcher’s box.
Hip and Ankle Flexibility
Being flexible on the baseball field can help you in multiple ways. Catchers can benefit from being limber behind the plate. Find out how keeping these key joints flexible can help improve your backstop skills with these Pro Tips.
The Line Blocking Drill
For catchers, being able to block the ball effectively is a necessary skill to have on the field. A good block can help your pitcher’s confidence and help keep baserunners from advancing easily. Become a better backstop this season and improve your blocking capabilities with this helpful training exercise.
With these catching drills, you can be well on your way to defensive dominance. Keep your training fresh and effective with this Pro Tips collection.