Baseball Hitting Drills: Indoor Soft Toss

You don’t need a field to knock it out of the park. Take your hitting drills indoors this baseball season with some tips on how to add soft toss to your training routine.

For players looking for hitting drills that can help them build a consistent, high-performing swing, soft toss drills can answer the call. Each athlete’s swing can be broken down for a detailed look at potential improvements and growth. Soft toss doesn’t take up much space and can be easily added to any indoor training routine.

Champon Youth Baseball Coach Branndon Pezzelle has some tips on how to successfully add soft toss to your indoor baseball practice to have that home run swing ready for the start of your season.

All you need is a net, a bucket of baseballs and a willing teammate to toss to you. This allows you to focus on each component of your swing in a controlled environment, from your load to your wrists to your step and follow through. You can even train your hitting technique by having your teammate toss you different pitches, as suggested by Pezzelle.

“You’re going to bring the ball in really low, really fast,” Pezzelle says. “That’s going to simulate a fastball. If you put a little more loft on the ball and wait for that ball to drop, it’s going to simulate a curve ball.”

Pezzelle suggests taking roughly 10 swings with straight fastballs, followed by 10 straight curveballs to start your soft toss routine. You can then mix up the order for a more realistic approach to the plate.

Through the entire drill, however, be sure to focus on hitting mechanics, like keeping your hands high and back, and delivering a full swing through the ball. Don’t let your efforts dwindle just because you are training indoors. The work you put in in the gym could have a dramatic impact on the results you see on the field.

Soft toss is a foundational training activity that can help athletes improve their swing. “It’s good for your time. It’s good for bat speed and it’s also good for getting your hips around and really extending and getting that power into every time you swing on the ball,” Pezzelle says.

Practicing your hitting mechanics is important for taking your game to the next level. Add some soft toss to your baseball training routine and follow these Pro Tips for a grand slam training session.