Baseball pitching drills
Overhand pitching drills for balance, direction and strikes, into a net or to a parent catcher.
How coaches assign drills- 4 drills
- All with no partner needed
- Every drill has a video clip
- 10–15 minutes each
4 baseball pitching drills
Pitching1:12Balance Point Drill
FixesRushing to the plate and falling off to one side
- 10 min
- Ages 8–18
10 holds with no ball, then 10 easy throws, 2–3 days a week
Pitching1:09Hip Lead Drill
FixesLeading with the head and shoulders, and landing with the throwing shoulder low
- 10 min
- Ages 9–18
10 wall reps, 10 free-standing reps, then 10 easy throws, 2–3 days a week
Pitching1:10Strike Zone Challenge
FixesWild pitches and aiming the ball
- 15 min
- Ages 8–18
20 pitches, 1–2 days a week, never on a game day or the day after pitching
Pitching1:17Changeup Grip and Target
FixesSlowing the arm down to throw a changeup, and changeups that float up in the zone
- 15 min
- Ages 9–18
20 pitches (10 fastballs and 10 changeups, alternating), 1–2 days a week, never on a game day or the day after pitching
How to use these baseball pitching drills
What these baseball pitching drills work on
They are for youth pitchers working at home between practices and lessons, and they cover the parts of the delivery where young pitchers lose the strike zone:
- Balance at the top of the leg lift.
- A stride that lands in line with the plate.
- A release out in front with the glove pulled in to the chest.
- Gear: a pitching net with a strike zone target works for most of them, or a parent can catch.
A baseball pitching session at home
- Warm up with the band arm care routine and easy catch.
- Two sets of a mechanics drill at half speed.
- Then 20 to 30 pitches at a target, with the strikes counted.
- Young pitchers should learn a fastball and a changeup first, and follow their pitching coach's cues if they take lessons.
Pitch Smart pitch counts
Every pitch thrown in a drill, a bullpen or a game counts toward the day's total. MLB and USA Baseball's Pitch Smart guidelines set the limits:
- 50 pitches a day for ages 7–8.
- 75 for ages 9–10.
- 85 for ages 11–12.
- 95 for ages 13–14.
- Rest days after 21 or more pitches. Skip pitching the day after a game, and do not pitch on back-to-back days.
Baseball pitching drills FAQ
What are good baseball pitching drills for beginners?
Start with balance and direction. A balance-point drill has the pitcher lift his leg and hold for a two count before going to the plate, and a stride drill has him land in line with a strip of tape pointing at the target. Once the delivery is repeatable, add a strike-throwing drill with a target and a count.
How many pitches can a youth baseball pitcher throw?
Pitch Smart sets the daily maximum at 50 pitches for ages 7–8, 75 for 9–10, 85 for 11–12, 95 for 13–16 and 105 for 17–18. Pitchers 14 and under need 1 day of rest after 21–35 pitches, 2 after 36–50, 3 after 51–65 and 4 after 66 or more. Little League uses the same daily limits. Drill and bullpen pitches count too.
How can a baseball pitcher practice at home?
Pitch into a net with a strike zone target. Mark the right distance (46 feet for Little League Majors and younger, 50 feet for 50/70 fields and 60 feet 6 inches for high school), warm up, throw 20–30 pitches and count the strikes. Write the number down so he can see it improve.
How many days a week should a youth pitcher throw?
Two or three pitching sessions a week between games is plenty for most youth pitchers, with the Pitch Smart rest days in between. Pitch Smart also recommends at least four months a year off from competitive pitching and not pitching for teams whose seasons overlap.
More baseball drills by skill
- Baseball hitting drills8 drills
Tee work and soft toss for a short, balanced swing that stays through the ball. Most of these need a tee, a net and a bucket of balls.
- Baseball fielding drills8 drills
Ground balls off a wall, short hops, quick transfers and fly ball footwork. A glove, a wall and a few tennis balls cover most of it.
- Baseball throwing drills4 drills
Arm path, footwork and accuracy work, from the towel drill in the living room to playing catch with a target.
- Baseball catcher drills4 drills
Blocking, receiving and footwork for youth catchers, most of it with a wall and a bucket of tennis balls.
- Baseball speed and arm care drills3 drills
First-step starts, home-to-first sprints, leads on the bases and a band routine to warm up the arm before throwing.
Assign baseball drills to your team
Use the drills in this library or make your own. Coaches assign them as homework between practices, and players open each drill on their phone, do it and check in when they finish.
Get the Bravara app- 01
Pick drills or make your own
Start from the baseball drills in this library, copy one and change it, or write your own with steps, a YouTube video, your own photos and videos or a link to read. Then assign it to the whole team or to certain players and set how many days a week.
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Players do them at home
Players open the drill on their phone, watch the video or read the steps, do the drill and check in when they finish. They can upload a video of their work too.
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Players log a result
A drill can have one result to track, like strikes out of 30. Results stay private to the player and their family, and players earn XP and levels as they keep checking in.
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The coach sees who did it
Coaches see who has checked in on each drill and can react or reply to a player's check-in.
Assign baseball pitching drills with Bravara Reps
Coaches assign drills to the team or to certain players. Players check in from home, log a result and earn XP as they go.
