Daily Drill Progressions & Mechanics for Infielders

Coach Scott Jackson shows you how to implement an efficient and productive infield practice that develops athletic and versatile infielders who can make a variety of plays to help your team win games. Throughout the entire drill progression, Coach Jackson stresses the importance of footwork, proper throwing and angling.

Throwing Progression Program
For most teams, practice begins with players warming up their arms with no purpose, just aimless throwing, which can ultimately cost pivotal outs in game-changing situations. Coach Jackson presents a detailed program of short, medium and long throws designed to create a daily routine for simulating game-situation throws to improve efficiency and success.

Coach Jackson highlights key steps to throwing successfully like getting the ball back at a short angle, keeping the elbow above the shoulder, using a shorter arm action, getting good extension and rotation on the ball and using your front shoulder pointing to your target. He focuses his attention on keeping the feet underneath and making sure the player gets positive direction. In a simulating a relay throw, Jackson teaches players to set up parallel with their body, staying squared, letting the hands come to the middle of the body and correctly separating and rotating.

Infielder Fundamentals
Coach Jackson reviews the fundamentals of the four infield positions, providing his insights on each one. He demonstrates positioning, footwork, glove angles, approach to ball, arm angles, ready positions and communication for middle and corner infielders. In addition, he discusses pivot and drop step techniques that middle infielders can use for double plays, as well as a philosophy of athleticism and leadership expected of corner infields.

Video is provided to show mechanics for making plays on routine ground balls, slow rollers, hits to the right and left of the fielder, and double plays. Coach Jackson describes the proper way to field the ball using V-cut angles. He also explains the importance of hip movement in an angle, adjusting to the ball and keeping fingers on the ground, allowing the player to trust his reaction time to the ball..

Most practices are limited due to the length of field time or number of coaches. This presentation will help you develop a more efficient practice and determine which fundamentals you should be emphasizing during practice to develop a great foundation for infield play.

105 minutes. 2015.