If you’re tired of running baseball practices that look busy but what you taught doesn't show up on game day, this post is for you.

The difference between average teams and winning programs isn’t talent alone. It’s how coaches design baseball practice plans, protect practice time, and teach the game with intention.

Baseball Practice Plans template looks like this:  

Total Time: 2–2.5 Hours

1. Dynamic Warm-Up & Throwing – 15–20 min

2. Individual Skill Work – 15–20 min

3. Group Defensive Drills – 15–20 min

4. Team Defensive Situations – 15–20 min

5. Hitting / Baserunning / Pitching – 40–60 min

6. Competitive Finish / Conditioning – 10–15 min

The template stays the same, but the coaching points are adapted depending on the season, opponent, and roster.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to organize high school baseball practice plans that are efficient, repeatable, and built for real performance.  All of this was achieved by me, transforming a traditional 4-win-a-year team into a 20-win-a-year program in two years and then taking an underperforming last-place team to a district champion in just one year.  

There’s no fluff here.

No theory without application.

No drills just to “kill time.”

What you’ll get are proven, on-field systems you can implement immediately as a youth, high school, or college coach.

By the end of this article, you’ll have clear answers to:

• What is high school baseball practice supposed to look like?

• How do you run a good baseball practice?

• How long should baseball practice be?

• How do you plan a high school baseball practice?

• What should you do on the first day of baseball practice?

This is a premier, bookmark-worthy resource for coaches who want structure, clarity, and results.

I’ve spent three decades coaching in Texas and 24 as head coach, building winning programs, turning schools around quickly, and earning district, regional, and state recognition. Everything shared here comes straight from my working coaching files, refined over years of real use.

This will be your go-to resource on baseball practice plans.

Baseball Practice That Transfers to Game Day

Game-day performance is not accidental.

It’s trained daily.

Practices that translate to games share three characteristics:

1. Game-like speed

2. Game-like situations

3. Game-like decisions

If players don’t see it in practice, they won’t execute it under pressure.

The Coaching Mindset: Train the Player, Not the Drill

Mindset Advantage Podcast/YouTube

Great player development starts with understanding who you’re coaching.

• Younger players need confidence, coordination, and repetition

• Older players need reads, decisions, and accountability

Regardless of age level, the goal remains the same: you must teach important skills consistently with individual attention.  So before your next practice, write down one specific skill each player must improve this week. Your practice plan should reflect that.

What Is High School Baseball Practice Like?

A quality high school baseball practice is organized, structured, and intentional.  

It prepares players to execute game-like skills at game-like speed under game-like conditions and then repeats that process daily.

High school practices differ from Little League due to resources (space, equipment, staff), but all levels of baseball share the same core objectives.

The 5 Objectives of Baseball

Teams that consistently execute these five objectives win more games:

1. Throw quality strikes

2. Play high-level catch

3. Put the ball in play

4. Run the bases aggressively and intelligently

5. Control all situations

Every effective baseball practice plan must intentionally train at least one and usually multiple of these objectives every day.

Backed with 30 years of coaching experience, turning programs around and consistently winning, I have created the Head Coach Bundle that will help you teach all 5 Objectives.

Why Routines Matter in Baseball Practice Plans

Coach Dan Blewitt

Winning programs run on routines.

Routines:

• Eliminate wasted time

• Reduce confusion

• Build confidence

• Allow assistants to coach independently

Every quality practice includes:

• Warm-up & throwing

• Individual drills

• Group drills

• Team drills

Each segment has a purpose.

Purpose of Each Segment

Warm-Up & Throwing

• Dynamic movement

• Arm care

• Injury prevention

• Preparation for full effort

Individual Drills

• Skill isolation

• Mental focus

• Position-specific fundamentals

Group Drills

• Situational movement

• Communication

• Timing and footwork

Team Drills

• All nine players

• Game situations

• Decision-making under pressure

If players are not executing skills at game speed, you are training hope, not performance.

How Do You Run a Good Baseball Practice?

Three words:

Have. A. Plan.

How to write better baseball practice plans

A coach cannot just show up and “figure it out.” That’s not coaching. . . It’s survival.

At a minimum, spend 15–30 minutes planning the next practice. Every rep, rotation, and responsibility should be assigned before you step on the field.

Practice Time Management: The Hidden Advantage

Elite coaches protect practice time like gold.

• Short teaching windows

• Fast transitions

• Clear expectations

At the end of every practice, you should be asking, “What did we improve today?”

Dynamic Warm-Up & Throwing (10–15 Minutes)

Every practice should start the same way.

• Dynamic stretching (hips, ankles, shoulders, thoracic spine)

• Short to long toss progression

• Emphasis on grip, posture, and throwing through the glove

This routine prevents injury and prepares players for higher-intensity work later in practice.

Infield Development: Building the Foundation

Infield Drills That Win Games

Infield work must be crisp, fast, and intentional.

• Fungo ground balls from the ready position

• Funnel through the ball to clean throws

• Proper footwork at 2nd base and around the bag

• Double-play feeds from shortstop and second base

• Slow rollers to teach urgency and toughness

If you are hitting one ball at a time and having 8 players standing around, you are doing it ALL WRONG!

The best drills do work IF AND ONLY IF YOU TEACH HOW IT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WHY IT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND THE EXPECTED RESULT.

Here are game-like situations that you can get game-like reps at game-like speed in 30 minutes or less guaranteed!  All backed by 30 years of successful experience.

Outfield Session: Where Games Are Won Late

Outfield Drills List - Kretzfiles

Too many teams ignore the outfield. Smart coaches don’t.

Outfield Drills That Matter

• Drop steps and angle reads

• Catch-and-throw mechanics

• Relay throws to home, 2nd, and 3rd

• Communication along the foul line

Well-trained outfielders prevent extra bases and prevent (stop) extra runs from being scored.

Hitting Stations: Training the Swing for Situations

Great hitters aren’t just strong.
They’re situationally intelligent.

Hitting Station Setup

• Tee work (outside corner emphasis)

• Soft toss and front toss for timing

• Live batting practice for realism

Teach hitters to:

• Stay balanced on the back foot

• Control the barrel

• Drive the baseball with intent

Situational Hitting

• Runner on 2nd: move him

• Runner on 3rd, <2 outs: get him in

• Hit-and-run reps

This is how hitting transfers to games.

Integrated Batting Practice Routine (Example)

This routine trains hitting, defense, and baserunning simultaneously.

• 4–6 players per group

• 7–10 minutes per round

• Groups posted before practice

Rounds

1. Bunts (direction, squeeze, bunt-for-hit)

2. Situational hitting

3. Base hits + tee work + visualization

Baserunners rotate reads and reactions every pitch.

This is what efficient baseball practice plans look like.

Baseball Practice Plan Template (High School)

Total Time: 2–2.5 Hours

1. Dynamic Warm-Up & Throwing – 15–20 min

2. Individual Skill Work – 15–20 min

3. Group Defensive Drills – 15–20 min

4. Team Defensive Situations – 15–20 min

5. Hitting / Baserunning / Pitching – 40–60 min

6. Competitive Finish / Conditioning – 10–15 min

The template stays the same.
The content adapts to season, opponent, and roster.

How Long Is Baseball Practice in High School?

Most practices last 2 to 2½ hours, depending on:

• Weather

• Field access

• Game schedule

• Season phase

• School activities

Always have a Plan B. My indoor practice routine rarely changed—only the emphasis did.

Weekly Practice Sessions Structure (Proven Model)

Monday / Wednesday / Friday

• Stretch

• Concentration drill

• Running

• Throwing by position

• Defensive group work

• Position simulations

• Hitting & bunting

Tuesday / Thursday

• Stretch

• Throw

• Signals

• Baserunning

• Pickoffs

• Hit & run

• Bunt defense

• Special situations

• Hitting

Saturday

• Stretch

• Throw

• Infield / Outfield

• Controlled scrimmage

Nothing gets skipped. Nothing gets rushed.

Coaching Resources that can help:

What To Do Before the First Day of Baseball Practice

Before teaching baseball, handle the business:

• Medical clearance

• Academic eligibility

• Paperwork

• Coaches, players, and parent meetings

• Confirm schedules

Paperwork first. Teaching second.

What Should You Do on the First Day of Baseball Practice?

The first day is about evaluation and teaching, not conditioning contests.

If time is limited:

• Watch players play catch

• Observe arm action, footwork, and communication

Then move into:

• Warm-up

• Evaluation drills

• Controlled game-like reps

Game speed. Game decisions.

Final Thoughts on Baseball Practice Plans

Effective baseball practice isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters.

When you align:

• Skill development

• Smart practice plans

• Focused drills

• Efficient time management

Your players gain confidence, consistency, and composure.

Run practices with intention, energy, and purpose—and the results will show up where it matters most:  On game day.

If you want install plans, printable templates, evaluation forms, and complete practice systems, I share them regularly at KretzFiles.com.

Coach smarter.
Practice with purpose.
Teach the game every day.

Need detailed resources backed by decades of experience? Then be sure to check out the Head Coach Bundle.