What Every Outfielder Needs to Know

Master the art of outfield play with essential tips on tracking fly balls, glove work, accurate throwing, situational awareness, and positioning. Whether you're in left, center, or right field, learn how to elevate your defensive skills and make game-changing plays. Perfect for players and coaches!

Fielding Drills

In this post, you will learn how to organize outfield drills that will be efficient and productive.

I am giving you 7 of the simplest drills you can do 

• At home

• On the field

• In the gym

• At a workout facility

• At any age for any level

The best part is all the equipment you need is a baseball and a player with a glove. 

That’s it!

These outfield drills are consistent, actionable, repeatable, and exact coaching points/ideas you can take and implement at your next practice. 

This article will answer the following questions: 

• How to become a better outfielder?

• How do you coach an outfield?

• How do you teach an outfield crow hop?

• Outfield throwing drills?

• Competitive outfield drills?

• Outfield drills baseball indoors?

• Outfield drills PDF?

• Outfield drills progression?

• How to train like a big league outfielder?

Lots to cover – Let’s go to work.

I have 3 decades of experience coaching in Texas and 19 as a head coach. Read more about my coaching background right here.

I am sharing with you what I have used to turn low-performing teams into District Champions and lucky enough to get a state ranking as high as #10 in Texas.

Let’s take a peek at what needs to happen to develop a quality outfielder. The best part is these drills can be done anywhere, at any time, with anyone.

1. How do you coach an outfield?

The first thing any outfield coach needs is a solid plan on what to teach his players.

Outfield drills for youth baseball must start with or be equipped with:

A. CONCENTRATION: The outfielder must have the will to focus on the pitcher and the batter. The key is to also be able to react. A good reaction time is a direct result of total concentration.

As coaches it is our responsibility to PREPARE the outfielders to be ready every moment, and it begins with the development of concentration.

B. SPEED: We need speed in the outfield. We want the outfielder to get to the ball quickly. Our main speedster will be in centerfield. He will be responsible for cutting off the shots into the gaps.

C. STRONG ARM: We want our outfielders to have a strong, accurate arm.

D. KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAME: Throwing one base ahead of the runner is a must for us. They must always be aware of the following: WHAT? WHERE? WHEN? HOW?

Lets start off with the facts.

The outfield position is not a dumping ground for players who are unable to play catch or throw. The outfield position is the last line of defense with a lot of space to cover. The coach must must be able to get his coaching points across to the players, have the players work together as a unit, and then ultimately have the unit work as a team with the infielders and catcher.

An outfielder must:

• Be able to track a ball off the bat

• Anticipate where the ball will land

• Judge the sun and wind conditions

• Get control of the ball

• Throw the ball ahead of baserunners

• Hit the cut-off man head high, glove side

Each of the outfield drills in the article will help you do this.

2. Fundamentals all outfielders need to know.

• The objective of the position

• Stance, Catching, and Throwing

• Stressing Fundamentals

• Relays

• Ball in Gaps

• Slide Catch

• Shoe-String Catch

• Regular Catch & Quick Catch

3. How do you teach an outfield crow hop?

A “crow hop” is nothing more than a throwing technique used by the outfielders to get momentum or a little more “umph” behind their throw.

The only time a crow hop is needed is when the outfielder is needed to throw to stop a baserunner from advancing.

If a player has great balance, he may be able to complete a crow hop in one step while others may need two steps or something close to a running start.

The best high school baseball drill I have used for teaching the crow hop is to have the players play catch at about 150′ apart. Have one player with a baseball and square their back foot and point their lead shoulder to their partner. The player with the ball will now hop twice on his trail leg and throw with an exaggerated follow through. Once the team gets good at two hops, I will then work to completing this long throw in one hop.

ProBaseball Insider has a nice article with some more helpful hints on coaching the crow hop.

4. Outfield throwing drills?

Outfield drills must always include some sort of throwing. The emphasis on throwing must be accuracy and strength. But, you don’t want to overuse the arm and make the outfielder make too many long throws.

Here are some simple drills that can be done daily that will not be hard on the arm.

1. Long toss is a great outfield drill in which to work on accuracy and strength.

2. Throwing into a sock net is an easy way to create confidence.

3. Working the relay drill will work on head high – glove side throwing to relay man

4. Rapid Fire Outfield is my newest Outfield Drill PDF where the entire team gets quality reps with emphasis on outfield play.

5. Competitive outfield drills?

Want to see who has the best arm? Best accuracy? Then set up the following advanced outfield drills and find out.

1. Try-Out Simulation. Place a cone in right field at a comfortable location away from home plate; yet challenging enough that most players will struggle reaching home. Give each player a baseball and have the player throw home. The key is the player must release the ball before his passes the cone. Your really good players will reach home plate on one or two hops. Your average player will reach the first base dirt area and your developmental players will struggle to reach the infield. This advanced outfield drill tests arm strength and some accuracy.

2. Trash Can. Place a large trash can on home plate and have the players throw from centerfield. Have a cone that the player must throw from and let it rip. For this one, give the player three consecutive throws to hit the inside of the trash can. This drill test accuracy and some arm strength.

3. Radar and Catcher. This time line up the outfielders behind a cone and have them throw to home plate to a real catcher. In an area near where the cut-off would be stand there with a radar gun and get the speed of the ball. This drill tests accuracy and velocity.

6. Indoor Outfield Drills?

The best thing about the outfield drills I am sharing with you here is that all you need is a player, a glove, and one ball. That’s it!

The second best thing about these drills is you can practice them indoors and nothing changes. I have led these drills in a space as big as a gym court, as big as a half court, and when really squeezing for space I had these drills done in what would be 1/4 of a basketball court.

Don’t forget about using your gym, tennis courts, cafeteria, or parking lot (safely blocked off) for drills. The ground may be wet but these areas are always able to be practiced on. . . just be safe.

The drills you can do are:

1. Fly Balls with a Regular Catch (meaning no one on base or two outs – no need to rush

2. Fly Balls with a Quick Catch (meaning runner on base tagging – crow hop and throw)

3. Ground Balls with a Regular Catch (it’s a base hit – no need to rush)

4. Ground Balls with a Quick Catch (runners moving – get the ball in quick)

5. Solo Flys (a nice routine to work the first step, footwork, glovework, and technique)

6. Shoestring and Sliding Catch (if you don’t work it – it won’t happen)

7. Communication (priority calls and talking)

Outfield Drills #1-4 can be done with the team during warm-up throwing. Be sure the players only throw when you tell them to and where to throw.

Example: “Throw a fly ball that will fall short with a regular catch” . . . “ready – throw” and the ball is thrown to a partner a little short and the ball is caught, held for 2 seconds, and then tossed back to the partner. There was no rush on the throw.

Example: “Throw a fly ball to your right – your partners left with a quick catch” . . . “ready – throw” and the ball is thrown where told and the outfielder will quickly catch the ball and get it into his partner's head high – glove side.

Continue with all throws being done right at them, left, right, short, and overhead.

Drills #5-7 are done with a coach throwing (placing) the baseball exactly where he wants it. This is the most optimal way to get excellent, efficient outfield technique.

Start these drills with each player having a baseball. When it is the player’s turn, he hands the coach a baseball. The player moves in the direction told by the coach and then the coach lobs a nice soft fly. The coach is watching first step, footwork, and glovework. The throw is not far, not more than 10 yards.

For Drill #5 you can work on misdirection fly with an open step, misdirection fly with a speed turn step, 45 degrees with a catch/step and turn, over the head, ball in the sun (if indoors – catch a ball under a light – same effect), line drive, and play the wall.

Drill #6 (slide catch) the players are now in front of the coach about 5 yards. The coach is on one knee with a baseball. When the coach says “go” the player will run to the area of the coach. The coach will toss the ball in a nice space where the player will have to work his slide catch. It is important to show the glove in the ball – show the umpire.

Drill #6 (shoestring catch) the players are lined up the same way. This time the coach will throw a ball underhand as if bowling and keeping the ball about 8″ off the grass and the player has to make a shoestring catch. Again, show the ump you caught it. Sometimes showing a short hop – you can fool the ump.

Drill #7 there will be two lines about 15 yards apart. Distance is not important. We are working on fly-ball communication. The coach will designate one line as the position with priority on the call. The priority will not change – keep the drill moving. The coach throws a baseball up and the players communicate who will catch and who will back up.

For simplicity I always had the players say “Ball – Ball – Ball” and the other say “You – You – You.”

Here is a sample of the details you can find in Drill Series #1 that explain all these drills in great detail with images.

Outfield Communication Fundamental Drill

During this drill, the outfielders will form two lines with the coach in the middle about fifteen yards away with baseballs.  It helps if the coach will wear a baseball glove as he will serve as a cut-off man.

The coach can throw the baseball in any direction he wishes.  The coach can throw fly balls or ground balls.  Whatever ball is thrown the outfielders must communicate and back each other up.

Before any ball is thrown the coach must designate which line has priority.  After ten reps the coach can change the priority line.

7. Outfield drills progression?

The progression of outfield drills are:

• Throwing drills with a partner

• Coach drills named above

• Fungo

Check out this article by USA Baseball for more details. 

Want a Practice Plan?

Drill Series #1 has all the detailed images and more coaching points you will find helpful. 

Conclusion

What is your best drill? Leave me a comment below and let me know.