High Low Toss Drill

Purpose

Improves vision, bat speed and timing

Set Up

• For younger teams, assign a coach or parent helper to each player, who will act as the tosser.
• Older players can partner up and toss to each other.
• The tosser kneels at a 45 degree angle from the hitter 8-10 feet away, holding two balls stacked one on top of the other.
• The hitter sets up at a plate with her helmet and bat.

Instructions

1. The tosser lobs both balls into the strike zone and calls out “High!” or “Low!”
2. The hitter identifies the target ball, swings and tries to hit a line drive.

Coaching Tips

• You can also do this drill using colored balls.  Color one red and one blue ball using a permanent marker.  Toss both balls and call out “Red!” or “Blue!” for the hitter to identify.
• Make it harder: Write “1” on one of the balls and “2” on the other.  Call out the number for the hitter to identify.
• Make it easier: Tell the hitter which ball to hit in advance.  Start with 5 consecutive high, then 5 consecutive low.  Then mix it up.