Baseball Hitting Drill, Visualization. If You Ask Players When They Are First Seeing The Baseball, Quite Often They Will Say They Don't Know!

Baseball hitting drill, visualization is a great 3 part activity for helping players to see the pitch early, and track it through the zone.

If you ask players when they are first seeing the pitch, quite often they will say they do not know.

Many players step into the batters' box and maintain a wide angle view, never actually focusing in on the pitchers' release point. This three step activity provides players with repetitions for initial recognition and tracking, staying back, and their swing.

The Activity

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

1. Batting tunnel is best; but you can run this activity on the field.



2. L-Screen.



3. Baseballs. You can get an added dimension by painting them a bright color, red or orange.

Step Progressions

STEP ONE:

• Coach throws to player, from behind the L-screen.



• Player says "ball", when he first sees it, then tracks it through the zone. Working on learning to anticipate the release and see the ball early.

STEP TWO:

• Same as step one, except players swing and add the verbal cue "hit", when they make contact, so it becomes "ball-hit".

STEP THREE:

• "Hit" ~ Coach gives the verbal command "hit" to the player anytime from when he sees the ball, up until it is 2/3 of the way to the plate. Player works on staying back, let the baseball travel.

This is a good activity to use as part of a BP station rotation.

Hitting Tips ~ From the Dugout

If Players Say They Aren't Seeing The Ball, Look At These Possibilities:

• If players are not seeing the ball, start back with their stance to be sure they are looking at the pitcher with both eyes.



• Head position is very important throughout the swing. Starting with the stance, the chin is square, looking over the batters' front shoulder at the pitcher, both eyes looking at the pitcher.



• Check to see that they are locking on to the pitchers' hand ~ pick up the ball where it is being delivered from. That spot, or point, should be determined before you step into the batters' box, either by watching pitchers warm ups, or previous hitters at bats.

Good Pre-load Stance, Correct Vision With Both Eyes On The Pitcher