Title
Catchers practice blocking balls in the dirt, quickly recovering, and getting into throwing position to second or third base.
Compilation
If this video stacks several distinct drills back-to-back, split it into individual, draggable drills — each with its own clip, steps, and tags.
Coach's take
Great for building: Catcher's blocking technique, specifically chest-forward posture, chin-down head position, glove placement, and efficient athletic recovery.
Builds toward Consistently preventing baserunners from advancing on pitches in the dirt and making quick, accurate throws to bases from the block-and-recovery position.
What it is
A catcher in full gear sets up behind home plate. A ball is placed in front to simulate a pitch in the dirt. The catcher blocks the ball, then quickly recovers to an athletic upright stance and simulates a throw to a base.
What it practices
This drill trains proper blocking technique with a chest-forward approach, rapid recovery to an athletic stance, and efficient footwork for throws to second or third base after a blocked pitch.
Focuses on improving
This drill targets improving a catcher's ability to prevent passed balls on pitches in the dirt and to make quick, accurate throws to bases to deter baserunners.
How to run it
Perform 5-8 blocks per side (left/right), then 5-8 blocks straight. Then, repeat each block type followed by a simulated throw. Run for 10-15 minutes.Setup
- 1Place a home plate on a turf or dirt surface.
- 2A catcher puts on full gear and assumes a primary or secondary stance behind home plate.
- 3A coach or assistant stands in front of the catcher, roughly 10-15 feet away.
- 4Place a baseball on the ground in front of the catcher or roll it to simulate a blocked ball.
Run the drill
- 1Catcher starts in a ready receiving stance.
- 2Coach signals or rolls a ball in the dirt, or places a ball on the ground directly in front of the catcher.
- 3Catcher drops into a blocking position, keeping chest forward, chin down, and glove between the legs.
- 4Catcher funnels the ball into their body and immediately recovers to an athletic, upright stance.
- 5Catcher makes a quick turn and simulates a throw to a designated base (e.g., second or third base).
Coaching cues
- Chest to the dirt, chin down!
- Glove in the hole!
- Quick feet up!
- See the base!
- Quick transfer!
Common mistakes
- Catchers throwing their head back instead of keeping their chin down.
- Opening up the body too much when blocking, exposing the chest or shoulders.
- Leaving the glove open or too high, not getting it down to block.
- Slow recovery to the feet after blocking the ball.
- Taking too many shuffle steps or a long stride to get into throwing position after recovery.
Progressions
- Start with dry reps, focusing on the blocking motion and recovery without a ball.
- Roll soft-toss balls from a short distance directly into the dirt in front of the catcher.
- Vary the designated recovery target to second base, third base, or even first base for pick-off plays.
- Add a live runner for game-speed recovery and throw to put pressure on the catcher.
Coach notes