Receiving Drills

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Receiving Drills

Framing Drills

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A catcher has to be challenged to approach every drill and every bullpen as if it's the most critical game situation he can be in.

Remember to work on framing pitches while you are catching pitchers in the bullpen.

No Glove - Soft Hands Drill

Purpose: This drill develops: hand-eye coordination, proper receiving and framing skills and habits.

Materials: 5-7 baseballs and 2 people.

Procedure: Do not use a glove for this drill. One catcher squats in normal receiving position. The other catcher kneels about 5-7 yards in front with the baseballs. The kneeling catcher proceeds to rapidly backhand the baseballs at different parts of an imaginary strikezone. The catcher receiving the tosses is trying to catch every ball with soft hands and to stick the pitch. Drop the ball and be ready for the next toss. Start slow and increase in speed once you get comfortable. After the balls are expended, switch rolls.

Also: Incorporate framing into drill.

Pitching Machine Receiving Drill

Purpose: A pitching machine allows you to accurately replicate live pitches in any part of the strike zone. A bonus to using a pitching machine to aid in developing your receiving skills is that you are able to set the machine for any desired location, speed, and pitch type.

Materials: A pitching machine, home plate, real baseballs or yellow pitching machine balls

Procedure: Set up and place a pitching machine at varying distances from home plate. The closer the machine to the plate the more accurate the pitches will be and this will help when working on receiving for specific areas of the strike zone. Keep in mind, the closer you place the pitching machine to home plate, the lower it should be to the ground. You should make every attempt to replicate the angle of a pitch relative to a pitcher throwing from the mound.

I would suggest using shorter poles to brace the machine and then incorporate a table and other materials to adjust the height of the machine based on the distance from home plate.

Use the pitching machine to work on receiving breaking balls. You will need to adjust the speed of the wheels, but this will allow for catchers to get used to the feel and break of pitches. Using live pitchers for this drill (especially at lower levels) can be frustrating.

Incorporate proper framing techniques into the drill.

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