Youth Baseball Drills: 8U, 10U, and 12U

Gearing up for baseball tryouts? Looking to incorporate mid-season assessments? Want to develop your players’ skill set?

Whether it’s about evaluations or player development, youth baseball drills are critical for evaluating players’ competencies and techniques.

We break down youth baseball drills for 8U, 10U, and 12U players. Drills that will keep each age group motivated while helping coaches analyze players across the core areas of baseball, such as: hitting, throwing, bunting, fielding, and catching.

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8U Baseball Drills

Kneeling catch fielding drill

• Pair up players 15 feet apart.
• One player will kneel down on one foot with a glove on (without sitting on their heels), and the other player will remain standing up.
• The standing player will roll a ground ball, directing it to their partner’s glove.
• The kneeling player will position their glove so that the fingertips of their glove are touching the ground, while the palm of their hand faces towards their partner.
• After fielding the ground ball, the player will return it without shifting from the kneeling position.

Tee & bucket-hitting drill

• Place a batting tee on the ground. The height of the tee should be just above belt level; however, minor adjustments can be made.
• Additionally, place a medium to large-sized bucket directly against the outside of the hitter’s back foot.
• Line players up and fill a bucket with 10 baseballs.
• The first player in line will hit the baseball from the tee while ensuring their back foot remains stationary, avoiding contact with the bucket to prevent it from toppling over.
• Each player will repeatedly replace the baseball on the tee after each swing.

Note: When the back foot remains planted on the ground through a swing, this creates a stable base, allowing the hitter to generate power more efficiently.

Baseball relay race

• Pair players in groups of 4, with one group participating at a time in the drill.
• Have the 1st group start, with those 4 players lined up in a single file line.
• On your whistle, Player 1 will run (with a baseball in hand) around all of the bases.
• Once Player 1 gets back to home base, they will pass the baseball off to Player 2, etc.. until all 4 players have had a turn.
• Next up, have the 2nd group take position, running through the drill until all groups are accounted for.

Note: Make it clear to players that the fastest way to get around the bases is to step on the inside corner of the base, not the middle of the base. Time each group and announce the winner at the end of the relay race.

Connection ball batting drill

• Line up players and set up a batting tee. The height of the tee should be just above belt level; however, minor adjustments can be made.
• In the batting stance, players will put a soccer ball or basketball between their forearm and the bicep of their back arm. This is known as the “connection ball.”
• Players will continue in their natural batting swing, trying not to drop the ball for as long as possible.
• Each player will go through a set of 10-15 baseballs before the next player in line steps up to take their turn.

Tip: A connection ball encourages players to keep their arms close to their body, decreasing the risk of overextension in the upper body.

See the connection ball batting drill in action

Four corners throwing drill

• Pair players in groups of 4, with one group participating at a time in the drill.
• Have one player stand on home base, first base, second base, and third base.
• Players will take turns catching and throwing the ball to one another in a counterclockwise circle around the baseball diamond.
• The player on home base will start by throwing to the player on first base, making sure they pivot and step while throwing the ball.

Note: The player receiving the ball will position themselves to face the player throwing the ball. Once they receive the ball, they will pivot and step before passing the ball to the player on second base.

10U Baseball Drills

Pivot & bunt drill

• Line players up in a single file line, each with a bat.
• On your call, throw the baseball to the first player in line.
• The player will bunt the ball without lifting their feet off the ground. Instead, they will pivot on the front of their feet until both toes are facing forward.
• Run through this drill so each player has 5-7 turns.

Note: Practicing bunting with a pivot will help players improve their balance & stability while bunting. Incorporating a pivot also ensures players are distributing their weight evenly between both feet, ultimately improving the direction of the bunt.

Ground ball shufflers drill

• Pair up players, having each pair stand 15 feet from one another.
• One player will roll a ground ball and the other player will field the ball.
• Player 1 will roll a ground ball to one side of player 2.
• Player 2 will then have to shuffle laterally to get in front of the ground ball and then assume throwing position as quickly as possible.
• After player 2 fields the ball to player 1, player 2 will get back into starting position

Note: The ideal starting position is knees slightly bent, weight evenly balanced on both feet and a slight forward lean with both hands resting on the tops of their thighs.

Backhand fielding drill

• Line 6 players about 2 feet apart from each other on the field.
• Players will assume a kneeling position, ensuring their back leg (bent leg) is perpendicular to their front leg while their back is slightly leaning forward.
• Players will position their gloves in front of their front leg. *Players must ensure their glove is open. The thumb of the glove should be pointing to the ground, while the rest of the glove should be making direct contact with the ground.
• On your call, roll a ground ball to the player farthest to the left and have them practice sweeping up the ball and throwing the ball back.
• Take turns rolling ground balls to players from left to right.

Note: Although fielders want to catch as many balls from their glove side, this drill teaches players to make a backhand catch when needed.

See the backhand fielding drill in action

Eye-on-the-ball hitting drill

• Line up players and set up a batting tee. The height of the tee should be just above belt level; however, minor adjustments can be made.
• Players will hit the baseball off the tee in a regular swing motion; however, they will maintain eye contact with the tee the entire time, keeping their chin down.
• Players will repeat this drill 8-10 times before the next player in line takes their turn.

Note: As players have the tendency to “follow the ball” with their eyes after taking a swing, this drill forces players to keep their eyes on the target. By removing the visual distraction of following the ball, players can now focus on their timing to make proper contact.

Pop-up catch drill

• Fielders will start in a deep squat position facing forward. *Hips should sink down lower than their knees while the back remains slightly arched.
• Their gloved hand will be facing forward ready to catch.
• On your call, a baseball will be thrown at the player.
• As soon as the player catches the ball, they will “pop up” to face the right side. *In the pop-up stance, the player’s knees will be slightly bent and the back knee will be completely straight.

12U Baseball Drills

One-knee pitching drill

• Pair players up, about 20 feet apart from each other.
• One player will remain standing up while the other player will remain down on one knee with the baseball in their hand.
• The kneeling player’s throwing hand (on the side with the back leg) will start by going to their thigh before they bring their elbow up and face the ball out.
• Once in the correct form, the kneeling player will execute the pitch, ensuring that their arm extends straight ahead with a forward snap of the wrist.
• The standing player will catch the ball and toss it back to the player in a kneeling position.
• Run this drill for 5-7 minutes.

Note: This youth baseball pitching drill helps players concentrate on using the upper body to generate power in their throw (as they can’t use their feet in this drill).

45-degree hitting drill

• Line up players in a single file line.
• The first player will focus on hitting the ball to the opposite side of the field. I.e., A right-handed hitter will hit the ball to right field, and vice-versa for left-handed hitters.
• In this drill, players will hit the ball at a 45-degree angle (with a 45-degree angle, the ball should be aimed more toward the pitcher). The bottom hand should be “palm up” while the top hand should be “palm down.”

Note: This drill helps hitters adjust their swing mechanics, making contact with pitches that aren’t directly over the plate.

Infield line drill

• Line up baseballs on the field three steps away from each other and line up players in a single file line.
• The first player in line will start by shuffling to the right of the line. They will then shuffle back to a center position (where their feet are straddling the line) and drop down to quickly touch the ball with their glove. 
• Players will continue to shuffle to the right of the line and back to the center position, quickly dropping down to touch each ball in line.

Note: This drill teaches players to step out when the ball is thrown, and then step back in to field the ball once it reaches the ground.

See the infield line drill in action

One-knee bunting drill

• Line up 3-4 players about 3 feet apart from each other.
• Players will start down on one knee, with their back leg perpendicular to their front knee and back slightly arched.
• *Make sure players have their back knee placed firmly on the ground and front leg bent for balance.
• Throw the ball to the first player “in line” on the left-hand side.
• As the ball is thrown, the player will execute a bunt while remaining in a kneeling position.
• Take turns throwing balls to players from left to right

Tip: Although legs aren’t being used in this drill, players can still generate power. To do so, players will push off their back foot slightly as they make contact with the ball.

Bounce ball batting drill

• Select a few players to line up in a single file line while sending everyone else to the field.
• The coach will stand between home plate and the bound with a bucket of baseballs.
• The first player in line will assume a normal batting stance.
• On your call, a baseball will be pitched that bounces on the ground (about 2 feet from home base) before the ball rises.
• Players will swing as the ball rises to hip level before running to first base.

Note: Bouncing the ball helps players with hand-eye coordination and pitch recognition (allowing players to distinguish between different pitches and adjust their swing accordingly).

Expanding Your Coaching Toolkit

While our primary focus has been on the baseball drills, it’s valuable for coaches across all sports to have a versatile approach to evaluations and selection of baseball players. If you’re involved in coaching baseball or looking to expand your understanding of baseball tryouts, you can enhance your ability to run efficient and effective sessions. Here’s a brief overview to get you started:

Baseball Tryout Format

• Warm-Up: Dynamic exercises focusing on agility and flexibility.
• Baseball Throwing and Catching Drills: Assessing players’ defensive abilities, focusing on coordination between players and accuracy.
• Baseball Hitting drills: Evaluating hitters’ technique and power.
• Base Running: Timing players’ speed and assessing their decision-making skills.
• Baseball Fielding Drills: Assessing players’ reaction time and arm strength.
• Game-like scenarios: After running through baseball drills, emulate a “real-life” game scenario during tryouts.

Baseball Tryout Plan

1. Set Clear Objectives: Determine what skills and attributes are most important for your team.
2. Schedule Baseball Drills: Allocate specific times for each drill or activity, ensuring a smooth flow and minimizing downtime.
3. Include Evaluation Time: Build in moments for coaches to discuss and note observations about players’ performances.

Baseball Tryout Checklist

• Equipment Ready: Balls, bats, gloves, helmets, bases, and any necessary protective gear.
• Drill Stations: Set up stations for each planned activity to facilitate smooth transitions.
• Evaluation Forms: Prepare forms or digital tools to record player performances.
• Staff Assignments: Ensure each coach or helper knows their role and what they’re evaluating.
• Player Registration: Have a system in place for player check-in and information collection.

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