Baseball Tryout Drills for Busy Coaches

Hitting the Mark

As a baseball coach, it’s important to have a strong and varied selection of drills appropriate for tryouts to determine which players would be best for the team. When selecting these baseball tryout drills, make sure to include drills that test players in all areas of the game: hitting, catching, throwing, and running.

After warming up, separate the participants into two groups so each can run a different set of baseball tryout drills. While one group is hitting, the other can practice and showcase their throwing and catching skills. Have assistant coaches or parent volunteers supervise the drills so they can also give their opinions on the players.

For a good hitting drill, try throwing a pitch towards the hitter and calling out the type of hit requested, such as line drive, grounder, pop fly or foul ball. This exercise will demonstrate which players have more control over their swing and follow-through. Make sure to vary the pitches to suit the requested hit, and that each player gets a chance at each type of hit.

The Ins and Outs of Fielding

Divide the catching and throwing group into infielders and outfielders since each requires a different skill set and mentality. For infielders, look for baseball tryout drills that test their reflexes and throwing abilities, such as this drill. Have the infielders assume their positions and begin batting towards the players.

As the ball is being batted, call out a situation to see how the players react. For example, when hitting a grounder towards third base, calling out "runner on 1st, one out" to see how they would react. After a few hits rotate the players, which gives each an opportunity to try different positions.

The most important skill for outfielders is a good, strong arm, so make sure to run a long toss drill to test strength and accuracy. Also, consider pairing up outfielders to run this throwing and catching drill. Players throw a variety of different kinds of hits including line drives, pop-ups and grounders to their partners to see how the react and if they’re able to successfully field what’s coming at them.

Don’t Scrimp on the Scrimmage

After the baseball tryout drills, allow at least 20 minutes for a scrimmage between the players. Not only will it give an opportunity to see how players function in a game-play setting, it also permits the coach to see how well the players work together and play off each other’s strengths. It also allows coaches to spot the natural athletes by observing their running speed and agility.

Make sure to observe players when they aren’t in the center of the action to learn more about how well they can focus on the game and what’s on their mind even when the ball isn’t coming directly at them. Also, watch the interactions between players both on and off the field to see which have a great sense of teamwork and sportsmanship.

Need More Baseball Tryout Drills?

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