Nico Horner shares fundamental baseball drills to elevate your defensive game. These behind-the-scenes insights mirror offensive training, focusing on simplicity and consistency.
Key Takeaways and Drills:
-
One-Handed Knee Drills: Isolate your glove hand at your knees to build comfort and consistency, catching the ball in the same part of the glove every time.
-
Short Hop Practice: Work on fielding short hops directly in front, pressing through the ball to create a consistent pocket.
-
Backhand Technique: Emphasize catching the ball in the pocket and flipping it back, using your body to follow your head.
-
Lower Body Engagement: Utilize your lower body to create short hops, improving throw consistency and carry.
-
Double Play Transfers: Practice quick transfers, ensuring your glove is out of the way and you’re delivering a firm, accurate feed.
-
Pancake Glove Drills: Use a pancake glove to focus on clean fielding, gaining ground, and funneling the ball to the center of your body for accurate throws.
Being comfortable in a wide, athletic stance improves your conditioning and power as an infielder. Pre-pitch movement and reading the ball’s trajectory are crucial for making those highlight-reel plays.
Consistent practice and attention to detail will make the game easier. For more tips on improving your baseball skills, visit BaseballSkillsHub.com.