Baseball Skills Guide

Anyonethat thinks playing in the outfield is easy has obviously never tried. Considering the large area to cover, the wind, the sun, and the thousands of different trajectories that the ball can take off the bat, it is actually surprising that so many players can play the position well.

As a former outfielder, I can speak from personal experience. The coach can hit you fly balls for hours in practice, but it just can’t prepare you for the game when a hitter smashes a fly ball in your direction off your pitcher’s fast ball.  For me, there was no better way to prepare for catching fly balls in games than to play at my position during my teammates’ batting practice.

There are two good reasons to practice at your outfield position during batting practice.

First, when you field balls during batting practice you are more likely to see a wider variety of trajectories and speeds off of the bat than when a coach hits fungo. Think about it. Does the coach ALWAYS hit you a complete variety of fly balls, ground balls, line drives, pop-up, balls to the right, balls to the left, balls over you head, AND balls at your feet?  I guarantee the answer for most of you is “no.”  The best way to practice the full spectrum of trajectories and speeds is during batting practice when you are likely to see all of these types of hits.

The second reason to practice at your position during batting practice is the element of surprise. When a coach hits fungo, you typically know the ball is coming to you. Coaches tend to hit fungo in a routine and normally you know when it’s your turn. With batting practice, it’s dependent on the hitter and much more random. You are forced to be alert and ready to field any ball that is hit in your direction.

Other Essential Tips for Outfielders are:

1.     Be prepared – Know your hitters and baserunners. Do they pull the ball?  Do they hit opposite field?  Can they hit deep?  Are they quick around the bases?  Adjust your position and strategy accordingly.

2.     Be Alert – In the outfield, you can often feel alone and separated from the action.  Don’t be fooled.  The ball can be crushed in your direction during any pitch.  Be on your toes.  And always know how many outs there are.

3.     Communicate – Communication is critical for both successfully making plays and for player safety.  Always call off other players when you intend to make the play and always give up the ball to your teammates when they call it.  Know the priority for catching fly balls.  Outfielders always have priority over infielders.  The center fielder always has priority over the left and right fielders.

4.     Take the first step back – When a flyball is hit, the tendency for inexperienced outfielders is to step forward.  This can often result in misplaying the ball if it is hit deep.  The first step should be a drop step back in the direction of the ball.  It is much easier to catch a ball moving forward than changing directions and moving backward.

5.     Get under the ball – When a ball is hit away from you, don’t back-peddle, drift, or move slowly to try to time your catch. Always SPRINT to a point under the ball and wait there for the catch.  Quickly positioning your body under the ball gives you time make last-second adjustments if needed.  Other approaches do not.

6.     Move forward as you catch the ball – If there are runners on base when a fly ball is hit in your direction, try to move your body forward as you catch the ball to give you some momentum toward the cut-off man or the infield.  Use a crow hop to give you some extra velocity on your throw and try to hold the ball across four-seams to prevent excess movement on the ball.