Baseball players who play the infield positions need to work on skills specific to their positions, and coaches need to find creative drills to keep them on their toes. Ground balls are the most common type of situation infielders need to prepare for, but fly balls, turning double plays, and pickoff moves are also elements of the game that infielders may focus on.
Ground Balls
Ground balls are the most likely type of hit to come an infielder's way, and players must be prepared with quick feet and a quicker glove. The QCBaseball website advises that, in order to field a ground ball, players should "begin breaking down to get into position to field the ball. To do this, shorten your steps and widen your feet. Bend not only at the knees but also with your back. Put your hands out in front of your body and open your glove toward the ball with your bare hand on top." The best way to drill that skill is to hit hundreds of ground balls to fielders. Repetition is the best teacher.
Fly Balls
Players on the infield deal with fewer fly balls than outfielders, but must still possess the skills necessary to catch them. Rather than hitting each individual player a series of fly balls, coaches can put all their infielders in the proper positions and then hit fly balls without directing which player should catch it. That will give the players a lesson about how important communication is on fly balls, and they will also get accustomed to catching fly balls while teammates are standing close.
Double Plays
Infielders will get the chance to turn double plays more and more as they get older, and practice is imperative due to the potential for injury and errors. Proper footwork and quickness are tantamount, according to Learning Baseball. Roll a ball to the shortstop as the second baseman races to the second-base bag, where a toss from the shortstop should lead him. "All in one motion [the second baseman] catches the ball for an out," the website instructs, "making sure his foot is on the bag when the ball is in his hand, and then fires a strike to first, getting out of the way of the runner."
Pickoffs
With runners on base, infielders will need to keep those runners close to the base --- which sometimes means handling pickoff throws from the pitcher. A drill that can foster growth in handling pickoffs and pre-pitch footwork is to set the players up on the infield with a runner at each base, and a pitcher on the mound. If the pitcher throws home, the infielders should move their feet to get ready to handle a hit. If there is a pickoff throw, they should be quick enough to get to the bag and handle the throw.
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