Trying out for a baseball team can be a nerve-wracking experience. You may show up thinking all you'll need to do is display your skill in order to earn a spot on the team, only to find that there are far more hopefuls than available roster spots. This is where preparation comes into play -- by honing your skills and strategically planning your approach, you'll increase your chances of seeing your name on the team list after final cuts are made.
Step 1
Improve your physical fitness. Baseball may not be seen as a physical sport in the same light as, say, hockey or football, but today's baseball players are in better shape than their predecessors. This doesn't mean you need to begin taking protein supplements and working out three times daily, but adding a few pounds of muscle can significantly help your cause -- especially at the plate. Any added strength will have an effect, but lifts that work your triceps and deltoids -- bench presses, for instance -- will help you swing the bat more powerfully.
Step 2
Increase your speed. Unless you're a pitcher or catcher, you'll be doing plenty of running while on defense, and even pitchers and catchers must run the basepaths. Running regularly will cut a fraction of a second off of the time it takes you to get to first base, and help you to chase down sinking line drives you wouldn't have reached previously. Alternate sprints and longer runs. Mix in some stadium steps, sprinting up a few stories worth of steps, walking back down to the field and then sprinting back up. This will increase your speed and endurance.
Step 3
Keep your arm in good working condition. Throw regularly with a partner, taking off a couple of days a week to avoid wearing down your arm before tryouts begin. Practice throwing from one knee to improve strength and accuracy. Focus more on repetition than distance; while long-toss -- throwing with a partner at maximum distances -- has long been a staple of baseball workouts, it's also been shown to potentially increase injury risks.
Step 4
Find the nearest batting cage and get swings in as often as possible. Even for the best hitters, picking up a bat after several months of rust can result in awkward, poorly-timed swings. It only costs a few bucks to hit several rounds of balls at most batting cages, and some are indoors for use during the winter months. Take advantage, and gain an advantage on some of those competing with you for a spot on the team.
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