Developing Outfielders

All too often, particularly in high school baseball, outfielders have generally been looked at as players who don't fit anywhere else.  They do not move well enough and don't have the hands to play a middle infield position.  The team probably has a couple of poor movers that mash and they occupy the corner infield positions.  So the average movers, with average hands, and an average arm end up in the outfield.  Possibly with the exception of center, outfield becomes a position that players master by default because their tools don't allow them to play any other position.  Unfortunately, this mentality carries over into their development.

Often outfielders are the players on the field who are forgotten in practice and daily work.  Pitchers are sent to hit fly balls to outfielders and this generally consists of their defensive repetitions.  They get very little in the way of defensive instruction or detailed technical development.  In recent years I have noticed a lack of detailed coaching instruction provided to outfielders.  As a former college outfielder I have tried to incorporate outfield mechanics and technique into each one of our daily practices, developing them with the precision and accuracy that most coaches do with their infielders. 

Developing Outfielders Part I: Technique for throwing off a ground ball

Pregame Infield/Outfield

After deciding to use a pregame infield/outfield, it is critical that a coach determines what will be included and practices the routine a number of times before using it prior to an actual game.  The following article will help you get started:

Running a Quality Infield/Outfield