Off-Balance Throwing Drill
Infielders need to be able to do more than just make the simple fundamental throws. They must be able to make quick accurate off-balance throws to be an effective infielder.
In the video below Coach Steve Nicollerat, the founder of Coaching Baseball Right and a veteran of 40 years coaching varsity high school baseball, youth baseball teams and camps, shows you the teaching progression that he utilizes to teach players of all ages to make accurate off-balance throws.
Here are the fundamentals of the off-balance throw as taught be Coach Nicollerat:
1. The left foot should be forward and the ball should be fielded to the inside of the left foot.
2. The infielder should use both hands if the ball is moving
3. After fielding the ball, the players should stay low, take one step with the right foot and quickly release the ball.
The teaching progression is as follows:
Begin putting the players in fielding position (left foot forward and glove and hand to the inside of the left foot). Without a ball have the players step with their right foot, stay low and simulate a quick off-balance throw.
Next, he repeats the same drill except that he put a ball in the glove and the player executes an off-balance throw of approximately 35-40 feet.
In the final step of the sequence, he will roll the ball to the infielder and have them execute the fundamentals of the off-balance throw.
Coach Nicollerat has many tools to help you coach baseball right. Just click the link Coaching Baseball Right to see what is available.
The YouTube video below has audio, so please make sure that your speakers are turned on and that you have access to the site. Note that some schools block access to YouTube.