Edinburgh Baseball Club
Club Training
How each drill on the plan works: what to set up, what to do, and what to look for.
Bullpen script A planned sequence of pitches instead of throwing until tired. The catcher calls it and keeps count. Medium · 15 min Pitchers Catchers Receiving and framing Catching the pitch so it stays in the zone. The single most valuable catcher skill. Medium · 10 min Catchers Blocking progression Keeping balls in the dirt in front of you so runners cannot advance. Medium · 10 min Catchers Transfer and throws to second Getting the ball from glove to hand and to second base fast. Timed with a stopwatch as pop time. Medium · 10 min Catchers Infield Catcher pop-ups Pop-ups behind the plate drift back towards the field. Catchers turn their back to the infield to read them. Hard · 5 min · CATF009 Catchers Bunt pounce Catcher fields a bunt in front of the plate and throws to the right base. Medium · 10 min Catchers Pitchers Basic blocking Dropping to block a ball in the dirt: chest over the ball, chin down, glove in the gap. Medium · 5 min · CATF001 Catchers Basic receiving, no glove Soft hands: let the ball come to the hand instead of reaching for it. Easy · 5 min · CATF002 Catchers Bite the ball Blocking a tennis ball with the chin tucked to the chest. Easy · 5 min · CATF003 Catchers Block, recover, throw Block the tennis ball, then pick up a baseball and throw quickly. Medium · 5 min · CATF004 Catchers Cross-partner framing Two catchers side by side catching diagonal throws and framing each one. Hard · 5 min · CATF005 Catchers Drop and block line Repeating the blocking position along a line of balls on the ground. Easy · 5 min · CATF006 Catchers No-glove block Blocking without a glove so the body, not the hand, keeps the ball in front. Medium · 5 min · CATF007 Catchers Nose behind the ball Moving the body so every catch is in front of the nose. Medium · 5 min · CATF008 Catchers Tennis ball pop-ups Pop-ups off a tennis racquet: mask off, back to the infield, two hands. Easy · 5 min · CATF010 Catchers Tennis ball soft hands One-handed catches with no glove, letting the ball travel to a soft hand. Easy · 5 min · CATF011 Catchers Tic-tac-toe framing Framing to a called square on an imaginary 3 × 3 grid. Medium · 5 min · CATF012 Catchers Bunt coverage Everyone has a job when the batter bunts. The corners come in, second covers first, and the catcher calls it. Medium · 15 min Infield Pitchers Catchers Y, T and W raises lying face down Video Strengthens the small muscles round the shoulder blades that keep a throwing shoulder healthy. Easy · 5 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Wall slides Video Shoulder mobility and control: slide the arms up a wall without the back or wrists coming off it. Easy · 4 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Sleeper stretch Video A gentle stretch for the back of the throwing shoulder, which gets tight from throwing. Easy · 3 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Band face pulls Video Works the back of the shoulders and upper back. Great for throwers. Easy · 4 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Receiving off soft toss Catcher receiving at home with a partner tossing softly to different spots. Easy · 10 min At home Catchers Blocking footwork, no ball The catcher's drop to block, practised with no ball until it is automatic. Easy · 5 min At home Catchers Band pull-aparts Video Strengthens the upper back and the back of the shoulders, which slow the arm down after every throw. Easy · 4 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield No-money drill Video External rotation with the elbows tucked in. Strengthens the rotator cuff that protects a throwing shoulder. Easy · 3 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Dumbbell external rotation, elbow supported Video Strengthens the rotator cuff in the throwing position, with the upper arm out to the side at shoulder height. Easy · 4 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Half-kneeling band external rotation Video External rotation with the arm up at shoulder height, as in a throw, from a kneeling stance that stops the back arching. Easy · 4 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Cuban press Video An upright row, a rotation and a press in one. Strengthens the shoulder through the whole range a thrower needs. Medium · 5 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Push-up plus on hands and knees Video Trains the serratus, the muscle that holds the shoulder blade against the ribs and keeps a throwing shoulder in a good position. Easy · 3 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Band shoulder pass-throughs Video Takes the shoulders through their full range: in front, over the head and behind. Easy · 3 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Forearm wall slides Video Sliding the arms up a wall into a Y, then lifting them off. Trains the shoulder blades to rotate up, which an overhead throw needs. Easy · 3 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Back-to-wall arm raises Video Shows how far the arms go overhead without the back arching, and trains the trunk to hold still while they do. Easy · 3 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Bent-over dumbbell reverse fly Video Strengthens the back of the shoulders, which slow the arm down after a throw. Easy · 4 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Kettlebell arm bar Video Holding a weight straight up while rolling onto your side. Builds a steady shoulder with the arm overhead. Medium · 5 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Kettlebell halo Video Circling a weight round the head. Shoulder mobility and control, with the trunk holding still. Easy · 3 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Lying lower-trap raise Video Strengthens the lower trapezius, which helps the shoulder blade move well when the arm goes up to throw. Easy · 4 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield Forearm release with a ball Video Rolling the forearm on a ball to ease tight forearm muscles after throwing and hitting. Easy · 3 min At home Pitchers Catchers Infield Outfield