One of the biggest problems when trying to create a good practice environment for youth players is keeping them focused for the entirety of the practice time. One of the best ways to help keep your youth players interested and focused is to implement some fun and basic drills. We’ll take a look at three drills youth players can do to help their bat path, rhythm, and power at the plate, while having fun and staying focused.
Written By: Garrett Gordon
Should Hitters Have a Barrel Tip in Their Load?
Vertical bat angle is something that some hitters have a major issue with. Hitters who excessively tip their bat forward have a major tendency to hit pop-ups and foul pitches straight back. In this article, you will learn how to fix this problem with a simple constraint drill.
The Issue With a Barrel Tip
A Lot of youth hitters watch players in the big leagues and see how much MLB hitters wave and tip their bat. When the bat tip is done correctly it allows for whip and speed through the zone. If done incorrectly it can cause hitters to get loopy and disconnected early in their swing. The drill below allows hitters to feel and become aware where their bat is at launch position so they can get connected and stay connected when they go take some hacks!
Prime Examples
Below in the video, you will see two longtime Baseball Rebellion clients. After getting their turn speed, posture, and overall intent with their swing I began to introduce something new with how they want to wield their bats.
Both hitters had a tendency of missing under the ball due to the fact their bat angle was too steep at launch. Causing them to work way to vertical through the zone. By fixing their bat angle you will see that their bat works more horizontally through the zone which allows them to catch more barrels.
Vertical Bat Angle Constraint Drill
With this drill, hitters will have to force their bat angle in the right position. When trying to get hitters to feel something new sometimes getting them in a position where they may feel uncomfortable is what is needed.
Anything new will take time and hitters who have been tipping their bat way too far forward will not get the most out of their swing. Try this drill out about and let me know what you think!
3 Things this Drill Will Help
1.Early Connection - Getting connected early in the swing will let hitters have that bat path they truly need. This allows hitters to get on plane earlier and keeps the bat in the zone for a long time. This is something that is ideal for hitters of all ages and will help them adjust to different speed pitches.
2. Smashing High Pitches - Pitches up in the zone is something that a lot of hitters struggle with. Missing under the ball is common when attacking high pitches. If the bat angle is way too vertical crushing the high pitch will become non-existent. Therefore when this drill is done correctly it will allow hitters to stay on top of the high pitch so they can crush it!
3. Power - Since the bat is now connected to the hitter's body much better you will gain some more power. Due to the fact that the body is what makes the bat go fast, which speeds up the hands allowing for more force to be delivered into the ball!
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How To Hit Off A Tee
Many little league coaches and parents love coaching and working with kids, but don’t have a ton of experience teaching hitting. This article points out the key points that will help your young players who are beginning their journey in baseball or softball. It is super important that every player has a solid base and a good turn so that they can develop properly and have more fun in the sport!
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Attack Angle | Bat Speed | Exit Velocity | Garrett Gordon | Hitting Drills | Leg Kick | Load | MLB | Swing Mechanics