One-Two-Three Pitching Drill

For young baseball players – and sometimes even the pros – perfecting pitching mechanics is an ongoing process. Pitchers should use their off days to throw from flat ground and iron out any mechanical problems they have been experiencing. It is important for coaches to introduce a variety of throwing drills that help improve mechanics and to be able to explain what area each drill is designed to address. Pitchers often do their throwing on the side at practice when the rest of the team is involved in batting practice or some type of team fundamental. If the coach has explained all of the flatwork drills and what they are designed to address all he needs to do that day is tell his pitcher that he needs to work on his power position, balance position, staying back, etc. No matter what that pitcher needs to work on he will know the exact drill that can correct a particular problem. This is much for effective than just telling a young pitcher to go off on his own to throw.

One area of mechanics that can break down easily is the balance position. It is important for pitchers to understand that they need to stop their momentum and hold the balance position for at least a split second. This allows them to gather their energy before pushing off the rubber toward home. Pitchers who don’t pause tend to “walk through” their balance position and are not able to generate as much power toward the plate. We have a drill called the 1-2-3 Drill that addresses this issue.

The Setup

All you need for this drill is a pitcher and a partner, preferably one of the team’s catchers. A throw-down home plate should be set up at a shortened distance. For players under the age of 13 the plate should be set up at about 40 feet. It probably should be set up at about 50 feet for older pitchers. The partner or catcher should squad to receive the pitches. Two pitchers can work together on this drill to maximize its efficiency. This is especially important if a team needs its catchers to focus on something else at the time this drill is being executed.

The Why

This drill can be used for pitchers of all ages. It is designed to help the pitcher control his body and be able to keep his weight back while gathering energy in the balance position. By design the drill prohibits the pitcher from “walking through” the balance position. Pitchers will be able to generate more power toward home plate by gathering their energy at the balance position before pushing off the rubber and taking the body toward home plate. This should help improve control and velocity while eliminating wear and tear on the arm.

Points of Emphasis

The main point of emphasis for this drill is body control. It should be executed from the stretch position. From the stretch the pitcher should focus on controlling the front leg so that it can be picked up and placed down softly two times before the pitch is delivered. Only fastballs should be thrown (two-seam or four-seam are okay).

Executing the Drill

The pitcher assumes the stretch position and one of the fastball grips. After coming set he lifts his leg to balance position, shifting his weight to the back leg, and then puts it down lightly. Once the foot hits the ground the leg should be lifted in the same manner. After the foot touches the ground for the second time the leg is lifted again. This time the pitcher holds his balance position for a split second before pushing off the rubber and throwing home. This is not a velocity drill. It can be helpful to count, “One, two, three,” for each part of the drill. The ball should be thrown on “three.” After doing this for several minutes, depending on the day, the pitcher might want to throw a few pitches from the regulation distance at full speed to feel the drill’s impact on his mechanics.

Make it Fun

Just like with anything, kids will tire of this drill after a while. However, you can hold their attention for much longer periods of time by turning the drill into a contest. Set up a screen or some other type of target and have the kids execute the drill and try to hit the target. Give them a point each time they hit the target. This type of contest can be done in small groups as a station, in pairs or together as a team.