Reasons not hitting the baseball

Watch the ball is common phrase we hear in youth baseball practices and games. As much as we hear and say “watch the ball” , it is amazing how many instances it is not really happening. There is a simple youth baseball drill to improve a youth baseball player keeping his eye on the baseball. We have used this drill many times with different groups and ages of youth baseball players to help improve contact hitting, get over fear of the baseball, and generally have better plate appearances.

First, we have to realize what causes a baseball player to not watch the ball. We all know you can’t hit what you can not see so lets keep our eye on the ball.

There are two common reasons a baseball player is not watching the ball or keeping his eye on the ball..
1. Trying to hard pull the ball   Common issues seen – stepping away from the plate, not hitting the pitch where it is thrown
2. Attempting to hit the ball too hard   Common issues seen – head pulling out , when the head moves the eyes move

As with any youth baseball drill, we recommend using practice stations to keep the baseball practice effective.

Here’s what a youth baseball coach or parent can do to help players be better hitters.

Watch the Ball |Youth Baseball Hitting Drill

Get  2 colored markers, 15 baseballs,  and draw a colored dot on several balls about the size of a quarter.
Repeat with the other color, and then leave a few with no color.
We like to put the colored circles between the seams and use bright colors like red and blue.
For example, put a red circle on about 6 baseballs,
and blue dots on 6 baseballs.
Dont put anything on the remaining three for a total of 15 balls.
You can adjust how many repetitions you want players to swing or bunt at.
This youth hitting drill can be used with pitching machines,
live pitching, at bat warm ups, and even soft toss.
The kids always seemed to have fun at it because they knew they want to call out the right color.

In order to become a great hitter, you need to master many skills…

Mechanics, Improved Bat Speed, Improved Vision, Precise Timing, Mental Preparation, A Winning Approach and Physical Training.

Watch the Ball Youth Hitting Drill | alternate version

Here is a variation of the hitting drill used by many youth baseball coaches to improve accuracy.  We have personally not used this method because of the success and options of our watch the ball drill.
Place a piece of brightly colored masking tape, or paint a stripe about  4 inches wide around the sweet spot on the barrel of the baseball bat. The sweet spot is about 4 inches from the end of the bat This can vary slightly according to the size of the bat.

During batting practice the hitter uses the striped baseball bat and attempts to hit the baseball on the striped part of the bat. The hitter is now  trying to correct his own problem. This is a very good way to teach younger, and more experienced players, to hit the ball hard with the right part of the bat.

If you have youth baseball players that have trouble keeping their head down..

Even more youth baseball hitting drills