with Butch Thompson,
Auburn University Head Coach;
coached Casey Mize - the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft;
former Mississippi State University Associate Head Coach;
2014 Baseball America/ABCA National Assistant Coach of the Year
In a team practice setting, it's often difficult to find baseball drills that involve multiple positions at the same time. Because of this, efficiency becomes an issue and practice can drag.
Butch Thompson, Auburn University head coach, is a master at getting more accomplished in less time. In this video, he introduces efficient warm-ups and team drills that you can adopt to get more done in less time at every practice.
Warm-Ups
A proper warm-up is often neglected, but is an important part of a productive practice. See how Coach Thompson's Auburn team uses a dynamic warm-up to prepare their bodies for a tough workload by increasing body temperature and stretching muscles. You'll learn how to efficiently warm-up to increase flexibility and prevent injury!
Drills on the Clock
Put a stopwatch on your players to increase pressure and add competition to your practices. Coach Thompson offers a couple of throwing drills, as well as a drill to see how fast your outfielders can get the ball into the infield, which all incorporate using a stopwatch to see how quickly they can successfully conquer the drill. Putting pressure on your team and adding a competitive element will help your athletes get ready for the challenges of game day.
Team Drills
Get more out of your team defense with Coach Thompson's team drills. He shows you how to improve your PFP with your pitching staff by having multiple pitchers on the mound at the same time. Additionally, you'll see how to use a similar setup with your catchers to help multiple players simultaneously work on throws to each base.
In total, this video provides 12 team drills that will efficiently train your team to get better at essential skills. Let Coach Thompson show you how to get more accomplished in less time!
45 minutes. 2019.
LD-05496B:
with Gabe Gross,
Auburn University Assistant Coach;
helped lead Auburn to top 20 finishes in the country in runs, home runs, scoring, hits, walks, and doubles in his first season as assistant coach (2018); three-year starter and 1st Team All-American for Auburn as a player; 1st round draft pick in the 2001 MLB Draft (Toronto Blue Jays); seven-year MLB career
Pitching at every level has become more explosive, which has in turn made it harder and harder for hitters to keep up. High velocity and movement have combined to make it tougher for players to hit for both contact and power.
To combat the improved pitching talent, Auburn's Gabe Gross has put together this instructional video that will help you teach your hitters to stay balanced and drive the baseball. Included is a series of 12 drills that move from the tee, to short toss, to a machine, and finally to a four-station batting practice.
Short Toss Drills
Coach Gross starts off with short toss drills designed to help players stay balanced and get a feel for the strike zone. The innovative 7 Ball Drill will help your players calibrate their individual strike zone recognition, while the Speed Up Slow Down Drill will develop an effective 2-strike approach.
Tee Drills
A series of six drills off the tee are used to help improve hitters' swing path, load, and weight transfer. The Inside Pitch-Outside Tee Drill will teach your hitters to keep their front side closed and stay on the ball longer. Multiple resistance band drills are used to teach hitters how to properly load and maintain balance.
Machine Drills
A progression of drills using a pitching machine is used by Coach Gross to challenge hitters and build their 2-strike approach. The Quick Hands Drill is particularly useful at helping hitters learn to "let the ball travel" and hit with a quiet front side.
Batting Practice
A four-station model for batting practice is presented so you can see how to "put it all together." The stations involve bunting, tee work and machine drills. An alternate version of BP is also presented in which live defenders play every ball off the bat in a game-like fashion, helping your team improve their all around skills.
Coach Gross uses this series of drills to show you exactly how to improve your hitters. These drills helped Auburn hit 73 home runs in 2018 (#16 in D-I) and they will help your athletes step into the box with confidence during every at-bat.
55 minutes. 2019.
LD-05496C:
with Karl Nonemaker,
Auburn University Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator;
former Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator at Old Dominion University; helped lead Auburn to top 20 finishes in the country in runs, home runs, scoring, hits, walks, and doubles in his first season as assistant coach (2018); four-year starter at Vanderbilt as a player and freshman All-American in 1999
The infield is the first line of defense against an opponent's offense. Preparation is everything, as infielders will be asked to convert many types of batted balls into outs.
In this video, Auburn's Karl Nonemaker explains four types of infield drills (basic fundamentals, throwing drills, machine work and game-like reads) and offers numerous exercises that fall into each category.
Fundamental Drills
Fielding skills must be built on a solid foundation; having good fundamentals allows a fielder to be consistent. Coach Nonemaker offers several drills for footwork and glovework mechanics. These drills will help your players become fielders that teammates and coaches will have confidence in in pressure situations.
Throwing Drills
Prevent costly throwing errors with Coach Nonemaker's throwing drills. Learn how to turn quicker double plays by getting a good transfer, and discover how to turn to either side efficiently. These drills will get your infielders throwing the ball around the diamond quickly and crisply!
Machine Work
If baseball is a game of repetition, nothing gets a fielder better reps than setting up the machine to throw ground balls. The same exact ball can be replicated over and over, which is difficult to do with a bat hitting fungo.
In one particular lob drill, the machine is set up to lob a ball with an arc to it. The fielder must move their feet to let the ball bounce before picking it and fielding it on the move. This drill helps the fielder learn to pick the ball and keep their feet moving.
Game-Like Reads and Drills
Make practice more game-like to increase carry-over and transfer to a game. Coach Nonemaker offers drills that are the next closest thing you can get to actual game reps. Your players will be more prepared for the games ahead!
Coach Nonemaker presents 26 challenging drills in total that will prepare your infielders to defend anything hit at them. This is a fantastic instructional video for a baseball coach at any level.
48 minutes. 2019.
LD-05496D:
with Gabe Gross,
Auburn University Assistant Coach;
helped lead Auburn to top 20 finishes in the country in runs, home runs, scoring, hits, walks, and doubles in his first season as assistant coach (2018); three-year starter and 1st Team All-American for Auburn as a player; 1st round draft pick in the 2001 MLB Draft (Toronto Blue Jays); seven-year MLB career
Auburn's Gabe Gross calls outfield play, "The most overlooked aspect of the game." Outfielders need to play mistake-free baseball, as miscues almost always lead to baserunners advancing at least one extra base.
You can gain an advantage on your opponents by helping your outfielders improve their skills in areas that are neglected by your competition. In this video, Coach Gross breaks down outfield play and gives you the tools you need to make sure your outfield is a strength on defense.
Fundamental Drills
A set of four common situations are covered in Coach Gross' "Hip Drills." These drills teach players how to improve their routes to fly balls while working without a glove, which will soften the hands at the same time. Help your outfielders get good jumps on the ball by working their drop steps while teaching them efficient paths and angles to the ball.
Gross also covers how to teach glove side turns, and, ways to use the pitching machine to create different types of fly balls.
Long Toss
A strong and healthy arm is a must in the outfield since powerful and accurate throws can prevent opposing runners from taking an extra base on balls hit to the outfield. Coach Gross provides a blueprint you can use to help your players strengthen their arms and condition for the rigors of a long season. An emphasis is placed on proper technique and "letting the distance stretch the arm" to prevent injury.
Special Situations
Gross covers a number of situations that outfielders need to execute well in order to help your team on defense. Attacking ground balls, playing the wall, making awkward catches when needed, and taking your eyes off the ball when tracking are all covered in expert fashion by the former MLB outfielder.
Coach Gross touches on every key aspect of outfield play in this video. His drill series is sure to help your team gain an advantage on the competition this season.
40 minutes. 2019.
LD-05496E:
with Butch Thompson,
Auburn University Head Coach;
coached Casey Mize - the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft;
former Mississippi State University Associate Head Coach;
2014 Baseball America/ABCA National Assistant Coach of the Year
Catching is a tough position that requires a diversity of skills. The best catchers in baseball have to do it all - throw out runners attempting to steal, receive the ball to steal strikes from the umpire, and block anything in the dirt. This video from Auburn's Butch Thompson offers drills and instruction for throwing, receiving, and blocking to help you build a complete catcher.
Throwing
Decrease a catcher's pop time by going through a seven-step catcher-specific throwing progression. These drills begin with the transfer and progressively increase in difficulty, gradually building up to the full skill of throwing out opposing baserunners. Help your catchers stop opposing baserunners in their tracks with a quick transfer and explosive throw to second.
Receiving
Become the catcher that all pitchers want to throw to by implementing Coach Thompson's 12 receiving drills. In one challenging `catch and move up' drill, catchers decrease the distance to the pitcher or pitching machine with each ball thrown. This gradually increases the degree of difficulty of receiving by decreasing reaction time. When the game speeds up, this drill will help your catchers remain calm and slow the game down.
Blocking
Smother any pitch in the dirt with Coach Thompson's 11 blocking drills. Give your pitchers confidence to throw their breaking ball or work low in the zone, as they know your catchers will stop any ball they bounce. Learn how to get catchers comfortable blocking balls to their sides, and blocking and recovering quickly to prevent runners from advancing.
Coach Thompson will help you develop your backstops into well-rounded athletes. He provides 30 drills to build elite catchers who can block, receive, and throw out runners with ease!
52 minutes. 2019.