11U to 12U · Team Defense Day

12U Baseball Practice Plan: 90 Minutes

The middle of the field and the outfield, working together. Walk the calls first, then run them live.

Ages11U to 12U
Length90 minutes
Drill time75 minutes
Coaches2 is best, 1 works
Printable youth baseball dugout lineup card, first page
The Plan

90 minutes, start to finish

Team defense takes over at 11U and 12U. This plan works the middle of the field and the outfield together. Walk the calls first, then run them live.

Let the players make the calls while you watch. Put a score on every play, and finish with a closer that tests all of it. Not sure what 12U means? Here is how 6U to 12U lines up.

Where the 90 minutes go

Warm-up, water, wrap up: 15 minOpener: 15 minSkill blocks: 40 minCloser: 20 min
StartBlockMin
0:00Warm-upDynamic warm-up and easy catch8
0:08OpenerLong Toss LadderThrowing15
0:23Water2
0:25Skill blockDouble Play FootworkInfield10
0:35Skill blockInfield TriangleInfield10
0:45Skill blockCutoff DecisionGame Situations12
0:57Skill blockShade & DepthOutfield8
1:05Water2
1:07CloserDo-or-DieOutfield20
1:27Wrap upOne good thing, one to work on, hands in3

Swap a drill if one isn’t landing. Some days kids need a game, and that’s fine.

How to Run It

One setup, every practice

Warm-up, opener, skill blocks, closer, wrap up. Kids learn the rhythm, and you stop starting from scratch.

  • OpenerGet them moving and touching a ball right away. Short drills, lots of reps, no lines.
  • Skill blocksWhere the teaching happens. One focus per block. With two coaches, run them as stations.
  • CloserEnd with some competition. A game with a winner, so they leave asking to play it again.
  • Water and wrap upWater breaks double as coaching time. Wrap up with one thing we did well, one thing to work on, and hands in.

At 11U to 12U

  • Team defense and situations take over.
  • Longer skill blocks, run live, with a score on every play.
  • Let players make the calls while coaches watch.
The Drills

Where these drills come from

Every drill in this plan comes from the Drills That Work books, with the setup, coaching cues, and an easier and harder version for each. This page gives you the plan. The books give you the drills.

Draw It Up baseball practice plan sheet for sketching drills and stations, first page

Sketch it first

The free Draw It Up sheet gives you room to sketch drills and stations, with or without a diamond.

Get the free toolkit

Youth Baseball Infield Drills That Work book cover

Infield Drills That Work

2 drills in this plan

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Youth Baseball Outfield Drills That Work book cover

Outfield Drills That Work

2 drills in this plan

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Youth Baseball Throwing Drills That Work book cover

Throwing Drills That Work

1 drill in this plan

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Youth Baseball Game Situations Drills That Work book cover

Game Situations Drills That Work

1 drill in this plan

Coming soon

This is one of 18 plans in The Complete Playbook: every drill in the series, plans for 6U to 8U, 9U to 10U, and 11U to 12U, and blueprints for 60, 90, and 120 minute practices. Coming soon.

Quick Answers

Common questions

How is a 12U practice different from a 10U practice?

Often a bigger field, plus leading, pickoffs, and more skill around the diamond. Your league’s rules decide exactly what changes.

Free Coach’s Toolkit

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Get a blank timed practice plan, a sheet to sketch your own drills, a dugout lineup card, and one full infield drill. Free, and ready to print.