Youth Baseball Practice Plans
Ready to run plans for 6U to 12U teams, built for coaches with day jobs. Pick your age group, pick the time you have, and go.
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One setup, every practice
The drills are the easy part. Putting them together into a practice that keeps kids moving for an hour or more… that’s where most of us get stuck. Every plan here uses one system: 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.
Practice plans by age
Eighteen plans, six for each age group, each built for a 60, 90, or 120 minute practice. Three are built around a part of the game: defense, offense, and a little of everything. Three are built around where your team is: back to the basics, a day of games, or a step up when they’re ready. Your league may call these levels T-ball, coach pitch, farm, rookie, minors, or majors. Use the age on the page, and run the plan that fits the kids you’ve got. Not sure what 8U or 10U means? See the age divisions explained.
6U to 8U
Glove and Arm Day
60 minutes · Defense Day
Catch it, throw it, stop it. Short drills, short lines, and a game at the end. Start every drill on its easier version.
Read the plan →Swing and Run Day
60 minutes · Offense Day
Every kid wants to hit, so let them… a lot. Tee work and running form, then a team game to finish.
In The Complete PlaybookLittle Bit of Everything Day
90 minutes · Game Day
A taste of every part of the game. Catch, field, hit, run, then a fly ball game to close it out.
In The Complete PlaybookBack to Basics Day
90 minutes · Fundamentals Day
The basics every drill builds on. Grip, ready position, balance, and a swing, in short blocks that keep kids moving. Finish with a throwing game.
In The Complete PlaybookPlay Ball Day
60 minutes · Fun Day
Games from start to finish. Every drill keeps score, so the reps don’t feel like reps. Start on the easier versions and let them play.
In The Complete PlaybookReady for More Day
60 minutes · Advanced Day
For the 7 and 8 year olds who have the basics down and want more. Every drill here is tagged 8U+, so start on the easier version and move up when it’s clean.
In The Complete Playbook9U to 10U
Ground Balls and Fly Balls Day
90 minutes · Defense Day
Infield and outfield in one practice. Speed up the ground balls, clean up the first step, and start talking.
Read the plan →Hit, Run, and Bunt Day
60 minutes · Offense Day
A weeknight hour on offense. Turn the corner, hit it where you aim, and finish with a bunting contest.
In The Complete PlaybookFull Diamond Day
120 minutes · Game Day
The long one. Fundamentals first, then who covers what, then a game where every situation counts.
In The Complete PlaybookClean Reps Day
90 minutes · Fundamentals Day
Back to the basics, at 9U and 10U speed. Glove, arm, swing, and the turn at first. Clean first, then fast. Pepper to finish.
In The Complete PlaybookKeep Score Day
60 minutes · Fun Day
Every drill has a winner. Fielding, throwing, running, and hitting, all for points, then a relay race to settle it.
In The Complete PlaybookNext Level Day
90 minutes · Advanced Day
For the team that has the basics down. Reads off the bat, the snap at release, who covers on a bunt, and the runner who sees the ball in the dirt first.
In The Complete Playbook11U to 12U
Team Defense Day
90 minutes · Defense Day
Middle of the field and the outfield, working together. Walk the calls first, then run them live.
Read the plan →Put It in Play Day
90 minutes · Offense Day
Hit it where it’s pitched, then run like you mean it. Reads on the bases and a hitting battle to finish.
In The Complete PlaybookScrimmage Ready Day
120 minutes · Game Day
Everything live. Rundowns, first and third, cutoffs to the plate, and a team game to close it out.
In The Complete PlaybookSharpen the Basics Day
60 minutes · Fundamentals Day
Older kids still need the basics. A weeknight hour of fundamentals at 11U and 12U speed: throws on a line, soft hands, a balanced finish, and a short swing.
In The Complete PlaybookBragging Rights Day
90 minutes · Fun Day
Older kids still want to win something. Points on every drill, live double plays, and a hitting battle, then Doubles to close it out.
In The Complete PlaybookLittle Things Day
120 minutes · Advanced Day
The details. Reads off the bat, cutoffs, who covers first, who covers second on a steal, and who backs up the throw. Walk it, then run it live.
In The Complete PlaybookNew plans are going up on this page as they’re ready. All 18 are in The Complete Playbook, coming soon.
60, 90, or 120 minutes
Some fields give you an hour. Some give you two. The setup doesn’t change… the blocks just get longer or shorter. Pick the length you actually have.
- 60 minutesA weeknight hour. One opener, two short skill blocks, a quick closer. Keep the transitions tight.
- 90 minutesMy standard. Room for two real skill blocks and a closer that runs long enough to matter.
- 120 minutesA long practice. A third skill block for team defense or situations, and a little more water. Kids get tired… plan for it.
What changes by age
6U to 8U
- Short drills, 5 to 10 minutes each. Attention spans are real.
- Fundamentals and fun. Start every drill on its easier version.
- More games, fewer lines. If more than three or four kids are standing, split the group.
- 60 to 90 minutes is plenty.
9U to 10U
- One setup, more speed. Start keeping score.
- Add the basics of team defense: who covers, who backs up.
- Move to the harder version once the easier one is clean.
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.
- 90 to 120 minutes when the field allows it.
Where the drills come from
Every drill in these plans comes from the Drills That Work books, with the setup, coaching cues, and an easier and harder version for each.
Game Situations Drills That Work
19 drills. Cutoffs, coverage, backups.
Coming soonCommon questions
What should a youth baseball practice include?
A youth baseball practice should include energy, kids who are ready to learn and have fun, and a plan the coach has created. The theme can fit a certain part of the game, like infield, outfield, hitting, or game situations, or it can be a mix of everything.
Work today… practice tonight? No sweat, you’re covered.
A blank timed practice plan, a sheet to sketch drills, a dugout lineup card, and one full infield drill. Free, and ready to print.