5 Hitting Drills You Can Run at Home

You don't need a batting cage or a pitching machine to develop a good hitter. These five drills can be run in any backyard with a tee, a net, and some baseballs.

Drill 1: Tee Work — Contact Point

Set the tee at different positions — inside, outside, and down the middle — and have your child hit to different parts of the field based on the pitch location. Inside pitches should be pulled; outside pitches should be hit to the opposite field.

This teaches the fundamental principle of hitting: let the ball travel to the appropriate contact point based on location.

Drill 2: Soft Toss — Timing

Stand to the side and toss balls into the hitting zone at varying heights. The goal is to develop timing and the ability to adjust to different pitch locations.

Variation: toss two balls simultaneously — one high, one low — and call out which one to hit. This develops pitch recognition and quick decision-making.

Drill 3: One-Hand Drills

Have your child swing with only the top hand, then only the bottom hand. These drills develop hand strength and reinforce proper mechanics for each hand's role in the swing.

Drill 4: Dry Swings With a Mirror

Have your child take slow, deliberate swings in front of a mirror. This develops body awareness and allows them to see their own mechanics. Focus on one element at a time.

Drill 5: Pepper

Stand 15–20 feet away and toss balls softly. Your child hits the ball back to you, and you toss it back. This develops bat control, hand-eye coordination, and the ability to hit to all fields.

Pepper is one of the oldest and most effective baseball drills. It's also genuinely fun.