Gap Covering Drill
Dugout Master ✓ Official Dugout Master drill
Infielders and outfielders practice recognizing gaps, communicating, and moving into backup or cutoff positions.
Fielding⏱ 10 min👥 6-14 players
Setup
Put players in real defensive positions — at minimum a middle infield, a first baseman, and three outfielders. Coach hits from the plate. Use cones to mark the left-center and right-center gaps if the outfield has no visible landmarks.
Execution
- Coach hits or throws a ball into one of the gaps.
- Both nearby outfielders break; one calls the ball loudly and the other peels off to back up.
- The middle infielder on that side goes out for the relay, lining up between the ball and the base.
- The other middle infielder covers second; the remaining infielders take their backup responsibilities.
- Ball comes in through the relay; freeze the defense and check every player's position before the next rep.
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