It's the part of practice every coach dreads. You have 15 players, two hours, and one or two cages. What's the result? Chaos.
Two players are hitting, one is feeding the machine, and twelve others are standing around shagging balls, getting bored and losing focus. This is true for both baseball and softball practice. It's inefficient, it's unproductive, and as we've discussed before, it's a perfect way to stop wasting reps ▸.
The solution isn't more time; it's better structure.
An elite hitting practice is about purpose and efficiency. It's a circuit of progressive stations where every player is active and every drill builds on the last. Here is a 45-minute, 4-station "Perfect Practice" plan you can steal for your very next session.
The Setup: How to Run the Circuit
This plan is built for a 12-player team, but you can adapt it for any size.
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Divide Your Players: Create 4 groups of 3 players.
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Set Up 4 Stations: (See below for details).
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Set the Timer: Each group is at a station for 10 minutes. When the horn blows, they rotate.
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Rotation: Allow 1-2 minutes for a quick water break and rotation to the next station.
In just 45-50 minutes, every single player on your team will have gone through a comprehensive, high-rep, progressive hitting workout.
The 4 "Perfect Practice" Stations for Baseball & Softball
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Station |
The Goal (The "Why") |
The Drill (The "How") |
|
1. The "Mechanics" Station |
Isolate and fix one mechanical flaw. |
Targeted Tee Work. Don't just swing. Put the tee on the outside corner and focus only on driving the ball to the opposite field. Or, focus on the flaws we outlined in our 5 Common Swing Flaws guide ▸. |
|
2. The "Timing" Station |
Add a moving ball to engrain rhythm. |
Coach-Fed Front Toss. From behind an L-screen, toss balls and focus on the hitter's rhythm, load, and timing. This is the bridge from mechanics to timing. |
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3. The "Reaction" Station (The MC3 Zone) |
This is the game-changer. Train the brain to be adaptable and ready for a real game. |
Machine-Fed MC3s. Load a machine with a random mix of MC3 orientations (fastball, drop, cut). This is not a "crush-it" station. This is a "recognition" station. This trains the "see-decide-swing" skill. |
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4. The "Hitter's IQ" Station |
Train the strategy of hitting. |
Situational Bunting & Hitting. One player bunts for a hit. One bunts to move a runner. The third hits "runner on second, no outs" (hit it to the right side). This trains the mind. |
Why This "Progressive" Plan Works
This circuit isn't just a random set of fastpitch hitting drills or baseball drills. It's a progressive program that builds a complete hitter in 45 minutes.
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It Eliminates Boredom: Every player is active. There is no standing around.
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It Builds the "Complete Hitter": Station 1 fixes Mechanics. Station 2 adds Timing. Station 3 adds Pitch Recognition. Station 4 adds Strategy.
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It's the Bridge from Practice to the Game: The "MC3 Reaction Station" is the essential core of this entire plan. It's the only station that truly simulates the chaos and unpredictability of a live pitcher. It's the answer to the "practice hero" who can't hit in real games.
Frequently Asked Questions for Coaches
Stop Running a Practice. Start Designing One.
This is how modern, elite programs train. They stop running chaotic, one-dimensional practices and start running efficient, multi-dimensional circuits. The MC3 baseball and softball aren't just a durable ball; they are the engine for your most important station.
