Throwing Drills HQ
- brucebillings26
- Feb 6
- 7 min read
Throwing drills
Trying to figure out what drills to do and why can be taxing if you haven’t researched or been taught what to do by a coach or throwing trainer (shout out all my friends at Driveline, Cressey, and the many other private facilities out there!). I have been blessed to have learned from the brightest minds in baseball from all over the world in addition to figuring things out on my own from a young age (#FeelTeam6). I know it can be a lot because I had to learn how to coach after I played professionally for 12+ years.
I feel your pain. Haha!
Again, It can be a lot. Trying to figure out which throwing drills benefit which players, how many throws, how often, what intensity, how many times a week, and so on and so forth. This will help. I have put together a quick “What, why, how, and frequency” to help navigate some of the questions you might have.
To be honest, players would benefit from doing all of these drills and just cutting the volume for each drill to 2-4 reps for a nice medium day of volume at lower intensity. BUT most players can just pick a handful (Reverse throws plus 3-6 variations of throwing drills) to cover activation, training to move from the middle of the body to make the throw, blending in linear momentum and change of direction.
A solid day of throwing on a non mound day
Spinal figure 8’s for 3-5 loops (non throwing)
Reverse throws - 8-10 reps (posterior chain and pec extension, backwards toss, don’t count for forward tosses okay?)
Pivot Picks - 5-8 reps
Ten Toes- 5 reps
Step backs- 3-4 reps
Angled 45’s 2-3 reps
Wave Loading throws (1 set) 4 throws
Sky throws 5-8 reps
That would be a total of about 25ish throws for a solid warm up going into catch play where if you or your player is scheduled to throw 60-70 total throws would give them 45 ish in catch play to enjoy. Fully primed for a distance progression with athletic throws. Sounds like a solid day to me!
Each player is different and will be working on their own specific needs. Maybe one player is working on sequencing the lower half, so emphasizing janitors over walking wind ups and shifting volume there would make sense.
Another player might need some lead leg stabilization. Shifting volume to walking wind ups and figure 8 rockers instead of angled 45’s or drop steps (another throwing drill, think of a shortstop getting a cut off throw and relaying it to home).
Maybe you have a player that is a beast, a nice combination of throwing drills and mixing it up will keep the player interested while training a little of everything.
All things considered, a solid mix of drills starting with the most constrained and working into the least constrained (think pivot pick to athletic catch play for instance) would benefit 99.98989% of throwers.
Mix and match, have fun with them. If you don’t have a wall or plyos you can use your glove to simulate the movements (please don’t throw your glove, #RESPECTtheGAME). Most gloves weigh about 1 lb which is similar to a football or a blue plyo from Driveline.
Here’s a link to a YouTube video I made displaying the drills and showcasing the sky throw. ENJOY!
Throwing drills:
Spinal Figure 8’s
- What: A drill combining a figure-8 motion with the ball (tracing an infinity loop) and spinal rocking/weight shifts, using a heavier plyo ball or weighted implement (overload).
- Why: Improves arm path efficiency, smoothness, timing between upper and lower body, and thoracic spine mobility; the heavier ball builds strength in the posterior chain and rotational power.
- How: Stand with feet shoulder-width, hold the ball in throwing hand. Make horizontal figure-8 loops with your hand while shifting weight from front to back leg (rocking the spine). Emphasize capturing momentum during the loop and using your hips and trunk to drive the figure 8 with arm extended.
- Frequency: 5-10 reps, do it as part of a pre throw warm up
Reverse Throws
- What: you throw the plyo ball backward over your shoulder, using a heavier ball for resistance.
- Why: Activates posterior shoulder muscles, enhances T-spine rotation and counter-rotation, trains power in layback, and helps maintain trunk stacking down the mound.
- How: Can be done kneeling or standing. Rock forward to create rhythm, then drive back with torso only (no knee collapse if kneeling). Maintain thumbs-up grip, rotate trunk, and throw the ball backward into a wall or net. Focus on shoulder driving “into the wall.” Distance: 5-10 feet from wall.
- Frequency: 5 throws per round, 1-3 sets pre-throwing; 2-3 sessions/week.
Pivot Pick (Marshalls)
- What: A rotational throw isolating the upper half or the throw, constraining the lower half
- Why: Practices upper body rotation and separation, improves scapular control, also benefits position of hand into arm flip up at foot plant
- How: Start with feet in opposite stance (e.g., righty: left foot forward toward target). Twist upper body to face target, keep lower half stable, pull glove arm, rotate shoulders, and throw. Focus on quick pivot and clean arm path. Distance: 40-60 feet to partner.
- Frequency: 5-10 throws per round; 2-3 days/week.
Ten Toes
- What: A stationary throw with feet squared (ten toes facing target), using medium/lighter plyo balls or baseball in catch play
- Why: Isolates upper body mechanics, improves arm action and thoracic mobility, and builds spinal engine efficiency without lower half involvement (taking away forward momentum of stepping into throw)
- How: Stand with feet shoulder-width, toes directly at target (can also stagger stance for variation). Load arms, rotate torso, counter turn then load into drive leg hip, and throw without stepping. Emphasize counter-rotation and stacking.
- Frequency: 10 throws
Spinal Rocker
- What: A rocking motion drill emphasizing spinal movement, using medium/lighter plyo balls or baseball in catch play
- Why: Trains emphasis on building power from hips/trunk. Enhances hip rotation into foot plant, early trunk counter-rotation, trunk stacking, and overall athleticism in delivery.
- How: Wide stance (hips sunk), front foot slightly closed. Rock center of mass forward/back (no upward bob), drive hips forward aggressively, rotate into plant, and throw. Add leg lift for variation or step back variation
- Frequency: 5-10 reps, 2-3 days/week
Step Backs
- What: A momentum-building throw starting with a step back.
- Why: Improves arm action, backside drive, and redirection of momentum; helps with balance and lead leg block.
- How: Glove-side shoulder to target, take controlled step toward second base (righty: right step), shift weight to push foot, stride, and throw. Stay athletic.
- Frequency: 5-8 throws
Reverse Walk Throws
- What: Dynamic reverse throws while walking backward, using red or yellow plyo (baseball in catch play as well).
- Why: Builds mobility, posterior activation, and T-spine rotation in motion; enhances power transfer in awkward positions, trains athleticism and coordination.
- How: Walk backward 3-5 steps, then perform reverse throw (rock, drive torso back, throw). Maintain a stable lower half. Distance: 5-10 feet from wall.
- Frequency: 5-10 reps
Self Toss
- What: Toss the plyo ball to yourself, catch, and throw to target
- Why: Improves hand speed, rhythm, transfer, and quick release; good for arm care and timing. Simulating a double play turn.
- How: Toss ball up (self-front toss height), catch in glove or bare hand, quick transfer, and throw. Focus on fluid motion.
- Frequency: 10-15 reps
Walking Wind Up
- What: Windup delivery while walking forward, using lighter/medium plyo (red or yellow) or baseball in catch play.
- Why: Simulates mound momentum, improves leg drive, rotation, and direct energy transfer.
- How: Establish glove height, take 2-3 steps at up-tempo, lift lead leg, direct momentum, rotate into lead leg plant (can cue planting from above, directly into ground)
- Frequency: 1-5 throws
45 Degree Angles
- What: Throwing with body angled at 45 degrees to target.
- Why: Enhances hip-shoulder separation, rotation, and plane matching; useful for off-angle throws or wanting to recreate correct hip loading patterns.
- How: Set up body at 45 degrees to target, step into load, rotate fully to square up, and throw.
- Frequency: 5-8 reps
Janitor Throws
- What: A loading drill mimicking a “sweeping” motion to emphasize back hip drive.
- Why: Teaches back leg load, keeps hips/upper body closed longer, improves forward momentum and stability. Learn to delay trunk while hips rotate first.
- How: Load back hip (slight coil with hinge), lift front leg slightly, initiate forward move while maintaining tension in back leg. Drive hip to propel throw.
- Frequency: 5-8 reps
Wave Loading Throws (Heavy, Medium, Light, Medium Weight)
- What: Sequence of throws alternating weights: heavy (e.g. blue plyo), medium (red/yellow), light (gray), back to medium (red/yellow).
- Why: Contrast training boosts velocity by overloading then underloading; improves neural drive and movement patterns.
- How: Throw heavier weight first to fully activate muscles and prime nervous system (blue= 16 oz/ 1 lb), then desired weight thats lighter (red or yellow), follow with light weight (gray), then rethrow red or yellow. Focus on max effort with clean mechanics.
- Frequency: 4-8 throws alternating between weights, heavy, medium, light, medium
Sky Throws (Throwing a Baseball Straight Up)
- What: Throw the ball straight up
- Why: Builds kinetic chain sequencing from ground up, spinal coordination in flexion and extension, hip rotation, trunk rotation, arm extension internal rotation, forearm pronation and ball flight feedback for spin components
- How: Hold at shoulder height, throw upward vertically, catch as it falls (or let bounce). Use regular baseball or football
- Frequency: 5-10 reps pre catch play or if solo can simulate light/medium/heavy day.
There are other throwing drills out there but I thought this would be a nice foundation to many that could benefit players. Aim for 2-4 throwing sessions per week overall, with rest days in between. Please stagger the workload in a gradual progression. For example, just started throwing? Let’s aim for low volume 2-3 times for a couple weeks, then add volume and intensity gradually. Couple weeks 2-3 throwing sessions, then 3-4 throwing sessions. Mix heavier days with rest and low days and build up to heavy days. Maybe I’ll write a post about that next, we’ll see.
Hope this was helpful! Send me your feedback
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