Baseball rebounder drills, by angle and by age
Twenty minutes, any evening. Drills by angle and by age, with distances, reps and which ball to use — written for one player, two players, and a parent or coach running a station.
The twenty-minute session
Same order every time, so the player learns the session and runs it from memory.
The three angles
Low for grounders and short hops, upright for line drives and reaction work, laid back for fly balls and pop-ups. The angle lock holds each position; switching takes seconds. More on how each angle behaves: rebound angles explained.
Ball and distance by age
These are coaching guidelines. Start further away and lower than you think, and move in as the player shows you they are ready. Adult supervision is recommended for minors.
Ages 7 to 9
- Ball
- Soft training ball or tennis ball
- Angles
- 1 and 3; an adult throws
- Start
- 15–20 ft
Ages 10 to 13
- Ball
- Regular baseball or 11-inch softball
- Angles
- All three; angle 2 from 20 ft (15 ft minimum)
- Start
- 20–25 ft
Ages 14 and up
- Ball
- Game ball, 12-inch softball
- Angles
- All three at full speed
- Start
- 25–40 ft
On angle 2 the ball comes back at the speed it went in. That is the point of the drill, and it is also why the youngest players stay on angles 1 and 3.
Angle 1 — grounders and short hops
Short hops
Throw firm, field the hop out front with the glove open and low. Three sets of twenty.
Cuetake the glove to the ball.
Backhand and forehand
Throw a foot off-center to each side and read the bounce. Three sets of ten each side.
Cueget the feet there first.
Charge and throw
Start at 25 ft. Field, then throw to the yellow square from where you fielded it. Two sets of ten. Count the throws that hit the square.
Angle 2 — line drives
Reaction catches
Firm throws, catch above the eyes, two hands. Three sets of fifteen.
Cuesee it into the glove.
Quick hands
Ages 14 and up, soft-toss speed only. Two sets of fifteen. The drill is about quick hands; arm strength comes later.
Glove-to-hand transfer
Catch, transfer to the throwing hand, set the feet, throw back into the net. Two sets of ten. Time the transfer if you can.
Angle 3 — fly balls
Drop step
Throw high; the first move is a drop step, then run to the ball. Three sets of ten.
Cueturn, run, find it.
Call it
Two players, side by side. Each ball gets called before it is caught. Two sets of ten each. The call matters more than the catch.
Over the shoulder
Start closer and throw high and hard so the ball carries over the player's head. Turn, run it down, catch it moving away from the net. Two sets of ten. Ages 12 and up.
Throwing accuracy, and hitting into the net
The target ladder
Ten throws at the yellow square from 30 ft, then 45, then 60. Count the hits at each distance and write them down. The number that climbs week to week is the one that matters.
Pitcher's zone
From the stretch, at the youth distance (46 ft) or the full distance (60 ft 6 in), three sets of ten at the square. Use angle 2 so the ball comes back to the pitcher — the net is the catcher. Glove on, and finish the delivery in a fielding position, because the return arrives fast.
Hitting into the net
Soft toss and tee work into the net on angle 1: the ball comes back on the ground, so the batter or a partner fields it. Stand to the side of the return path. Weighted balls work on every drill; start at the longer distance for the age group.
Two players
Alternate
One throws, the other fields the return. Switch after ten.
Rapid fire
Player A throws, player B fields and throws straight back, player A fields. Angle 2, until someone drops one.
Target contest
Ten throws each at the square from the same distance. Most hits wins; loser resets the angle.
Coach's notes
Count reps in tens and write the numbers down; a player who sees the number climb comes back tomorrow. Ready position before every throw, glove out front, eyes on the ball into the glove. On grounders, play through the ball toward the target — the rebounder rewards the player who moves their feet. Quality over quantity: when the form goes, stop the set.
Safety
Line drives come back at the speed they go in: on angle 2, keep to the distances above, and keep younger players on angles 1 and 3. Check that the stakes are in and the angle lock is tight before the first throw. Everyone stays in front of the net. In strong wind, take the cover off and fold the frame flat.