Outfield Line-Drive Reads
Coach fungoes line drives; OF calls 'in/out/over' at release.
Your job today
Coach hits a line drive. The second the bat touches the ball, you yell 'in,' 'out,' or 'over' before you take a step.
What good looks like: Get the right call out loud on at least 7 of 10 balls.
Why it matters: Outfielders who guess wrong on the first read can’t recover. Train your eyes to read off the bat, not the flight.
How it works
Coach hits line drives with a fungo from short distance. Outfielder must verbalize 'in' (charge), 'out' (back), or 'over' (turn and run) at contact. 10 reps. Builds read time before route.
- Reps / rounds
- 10 reads
- Rest between sets
- 20s
- Space needed
- outfield
- Coaches
- 1
Equipment
- fungo bat
- 10 baseballs
If you don't have it
- No fungo? Use front toss off short hop (moves to Full field).
Setup
- OF at normal depth
- Coach 60ft away with fungo
Run the drill
- Coach hits; OF calls in/out/over at contact, then makes the play
Coaching cues
- Voice first, feet second
Common mistakes
- Calling after the ball is halfway there
- Drifting instead of attacking
Scoring
Track % correct first call (percent). On-track when at or above 70.
Adjust it
Make it easier
- easier: Coach narrates direction first
Make it harder
- advanced: Live BP reads
Variations
- Silent read: Hand signal instead of voice
Safety
- STOP_ON_PAIN: Distinguish acceptable muscle soreness from joint pain or severe muscle ache. Any pain, pop, or possible injury must be reported to a parent, coach, or trusted adult, and the activity stopped immediately. Any sign of illness or injury must be evaluated before returning.
Source
Author: platform · Status: Published · Last reviewed 2026-05-26