Pitcher Fielding — Cover First Base
Tap-and-cover footwork to first base on a grounder to the right side.
Your job today
Ball gets hit to the right side — your job is to beat the hitter to first base. Take a curved path so you don’t crash into the first baseman.
What good looks like: Catch the toss before you touch the bag, then run through the inside corner.
Why it matters: Every season a few games end because a pitcher didn’t cover first. Quiet play, big difference.
How it works
Coach rolls grounders to 1B; pitcher breaks off the mound on the correct path, runs to a spot 6 feet inside the bag, then turns up the line. First baseman feeds with a soft underhand toss. 6 reps each side of the rubber.
- Reps / rounds
- 12 reps
- Rest between sets
- 15s
- Space needed
- infield
- Coaches
- 1
Equipment
- 6 baseballs
- 1B bag
Setup
- Set 1B bag
- Pitcher on rubber
- 1B at normal depth
Run the drill
- Coach rolls grounder
- Pitcher breaks toward foul line then turns up
- 1B underhand toss; pitcher catches and tags inside of bag
Coaching cues
- Path first, speed second
- Catch the ball, then find the bag
- Run through, don’t leap
Common mistakes
- Running directly to bag (gets in 1B way)
- Catching while crossing the bag
Scoring
Track % clean reps (percent). On-track when at or above 75.
Adjust it
Make it easier
- easier: Walk-through tempo first round
Make it harder
- advanced: Live BP groundballs
Variations
- Comebacker: Coach hits at pitcher; pitcher fields and throws to 1B
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