Game version
Strike-zone game: aim at target squares on a safe backstop, and a partner marks the zones you hit. Keep to your usual number of pitches.
Change-Up Grip Intro
Learn a change-up: a slower pitch thrown with the same arm speed as your fastball.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Hold the ball deeper in your hand with a circle grip or three fingers on top.
Core: Medium. Keep to your usual pitch count and compare only your own accuracy.
- Ages
- 11 and up
- Time
- 10 min
- Players
- Just you
- Space
- Gym or court
- Bring
- Glove, baseballs, catcher or net
- Level · skill
- Developing · Pitching
The steps
How it works
- Hold the ball deeper in your hand with a circle grip or three fingers on top.
- Throw it with the same arm motion as your fastball.
- Alternate 1 fastball and 1 change-up.
- Throw 8 pairs and log 16 pitches.
Coaching point
Same arm, slower ball.
Safety: Count every pitch. Follow Pitch Smart and Little League: stay under your daily limit (50 at ages 6-8, 75 at 9-10, 85 at 11-12, 95 at 13-16 and 105 at 17-18), take the rest days your count calls for (up to 4 days after a big outing), never pitch three days in a row, do not catch on days you pitch, and stop if anything hurts. No curveballs until your fastball and change-up are under control and a coach teaches them.
Make it fun
Play it, don't drill it
Challenge
Pick a target: Less (large), Core (medium), More (small). Keep to your usual pitch count and compare only your own accuracy.
Story
You are the starting pitcher painting the corners of the plate.
My best
Beat your own count
Keep to your usual pitch count and compare only your own accuracy. Only your own number counts: today against last time.
Practice makes progress
Print it now, or save it free
Free for families and teams
Save this drill to your child or team, free
Sign up and the free baseball week for this age opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits. A coach can send this drill to the whole team as homework, and parents see every session logged.
14 days free for a family, no card · Running a team is always free
Does your child's coach know about this?
An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.