BVSA Teaches: Catching a Fly Ball – Glove Positioning

On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Mike Abate talks about catching a fly ball – glove positioning. Hey guys, today’s lesson is about catching a fly ball in the outfield. We want to focus on the position of our glove when catching a fly ball. It’s important to keep our glove in a half-moon position and press the pocket and hand towards the ball. We should avoid tilting our glove or moving it in a way that takes away the pocket from a fly ball coming straight at us. We also want to catch the ball at the highest point and keep our glove in between the ball and our eyes. This way, we can see the ball coming directly into the glove.

Younger players tend to catch the ball behind their head or lower. Instead, we want to catch it as high as possible to see the ball coming down. As outfielders progress, they should learn to catch the ball on the throwing side instead of the glove side. This will help them get into the throw faster and get the ball out. The proper footwork is crucial when making a catch and throwing to the bases or cut off man. We teach to direct the right inside ankle bone towards the target, so the next step is automatically in line with our target. By doing this, our body will be behind the baseball and allow us to make a good throw.