By: Ed Garcia

Equipment: JUGS Soft-Toss machine, JUGS screen (Instant or Sock Net), Softballs, Poly Softballs, tennis balls, JUGSSmall-Balls, and two coaches.

Set the Toss machine to throw poly softballs from behind the plate. Stand a coach (or player) behind and over the Toss machine, with a bucket of tennis balls. Position a coach forward and outside of the batter about 8 to 10 feet, with softballs and JUGS Small-Balls. Locate position the net to receive the batted balls.

Begin with the Toss machine throwing poly softballs. The batter hits the poly balls into the net and reloads. The coach in front soft tosses the Small-Balls to the hitter, who hits them into the net and reloads. The coach (or player) bounces a tennis ball into the strike zone and the batter hits it into the net and reloads. The forward coach soft-tosses a softball to the hitter, who hits into the net and reloads. Repeat this cycle and continue until the Toss machine needs replenishing. Replace the hitter and begin again.

Steps:

1. Poly softballs from Toss machine hit into the net.
2. Small-Balls from the coach hit into the net.
3. Tennis balls from player behind thrown into the strike zone and hit into the net.
4. Softballs from forward coach hit into the net.

Let the Toss machine lead this drill. If a hitter or tosser goofs up the timing of the drill, stop and wait for the Toss machine’s next toss.

The Toss machine tosses one ball every 7 seconds. We get a lot of good swings with a lot of fun. If the quality of the swings diminishes, eliminate one of the steps.