Coaching Cues for Batting and Fielding: What to Say, What to Avoid

How to use cues Batting Fielding Cues to avoid Pocket cards

How to use cues Coaching suggestion

One cue at a time. Pick the one that fixes the biggest problem and stick with it. Two or three things to think about is too many for a kid with a pitch coming.
Point them at the ball, bat or target when you can. “Hit the back of the ball up the middle” or “throw it to his chest” often works better than a list of body parts. The body cues below are for practice, when a kid needs to know what a move feels like.
Say the do, not the don’t. “Land soft” beats “don’t lunge.” Whatever you name is what they picture.
Let the drill do the talking. Before you explain a move, set up a drill that needs it (a tee in the right spot, a quicker toss, a target) and see if their body figures it out. Kids’ bodies are good at sorting themselves out.
Not every miss needs a fix. Hitting fails a lot. A pop-up is often timing, not mechanics. Watch a few swings before you change anything, and different stances and styles are fine if the ball comes off the bat well.
Check that it worked. If the cue doesn’t change what happens to the ball or the throw after a few rounds, drop it and try another.
Every coach uses the same words. Same cue, every station, every coach.
Praise it when it shows up. “That was a soft landing!” teaches more than pointing out the misses.
Mechanics in practice, one thought in games. In a game, one short cue between pitches, never during the pitch. Talk about the last at-bat before the next one, once they’ve cooled off, and start with something they did well.

Batting cues Our suggestion

Setup Load and timing Stride Contact Finish Approach and mindset

Setup

Athletic baseFeet a bit wider than the shoulders, knees soft, weight on the balls of the feet, like you are ready to jump.Try this if: Stiff, straight legs? Have them do two small hops, then freeze where they land.

Loose grip, quick handsHold the bat in the fingers, not deep in the palms, with relaxed forearms. Tight hands are slow hands.Try this if: White knuckles? Have them wiggle the fingers on the handle, then settle.

Hands by the back shoulderHands start near the back shoulder, about chest high, bat resting at an easy angle.Try this if: Bat wobbling or hands way out front? Rest the bat on the shoulder, then lift it an inch.

Load and timing

Load earlyStart the small move back while the pitcher is still in the windup, not when the ball is already on the way.Try this if: Always late? Start the load when the pitcher’s front knee comes up.

Be on timeFront foot is down and ready when the ball is about halfway, so the swing can go right away.Try this if: Late on everything? Front toss with a slightly earlier start; reward on-time foul balls to the pull side.

Gather on the back legWeight shifts into the inside of the back leg, like a boxer loading a punch, without leaning back.Try this if: Swaying back over the back foot? Put a bucket just outside the back foot; don’t touch it.

Stride

Land softFront foot lands quietly on the ball of the foot, small and controlled, not a big lunge.Try this if: Head bouncing? Stride onto a towel without making a sound.

Stay closedFront toe and front shoulder stay pointed at the plate when the foot lands. Then let the hips turn and the shoulders follow.Try this if: Opening early? Lay a bat on the ground toward the pitcher; land the toe on the line, not past it.

Knob points back at landingWhen the front foot lands, the hands are still back and the knob points toward the back foot or catcher.Try this if: Hands drifting forward with the stride? Dry swings: stride, freeze, check the knob.

Contact

Catch the ball out frontMeet the ball in front of the front hip, like catching it with the barrel before it gets deep. (A Ground Up coaching cue.)Try this if: Jammed a lot? Tee set just in front of the front foot; drive line drives.

Stay behind the ballHead and weight stay back and centered; they don’t drift forward toward the pitcher as you swing. (A Ground Up coaching cue.)Try this if: Lunging? Have them finish with the head over the belly button, not past the front knee.

Knob to the ballThe knob leads the barrel into the zone so the barrel doesn’t sweep out wide. Turn with the body; don’t push the hands at the ball.Try this if: Long, loopy swing? Short tee work close to a net. If they start pushing with the arms, drop this cue.

Palm up, palm downAt contact the top hand palm faces up and the bottom hand palm faces down, both strong behind the handle.Try this if: Rolling over into grounders? Slow-motion dry swings that stop at contact to check the palms.

Back hip drives to the pitcherThe back hip and back knee turn in and through, so the legs, not the arms, power the turn.Try this if: All arms? Feet-together tee swings, then normal swings with the same hip turn.

Finish

Finish highLet the bat keep going after contact and finish up around the front shoulder. On high pitches, it will finish more around than up.Try this if: Chopping off the swing? Ten tee swings where the finish is the only goal.

Hold your finishHold the finish for a two-count, balanced on the front leg. If you can’t hold it, the swing was out of control.Try this if: Falling over? Swing at about 80 percent effort until they can hold it, then build up.

Smooth, not maxSwing fast but under control, like there is a little left in the tank. Quick hands come from loose muscles, not from muscling it.Try this if: Head flying out and losing balance? A round of “smooth swings” where only line drives count.

Approach and mindset

Hunt your pitchBefore two strikes, pick the pitch and spot you hit best and swing at that. Take the rest.Try this if: Chasing? Coach calls a zone before each round of front toss; swing only there.

Balanced takeOn a pitch you don’t swing at, stride and stop with your weight still centered and the bat back, ready for the next one.Try this if: Drifting forward on takes? Front toss with a mix of balls and strikes; on balls, freeze balanced for a one-count.

Two strikes: choke and widenChoke up an inch, widen the stance a little and shorten the swing so you can protect the plate and put it in play.Try this if: Striking out looking? Two-strike rounds where any strike must be fouled off or put in play.

Plan, Flush, Breathe, GoBetween pitches: plan the pitch you want, flush the last one, one slow breath, then commit.Try this if: Rushing back in the box? Step out, do all four, then step in.

More on the mental side: Warrior’s Mindset: The Batter.

Fielding cues Our suggestion

Ready Approach Fielding position Transfer and footwork Throwing Fly balls Communication

Ready

Prep step on every pitchA small hop or step forward as the pitch is on the way, so the feet are moving, not stuck.Try this if: Flat-footed? Coach says “hop” on every pitch in practice until it is automatic.

Land as the ball enters the zoneTime the prep step so both feet touch down just as the pitch reaches the hitter.Try this if: Landing too early? Have them start the step when the pitcher’s arm comes forward.

Wide, low and looseFeet a little wider than the shoulders, knees bent, hands out in front and relaxed.Try this if: Hands on knees at the pitch? Hands come off the knees before the pitcher starts.

Approach

Round itTake a curved path so you are moving toward first base as you field it.Try this if: Throwing across the body? Rolled balls; field through a cone on the left side.

Attack the ballMove your feet to the ball and pick the hop you want. Don’t sit back and let the ball play you.Try this if: Getting handcuffed? Short rolls where they must charge and field with feet still moving.

Fielding position

Work from the ground upThe glove starts on the ground and works up to the ball, never down to it. It is easier to come up on a ball than to stab down. (Like the name of the site: build it from the ground up.)Try this if: Balls going under the glove? Field rollers with the glove touching the dirt first.

Butt down, glove out frontWide base, butt down, glove out in front of the eyes and feet, so you can see it in.Try this if: Glove under the body? Field from a wide stance with a hat on the ground between the feet; glove out in front of the hat.

Funnel to the bellyTwo hands bring the ball up to the belly button, then into the throwing position.Try this if: Dropping on the transfer? Field-and-funnel reps without a throw.

Transfer and footwork

Quick hands to the earGlove and throwing hand meet near the chest; the throwing hand takes the ball back to the ear with fingers on top.Try this if: Slow transfer? Partner “quick hands” races for 30 seconds.

Shuffle to the targetRight-left shuffle (lefty: left-right) moves the body toward the target before the throw.Try this if: Throwing flat-footed? Field, shuffle once, then throw.

Step at the targetThe front foot steps right at the target, not across or open.Try this if: Throws sailing? Lay a bat or chalk line toward the target; step on it.

Throwing

Point and throwGlove-side elbow and glove point at the target, then pull in as you throw.Try this if: Throws drifting? Hold the point for one count before throwing.

Follow throughThrowing hand finishes across the body toward the opposite knee, and the back leg comes through.Try this if: Arm stopping short? Have them finish with the back foot landing even with the front.

Fly balls

Drop step firstFirst step goes back with the foot on the side the ball is hit to, then run.Try this if: Backpedaling? Drop-step drill: coach points, they open and run five steps.

Throwing side, above the headCatch it above the head on the throwing-hand side so the throw is ready.Try this if: Catching at the belt? Soft tosses they must catch above the cap.

Call it loud“Ball, ball, ball!” early and loud, and the other fielders peel off.Try this if: Collisions or no-calls? Fly-ball rounds where an uncalled catch doesn’t count.

Communication

Talk before the pitchTell each other the outs, where the play is and who covers.Try this if: Quiet infield? Each fielder has to say the outs and the play before every pitch in scrimmages.

Help the throwerCutoff and base fielders give a big target and call where to throw: “Two! Two!”Try this if: Wrong-base throws? Run relays where the receiver must call the base every time.

Cues to avoid Coaching suggestion

These get yelled at a lot of fields. Here is why we leave them out and what we say instead.

Cue to avoid	Why it can hurt	Try this instead
“Squish the bug”	Kids spin on the back foot instead of letting the hips drive, and the swing loses power and balance.	“Back hip drives to the pitcher” or “back knee turns in and through.”
“Snap your wrists” and “swing down”	These lead to weak contact, a dragging barrel and a swing path that fights itself. Pitches come in on a downward angle, so chopping down rarely meets them.	“Match the plane of the pitch” or “catch the ball out front.”
Mid-swing yelling (“keep your elbow up!”, “stay on top!”)	A hitter can’t think and react at the same time. Instructions during the pitch clutter their focus.	One simple cue between pitches. Save the mechanics for practice.
“Keep your eye on the ball”, “swing hard”	Kids already know they are supposed to do that. It gives them nothing to do with their body.	Something specific: “load early,” “land soft,” “hold your finish.”

Pocket cue cards Our suggestion

One page: cut on the dashed lines and tuck one in a bat bag or the dugout.

Batting cues

Setup: Athletic base, Loose grip, quick hands, Hands by the back shoulder
Load and timing: Load early, Be on time, Gather on the back leg
Stride: Land soft, Stay closed, Knob points back at landing
Contact: Catch the ball out front, Stay behind the ball, Knob to the ball, Palm up, palm down, Back hip drives to the pitcher
Finish: Finish high, Hold your finish, Smooth, not max
Approach and mindset: Hunt your pitch, Balanced take, Two strikes: choke and widen, Plan, Flush, Breathe, Go

Fielding cues

Ready: Prep step on every pitch, Land as the ball enters the zone, Wide, low and loose
Approach: Round it, Attack the ball
Fielding position: Work from the ground up, Butt down, glove out front, Funnel to the belly
Transfer and footwork: Quick hands to the ear, Shuffle to the target, Step at the target
Throwing: Point and throw, Follow through
Fly balls: Drop step first, Throwing side, above the head, Call it loud
Communication: Talk before the pitch, Help the thrower

Skip these cues

“Squish the bug” → “Back hip drives to the pitcher” or “back knee turns in and through.”
“Snap your wrists” and “swing down” → “Match the plane of the pitch” or “catch the ball out front.”
Mid-swing yelling (“keep your elbow up!”, “stay on top!”) → One simple cue between pitches. Save the mechanics for practice.
“Keep your eye on the ball”, “swing hard” → Something specific: “load early,” “land soft,” “hold your finish.”

groundupbaseball.net/coaches/cues/ · One cue at a time.

Coaching Cues: Batting & Fielding