Focus To bunt the ball about 20 to 25 feet, as close to the foul line as possible.
Setup You’ll need three players for this drill and at least six baseballs. A pitcher throws from 40 feet to the batter; the third player fields the bunts and tosses them back to the pitcher.
Procedure The pitcher throws the ball hard to the batter and can mix in some breaking balls to make the drill gamelike. The pitcher should have six or more balls at his disposal to keep the drill moving. Each batter bunts 10 balls, then rotates. I suggest running this drill in the outfield along the warning track using the outfield fence as a backstop. Besides bunting the ball on the third-base line, alternating batters can work on the push bunt (right-handed hitter) or drag bunt (left-handed hitter) between the pitcher and first baseman.
Coaching Points The drag bunter bunts the ball as close to the foul line as possible, about 20 to 25 feet down the line. This location and distance make it very difficult for the catcher and third baseman to throw the runner out.
The main teaching points are setting the bat at the proper angle for good location, sliding the top hand toward the trademark on the bat, keeping the barrel of the bat higher than the handle, having soft hands, and catching the ball on the barrel rather than pushing the barrel at the ball.
A major point of instruction, is to get the body low. Right-handed hitters, as they drop the right leg back, should almost have that knee on the ground. We use the term “genuflect,” as if kneeling in church. Left-handed hitters also stay real low on that back knee. Two things to repeat to the bunters: “Bunt first, then run” and “bunt on the chalk” (of the third-base line). Emphasize low body position, which brings the batter’s eyes level with the ball. As the batter drags the ball, he takes a few steps toward first base, always practicing his “30-yard dash.”
Modifications Players can compete in this drill by putting a glove on the line at the proper distance and seeing who can bunt the ball into the glove the most times. Each player bunts 10 balls and then rotates.
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