The best catcher blocking drills for youth players start slow and soft, then build toward game speed. Begin with knee drops using tennis balls, add angled blocks to each side, and finish by recovering the ball and making a throw. The goal of every block is simple: keep the ball in front of you.
Blocking is one of the four core skills Coach Cinz teaches in his baseball catching lessons. Here is the progression, plus the technique behind it.
What a good block looks like
Before drilling, a catcher needs to know the target position. A good block has five parts:
- Knees down fast: both knees drop to the ground, roughly under the hips.
- Glove fills the gap: the glove goes to the ground between the knees, open to the ball.
- Throwing hand protected: tucked behind the glove.
- Shoulders rounded, chest forward: this softens the ball and angles it toward home plate.
- Chin tucked: the mask protects the face and the eyes stay on the ball.
A common mistake is trying to catch the ball in the dirt. Blocking is about the body, not the glove. When the catcher tries to pick it, the ball often gets past.
Safety first
Always wear full catcher’s gear once real baseballs are involved, and make sure it fits. Start every new drill with soft balls or tennis balls. Blocking is hard on the knees, so keep sets short and focused. If anything hurts, stop, rest and see a doctor or athletic trainer.
The blocking drill progression
Drill 1: Knee drops with no ball
From the runners-on stance, drop both knees to the ground and get into the block position. Hold for a count of two, then stand back up. Do this slowly at first. You are training the body to move the same way every time.
Drill 2: Tennis ball blocks from the knees
Start already on the knees in block position. A partner stands a short distance away and bounces tennis balls into the dirt in front of the catcher. The catcher keeps the posture and lets the ball hit the chest protector and drop. No reaching with the glove.
Drill 3: Stance-to-block with tennis balls
Now start from the stance. The partner bounces a ball, and the catcher drops into the block. Focus on speed to the ground and on the ball landing in front.
Drill 4: Angled blocks to each side
Balls in the dirt are not always straight. For a ball to the right, the catcher pushes off the left foot and drops the right knee toward the ball, turning the chest back toward home plate. Reverse it for the left. Mix directions so the catcher reacts rather than guesses.
Drill 5: Block and recover
After blocking, the catcher finds the ball, pops up and gets the throwing hand on it quickly. Add a short throw to a partner as the final step. This is what happens in a game when a runner tries to advance.
Drill 6: Live bullpen blocks
Once the pattern holds up, block real pitches in the dirt during a bullpen with full gear. Now the catcher learns to read spin and to trust their technique against real speed.
How often should youth catchers practice blocking?
A few short, quality sets several times a week work better than one long session. Blocking is tiring and repetitive, and tired catchers lose form. Stop the set when the knees get slow or the posture breaks down.
How blocking connects to the rest of the job
Blocking starts with a good stance. A catcher sitting too low or with feet too close cannot drop quickly. It also connects to receiving: the catcher must read the pitch early to decide between catching it and blocking it. Our guide on how to become a better youth catcher shows how the four core skills fit together, and how to frame pitches covers the receiving side.
Good blocking also helps the pitcher. When pitchers trust their catcher, they throw their off-speed pitches with more confidence. If your athlete also pitches, see our pitching lessons.
Get feedback on your catcher’s blocking
Small details like knee width, shoulder angle and glove placement decide whether the ball stays in front. Coach Cinz explains the “why” behind each adjustment so young catchers understand what they are fixing. Book a spot in our catching lessons, send a clip through Video Analysis for drills you can do at home, or start with the free Benchmark.
