In the bottom of the 10th inning with two outs of Game 3 of the 2025 World Series, the Toronto Blue Jays’ Nathan Lukes doubled down the right-field line. The Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez fielded the ball barehanded and with no steps threw to Tommy Edman who used precise relay mechanics to throw a strike to Will Smith at home plate who used sound fundamentals to receive and tag out Davis Schneider trying to score the winning run.
With bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7 of that World Series, the Jays’ Daulton Varsho hit a tough high hopping ground ball to the backhand of the Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas at second base. Rojas used no steps and efficient transfer mechanics to throw a laser to Will Smith at home plate who used perfect force play mechanics to prevent the World Championship run from scoring.
These plays do not happen by luck or pure exceptional talent. They happen as a result of many years of taking the throwing and receiving progression part of practice very seriously on a daily basis.
Most experienced and successful coaches agree that developing elite receiving, transferring and throwing skills are essential to winning championships. Many coaches would say it is the most important part of practice. All coaches would agree that to do it well, all repetitions must be done with a specific purpose and focus.
Coaching Principles and Guidelines
1) It’s Not “Catch Play”
In my opinion, calling it Catch Play is a gross misnomer. Catch play is what you do with someone at a park or in the backyard for fun. Developing receiving, transferring and throwing skills should be done in a very deliberate manner involving many details far more particular than simply playing catch.
2) Use the Person-Athlete-Player Philosophy
Person - As with every part of practice design, coaches should use the person - athlete - player philosophy. For example, every person on the team has a specific learning style that is best facilitated by using one or more of the three learning modalities - auditory, visual and kinesthetic. For most young athletes, telling is not teaching, so auditory cues should primarily be used as a reminder of those things taught visually or kinesthetically. Training aids such as flat gloves, flat-sided balls, and striped balls can be used during drills as visual and kinesthetic implements.
Athlete - Every time a ball is thrown, received and transferred, a coach should not simply look at the result of the throw, but should mentally take the glove and ball out of the equation and should analyze the player as an athlete from the ground up. Specifically, the coach should analyze posture, balance, footwork, angles (in the athlete’s body and while moving), rhythm and timing.
All of the proprioceptive skills required to field, receive, transfer, and throw a ball well must be trained daily in the athleticism phase of practice that precedes the throwing and receiving progression phase. Dynamic movement and stretching routines and other exercises should be taught and progressed to train an athlete how to use their arms, legs and feet in a coordinated and synchronized manner, as well as, to condition their bodies to be mobile, flexible, elastic, and stable and to prime their minds to be ready to compete.
If a coach will ask players to replace their feet while preparing to make a throw after fielding a ground ball, they need to be trained to do foot replacement drills in the athleticism phase of practice. Drills such as box shuffle drills can be used to teach athletes how to use their hips to realign their bodies to their target. All types of skips, shuffles, jumps, hops and bounds should be taught so athletes know how to apply and transfer force quickly and efficiently, i.e., powerfully.
In short, you can’t just tell a player to load their back leg for power on every throw. They need to be trained to do it instinctively. As Hall of Fame Shortstop Ozzie Smith said, “There are no bad hops, only bad footwork.” That process starts every day long before a player holds a ball or wears a glove.
Player - When coaching the player, consideration should be given daily to how to progress a particular player at their primary position, but accommodations should also be made for training them to be versatile. This will give the team depth when injuries occur and will make the players more valuable to future teams. Coaches should also remember that every throw in every part of a practice or game, takes a toll on the arm and body of the player, not just when they are pitching. A player’s health and special considerations for pitchers may dictate fewer throws on a given day in the throwing and receiving part of practice and otherwise.
3) Teach the Details
Most importantly, coaches should teach the details of the throwing and receiving progression with the same level of scrutiny and accountability as they do hitting, pitching and position fundamentals. Players need to make huge improvements in the way they receive, transfer and throw a ball from the beginning of the season to the end for them and the team to have success in the future.
4) Hold Players Accountable
Players should understand and be held accountable that every drill and every throw has a specific purpose and must be executed with the intent to get better with every repetition. It needs to matter that every ball is received and transferred in a precise manner and that every throw hits a precise target.
5) Train Every Throw on Every Practice Day
Every throw a player will be asked to make later in practice and in games should be taught and trained every day in the T & R progression. This is an illustration of the coaching axiom 20 x 5 > 100 x 1. The discipline to train every throw every day is why USC Hall of Fame and College Coach of the 20th Century Rod Dedeaux said, “A throwing error is a mental mistake.”
Every day in the T & R progression, coaches should teach and train all of these throws: glove flips, underhands, backhands, dart throws (incorporated into rundowns/ “hot boxes”), clock throws, long hop throws, relays, and “do or die” throws. Pitchers are paired with outfielders and they throw balls in the sun and balls at the warning track and wall to them. Pitchers throw 3-5 reps of every type of pitch in their arsenal at the pitching distance every day (except after game day) to the outfielders. Pitching starts with purposeful flat ground throwing. Catchers are paired with infielders and do 4-Corners Drills to work on force play mechanics, tag mechanics, and footwork and throws to bases. It is important to include short hop and long hop “digs” during these drills.
6) Train Reaction as Well as Action
The best throwing and receiving mechanics in the world are of no use if the player cannot get to the ball and cannot adjust to random variables that often occur during play. Therefore, reaction, as well as action, should be trained often every day. A good idea is to start every T & R progression with a reaction drill. There are wall ball reaction drills to do with tennis balls when teams are indoors or are undercover in bad weather outdoors. Ball drop drills, ball handling drills, juggling drills, and glove flip drills can be very effective, as well. As I mentioned above, during T & R, incorporating “digs” as a part of the throwing sequence is a great way to train randomization and reaction.
7) Compete-Compete-Compete
Finally, to win championships, players must learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Competitions, both individually and in teams, should be held during the reaction drills at the beginning of the T & R progression and throughout the progression. This will keep it fun and remind the players of the purpose and focus needed to be successful in competition. Just be sure to reward the process more than the result.
Throwing and Receiving Progression Template
1) Extension Phase
On most days, a long toss progression should be done to a distance at least twice that of the base path of the field on which the players play their games. From 15’ to 90’ in the extension phase (on the way out), drills are used to teach, improve and reinforce throwing mechanics. During this time, both regular and flat-sided balls and training gloves can be used to work on grip, spin, receiving and transfer skills. This is the time teams can work on glove flips, underhands, backhands, dart and clock throws.
From 90’ to 180’+, throws are made with a long, relaxed arm and a 35 degree arc on the ball to lengthen and strengthen the arm. During this time, regular gloves and balls with a stripe down the middle are used to reinforce the same skills as in the shorter distance throws. Teams can work on fly ball mechanics and footwork during this time, including long hop throws and tags, balls in the sun and balls at the wall.
2) Pull Down Phase
During the pull down phase (on the way in), the arc of the throws is gradually reduced until the players are throwing line drives to each other. Teams can work on relay mechanics during this time. As mentioned above, pitchers can throw 3-5 pitches of every pitch in their arsenal to their outfielder partners when they reach 60’. Infielders and catchers do the 4-Corners Drills described above when they reach the base path distance again.
Players do not play to the level of their talent. They play to the level of their training. There is no better way to prepare players to play their best than to train them daily with a throwing and receiving program with purpose and focus.
With bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7 of that World Series, the Jays’ Daulton Varsho hit a tough high hopping ground ball to the backhand of the Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas at second base. Rojas used no steps and efficient transfer mechanics to throw a laser to Will Smith at home plate who used perfect force play mechanics to prevent the World Championship run from scoring.
These plays do not happen by luck or pure exceptional talent. They happen as a result of many years of taking the throwing and receiving progression part of practice very seriously on a daily basis.
Most experienced and successful coaches agree that developing elite receiving, transferring and throwing skills are essential to winning championships. Many coaches would say it is the most important part of practice. All coaches would agree that to do it well, all repetitions must be done with a specific purpose and focus.
Coaching Principles and Guidelines
1) It’s Not “Catch Play”
In my opinion, calling it Catch Play is a gross misnomer. Catch play is what you do with someone at a park or in the backyard for fun. Developing receiving, transferring and throwing skills should be done in a very deliberate manner involving many details far more particular than simply playing catch.
2) Use the Person-Athlete-Player Philosophy
Person - As with every part of practice design, coaches should use the person - athlete - player philosophy. For example, every person on the team has a specific learning style that is best facilitated by using one or more of the three learning modalities - auditory, visual and kinesthetic. For most young athletes, telling is not teaching, so auditory cues should primarily be used as a reminder of those things taught visually or kinesthetically. Training aids such as flat gloves, flat-sided balls, and striped balls can be used during drills as visual and kinesthetic implements.
Athlete - Every time a ball is thrown, received and transferred, a coach should not simply look at the result of the throw, but should mentally take the glove and ball out of the equation and should analyze the player as an athlete from the ground up. Specifically, the coach should analyze posture, balance, footwork, angles (in the athlete’s body and while moving), rhythm and timing.
All of the proprioceptive skills required to field, receive, transfer, and throw a ball well must be trained daily in the athleticism phase of practice that precedes the throwing and receiving progression phase. Dynamic movement and stretching routines and other exercises should be taught and progressed to train an athlete how to use their arms, legs and feet in a coordinated and synchronized manner, as well as, to condition their bodies to be mobile, flexible, elastic, and stable and to prime their minds to be ready to compete.
If a coach will ask players to replace their feet while preparing to make a throw after fielding a ground ball, they need to be trained to do foot replacement drills in the athleticism phase of practice. Drills such as box shuffle drills can be used to teach athletes how to use their hips to realign their bodies to their target. All types of skips, shuffles, jumps, hops and bounds should be taught so athletes know how to apply and transfer force quickly and efficiently, i.e., powerfully.
In short, you can’t just tell a player to load their back leg for power on every throw. They need to be trained to do it instinctively. As Hall of Fame Shortstop Ozzie Smith said, “There are no bad hops, only bad footwork.” That process starts every day long before a player holds a ball or wears a glove.
Player - When coaching the player, consideration should be given daily to how to progress a particular player at their primary position, but accommodations should also be made for training them to be versatile. This will give the team depth when injuries occur and will make the players more valuable to future teams. Coaches should also remember that every throw in every part of a practice or game, takes a toll on the arm and body of the player, not just when they are pitching. A player’s health and special considerations for pitchers may dictate fewer throws on a given day in the throwing and receiving part of practice and otherwise.
3) Teach the Details
Most importantly, coaches should teach the details of the throwing and receiving progression with the same level of scrutiny and accountability as they do hitting, pitching and position fundamentals. Players need to make huge improvements in the way they receive, transfer and throw a ball from the beginning of the season to the end for them and the team to have success in the future.
4) Hold Players Accountable
Players should understand and be held accountable that every drill and every throw has a specific purpose and must be executed with the intent to get better with every repetition. It needs to matter that every ball is received and transferred in a precise manner and that every throw hits a precise target.
5) Train Every Throw on Every Practice Day
Every throw a player will be asked to make later in practice and in games should be taught and trained every day in the T & R progression. This is an illustration of the coaching axiom 20 x 5 > 100 x 1. The discipline to train every throw every day is why USC Hall of Fame and College Coach of the 20th Century Rod Dedeaux said, “A throwing error is a mental mistake.”
Every day in the T & R progression, coaches should teach and train all of these throws: glove flips, underhands, backhands, dart throws (incorporated into rundowns/ “hot boxes”), clock throws, long hop throws, relays, and “do or die” throws. Pitchers are paired with outfielders and they throw balls in the sun and balls at the warning track and wall to them. Pitchers throw 3-5 reps of every type of pitch in their arsenal at the pitching distance every day (except after game day) to the outfielders. Pitching starts with purposeful flat ground throwing. Catchers are paired with infielders and do 4-Corners Drills to work on force play mechanics, tag mechanics, and footwork and throws to bases. It is important to include short hop and long hop “digs” during these drills.
6) Train Reaction as Well as Action
The best throwing and receiving mechanics in the world are of no use if the player cannot get to the ball and cannot adjust to random variables that often occur during play. Therefore, reaction, as well as action, should be trained often every day. A good idea is to start every T & R progression with a reaction drill. There are wall ball reaction drills to do with tennis balls when teams are indoors or are undercover in bad weather outdoors. Ball drop drills, ball handling drills, juggling drills, and glove flip drills can be very effective, as well. As I mentioned above, during T & R, incorporating “digs” as a part of the throwing sequence is a great way to train randomization and reaction.
7) Compete-Compete-Compete
Finally, to win championships, players must learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Competitions, both individually and in teams, should be held during the reaction drills at the beginning of the T & R progression and throughout the progression. This will keep it fun and remind the players of the purpose and focus needed to be successful in competition. Just be sure to reward the process more than the result.
Throwing and Receiving Progression Template
1) Extension Phase
On most days, a long toss progression should be done to a distance at least twice that of the base path of the field on which the players play their games. From 15’ to 90’ in the extension phase (on the way out), drills are used to teach, improve and reinforce throwing mechanics. During this time, both regular and flat-sided balls and training gloves can be used to work on grip, spin, receiving and transfer skills. This is the time teams can work on glove flips, underhands, backhands, dart and clock throws.
From 90’ to 180’+, throws are made with a long, relaxed arm and a 35 degree arc on the ball to lengthen and strengthen the arm. During this time, regular gloves and balls with a stripe down the middle are used to reinforce the same skills as in the shorter distance throws. Teams can work on fly ball mechanics and footwork during this time, including long hop throws and tags, balls in the sun and balls at the wall.
2) Pull Down Phase
During the pull down phase (on the way in), the arc of the throws is gradually reduced until the players are throwing line drives to each other. Teams can work on relay mechanics during this time. As mentioned above, pitchers can throw 3-5 pitches of every pitch in their arsenal to their outfielder partners when they reach 60’. Infielders and catchers do the 4-Corners Drills described above when they reach the base path distance again.
Players do not play to the level of their talent. They play to the level of their training. There is no better way to prepare players to play their best than to train them daily with a throwing and receiving program with purpose and focus.
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