The best hitters in the game use a variety of hitting drills to improve hand-eye coordination, bat speed and power. These drills will make you or your players hit the ball more consistently and with more power, with the ability to place shots more effectively. The result will be a higher average and better production in just a week or two of practice.

1. Ball on a cone or tee: Hand-eye coordination is the key to a good shot, in any game and at all levels. Improving your ability to match what your eyes see with the path of your swing creates the type of contact that produces more line drive and, over time, more power. Hitting legend Ted Williams used to practice using a cue stick to hit bottle caps. Not a bad idea, but these exercises will work too.

• Ball in a Cone: Place a traffic cone on the ground 3 feet from a carpet. Kneel, or have your players kneel, on the mat. Place balls in the cone and have players focus on hitting a line. Hit 15 to 25 balls each session, more if time allows, the more the better. The drill emphasizes contact using only the arms and upper body, which is essential for hitting the ball consistently.

• T-Ball: Kids start t-ball for a reason: they learn to make contact, plain and simple. Since solid contact is the key to all good things about hitting, contact drills never go out of style. Professional, college, and top amateur teams continue to wear batting jerseys to warm up and find the batting tag, especially after layoffs. Start practicing shots with a round of tee drills to emphasize keeping an eye on the ball, with an added bonus of increased confidence. When casting speed is added, the improvement will be noticeable. When the game starts, more accurate hitting will lead to more baserunners and more RBIs. VARIATIONS: Place the tee on the inside, middle and outside of the plate to encourage hitters to go with the pitch, so they learn to drive balls to all fields. Most hitters try to throw everything, and this will help break that habit.

2. Wiffle Ball: This drill emphasizes bat speed and a tight, powerful swing. Using a pitching machine or live pitcher, stand 20 feet in front of home plate and use waffle balls for safety. Set the machine to about 40 mph, or time your launch speed accordingly. Hitters have to move the bat quickly. The drill will expose swings that are too long, the kind of swings that keep professional players in the minor leagues. On the plus side, it encourages faster bat speed to get around the pitches and a shorter, more compact swing that is the foundation of power.

3. Wait and Pop – Many hitters develop a bad habit of starting their swing too soon. The results are all bad. For example, the batsman often enters the field of play too soon and then has to hold his upper body waiting for the ball. Timing and hand-eye coordination are lost, plus if contact is made, only the upper body is involved. The powerful movement of the legs is eliminated. The result is misses, weak rolls, and lazy flyaways. This is how this exercise works. Have the batter stand in the box and teach him not to move until the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand. Keep it that way until the hitter learns to be patient, reserving his energy until he can complete the swing in a powerful motion. Hitters with good contact skills but low power will start to drive the ball much harder with this drill.

Another way to encourage a “wait and pop” approach is to use tennis balls and bounce balls to home plate. The hitter shouldn’t move a muscle until the ball bounces, 6-8 feet in front of home plate. Patience is learned and hand-eye coordination is also improved. The result will be a short, compact and energetic swing.

4. The Barrier Drill: This drill will teach you good mechanics. Ask the players to stand a length behind a barrier, such as a net or rope, and take their share. If they hit the barrier with the bat, they are hitting too long, unlocking the elbows before the shoulders fully engage. Point out what is happening and see if they can make the correction, which will produce a compact and powerful cut.

5. Reward or Career: There’s nothing like the chance for a little physical exercise to get players focused. Using a pitching machine, or a reliable batting practice pitcher, feed each batter 15 pitches. On strikes only (swinging on a bad pitch as an out, regardless of whether you hit it or not), count well-hit balls versus misses or weak hits. If the hitter has 8 or more good cuts, reward them in some way. If 8 or more bad changes occur, it’s time to race! As the season goes on and players get better, get your best hitters up to 10 or 11 quality hits to avoid rushing. Tailor the drill to stretch each player for the best.

Each of these drills is used by many professional, college, and amateur teams each year. Use them on your team and start noticing immediate results in terms of contact and power. You’ll enjoy better production from first time to order!