Infield Short Hop vs Long Hop

As an infielder, the two things that matter more than the rest are creating and getting the hop you want, and presenting the glove so the pocket is open and on time. Everything else — the arm, the transfer, the pretty throw across the diamond — is built on those two, which is why the infield short hop vs long hop conversation is worth a whole night in the grass.

I want a long hop or a short hop. The in-between hop is where the ball is moving the fastest, and that’s the one that puts him on his heels because he isn’t sure where it’s going to be. Standing still and hoping is how the ball eats him up.

Short hop, long hop, in-between

A short hop is the ball right after it hits the ground. A long hop is the ball after it has peaked and is coming down. Both of those you can catch with a pocket that’s already waiting. The in-between hop is still climbing, still moving, still changing direction, and that’s the play that looks hard because he never chose it.

Charge it or stay back. Don’t get caught in the middle. If he charges, he can take it off the short hop. If he stays, he can catch the long hop. College infield coaches have been teaching some version of this forever because the game is too fast to field whatever bounce shows up, and travel weekends are usually the last place this gets worked.

Glove presentation

Glove presentation just means the glove is open and the pocket is facing the baseball before it gets there. The pocket has to beat the ball to the spot. He’s receiving it, not stabbing at it. If the pocket is late or closed, he’s catching with the outside of the glove and hoping, which is a backyard problem, not something you should be yelling during a game.

After he releases the throw, he should follow it so his direction stays on line and his feet keep moving to the target instead of spinning off. Finish the play with your body, not just your arm. If he pulls off, the ball sails, and you can see that from the grass in twenty minutes.

Most infield work on a travel weekend is kids catching whatever bounce shows up. The work is making the hop you want and beating the ball to the spot with an open pocket. The defense drills are built for a backyard, not a team infield-out. Stack the 20 minutes. Don’t wait for a coach to teach him the things you can do in the grass.