Build the player. 20 minutes at a time.

Your son doesn’t need another trainer. He needs you working with him. Young players may not pick up a move as fast as older kids. That’s not a lack of trying. It’s coordination. Keep the work simple so the pattern can stick. College coaches don’t ask who he played for at 13. They look at arm strength, exit velocity, running speed, and a player’s defense. Those are the skills you can work with him on a Tuesday — 20 minutes at a time.

• The first 20 minutes

  Play catch in the backyard. Take him to hit at a local field, in a cage or a net in the garage. Have him sprint in the street. Take him out for just 20 minutes; just you and him. There will be sessions when time disappears and he wants to work for two hours — let him. Sometimes 20 minutes is all that you can get out of him. That’s still a great day. The daily habit is the more important work. Stack the days.

• Play catch like it matters

  When you go to play catch, play with a plan to improve. Have him throw twenty with his feet in concrete. Then, have him throw ten with his glove knee on the ground. Then, slowly move back until he is at his max. Finally, once he starts to get tired, move in 3 steps at a time; focusing on continuing to throw hard. You’re teaching him to throw through the target, while keeping his arm loose.

• Tee work with a focus

  When you have just twenty minutes to hit, tee work is the simplest routine to go to. Have him hit rounds of eight swings. First round, up the middle. Second round, have the ball centered up with his body, driving the ball over the opposite middle infielder’s head. Third round, put the ball on his back leg, driving the ball over the opposite field corner’s head. Fourth round, hit the ball right back at the pitcher’s head. For rounds 5-8, take maximum velocity swings. For rounds 9 and 10, allow him to choose what he does. No big coaching points. No need to write a $100 check for the lesson. Just you, him, a net, and a plan.

• Foot speed

  One or two days a week, have him get his body loose. Once he is warm, have him run 8-12 maximum effort sprints. One day can be 15-20 yards. The second day can be 40-60. Once his speed drops because of fatigue, he is done. His volume will build over weeks. During the shorter distance sprints, focus on his first 3 steps. For the longer sprints, have him focus on his top end speed and striding out.

The point of the 20 minute workout is that it doesn’t have to be complicated or long for you and your son to get a lot of benefits. This is especially important for days when he doesn’t want to go workout. Don’t fight with him. Just promise him it will be short. The most important point for him to learn is the practice of the daily habit is what will make him successful in baseball and in life.