HittingSituational

Bunt Placement Drill

A sacrifice bunt is only useful if it's placed in the right spot — this drill trains hitters to control direction, not just make contact.

Age RangeAges 11+
Duration10 minutes
Group SizePairs or small groups
SportBaseball

Equipment Needed

  • Balls
  • Bat
  • Cones to mark target zones

Mark the target zones

Cones make it easy to mark clear bunt placement targets so hitters get real feedback on location.

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Setup

  • Mark two target zones down the first and third base lines with cones.
  • A hitter faces soft toss or light pitching with a bat held in bunt position.
Bunt Placement DrillBbuntSquare early, soft hands, direct the bunt to the called zone

Instructions

  1. Hitter squares around early into bunt position, showing the bat before the pitch arrives.
  2. Catch the ball softly on the bat, angling it to direct the bunt toward the called zone (first or third base side).
  3. "Give" with the hands on contact to deaden the ball's speed rather than pushing it hard.
  4. Alternate which zone is called each rep so hitters practice directing the bunt both ways.
Coaching Points
  • Squaring around early (not late) gives the hitter more time to see the ball and control the bunt.
  • Soft hands absorb the pitch's speed — a bunt that's too hard defeats the purpose of the play.
  • Angle the bat, don't just stick it out flat, to actually direct the ball toward the intended zone.
  • This is a precision skill that needs real repetition — don't expect mastery in a single short session.

Variation

Add a defense charging the bunt for a live, game-realistic look, or turn it into a contest for who can land the most bunts in the target zones.