10U is the year baseball starts to look like baseball. In a lot of leagues, kids pitch to kids, runners can take off, and the defense has to make real plays. Your drills should match that. Here is what we'd run with 9- and 10-year-olds.
Good 10U baseball drills get kids ready for kid pitch and real defense: front toss with take-or-swing calls, short fungo with footwork, four corners throwing, first-to-third reads and a scored scrimmage. Run them in small stations, rotate every 8 to 10 minutes and finish with a game.
Train it: 46/60 Coach Playbook ($59) → Free: Free 10U Practice Plans →What changes at 10U baseball?
Rules vary a lot, so check your league's rules. In many 10U leagues, three things change at once.
- Kid pitch: pitches are wilder and sometimes faster. Hitters need to decide, not just swing.
- Runners move: stealing and passed balls mean the catcher, pitcher and middle infielders all have new jobs.
- Real defense: balls get hit harder, and kids have to know which base to throw to before the ball comes.
Coach BK's line for this year: "The ball ain't changing shape, I promise ya that." For a 10-year-old, it means a kid pitcher is still throwing the same ball. Same swing, same plan.
10U hitting drills for kid pitch
- Tee with a target: 10 swings, aiming at the back of the screen or a spot in center. Line drives count, pop-ups don't.
- Front toss, take or swing: a coach behind a screen tosses some strikes and some balls. The hitter yells "Yes!" and swings or "No!" and takes. Sets of 8.
- Two-strike battle: every hitter starts with two strikes and stays up as long as they put it in play. Short, ready swings show up fast.
Want more swings to pick from? Our 10U baseball hitting drills page goes deeper on the bat.
Kid pitch also means getting hit by a pitch now and then. Helmets on, use soft balls for close toss, and teach kids to turn their back shoulder in. If a hitter starts backing out, our post on a child afraid of the ball helps.
Defense and throwing drills for 9- and 10-year-olds
- Short fungo: soft grounders from halfway between home and the position. Feet to the ball, glove down, step and throw to first. 10 each.
- Four corners: four players on a small square, short throws around it, then reverse. Count catches in a row.
- Where's the play?: a coach calls the outs and runners ("one out, runner on first") before each ground ball. The fielder says the base out loud, then fields it.
- Catcher blocks: a catcher in full gear blocks soft balls bounced in the dirt from a few feet away. Chest over the ball, glove between the legs.
Warm up first, keep throws short early in the season, and stop if an arm hurts. Follow your league's pitch-count and rest rules. Pitchers need their own bullpen time with an adult, not just practice reps.
Baserunning drills for the first stealing year
- Run through first: hit off a tee, run through the front of the bag, then look right for an overthrow.
- First-to-third read: runner on first, coach rolls or hits a ball to right field. Runner picks up the third-base coach and goes or holds.
- Go on the steal sign: if your league allows it, a pitcher works from the stretch and runners practice their first step on a signal. Check your league's rules on leads and stealing.
Our guide to teaching kids to steal bases covers leads and reading the pitcher in more detail.
A 75-minute 10U baseball practice
| Minutes | Block | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10 | Warm-up and catch | Jog, arm circles, progressive catch |
| 10–25 | Defense and throwing | Short fungo, four corners, where's the play |
| 25–45 | Hitting stations | Tee, front toss take-or-swing, two-strike battle |
| 45–55 | Baserunning | Run through first, first-to-third |
| 55–70 | Scrimmage | 4-on-4-on-4, coach pitches, keep score |
| 70–75 | Water and recap | Two good plays, one thing to practice |
Little League suggests a 4-on-4-on-4 scrimmage with a coach pitching and score kept so every at-bat counts. It's the most fun 15 minutes of the week, and it covers every skill above.
The free 10U practice plans print this out for you. If you're the coach, the 46/60 Coach Playbook adds cues and fixes for each drill.
One thing to remember
Practice the 10U game they'll actually play: live decisions at the plate, a base called before the ball comes, and runners on the move.
What to do this week
Add "Where's the play?" to your fielding block and the take-or-swing call to front toss. End practice with a scored 4-on-4-on-4.
Parent questions
What should a 10-year-old be able to do in baseball?
Most can catch and throw to a target, field a routine grounder, and hit a ball thrown at a steady speed. The next step is knowing where to throw and when to swing.
How long should a 10U baseball practice be?
About 75 to 90 minutes works for most teams. Keep each drill to 8 to 10 minutes and finish with a scrimmage.
Can 10U players steal bases?
In many leagues, yes, but leads and stealing rules vary a lot at this age. Check your league's rules and practice exactly what your league allows.
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Sources: Little League University: Keep Practices Fresh by Including Intrasquad Scrimmages · Little League University: Remember to Bring the Fun to Team Workouts