Twelve is a big year. Pitchers throw harder and start to locate, and many players will see a bigger field soon. The drills that matter now build habits a player can carry onto that field next spring.
Good 12U baseball drills train what changes at this age: hitting real pitching, pitchers fielding their position, throwing for longer distances and baserunning with leads where your league allows them. Run them as short stations in a 90-minute practice so every 11- and 12-year-old stays busy.
Train it: 46/60 Coach Playbook ($59) → Free: Free 12U Practice Plans →What's different about 12U baseball?
Most 12-year-olds still play on a 46-foot mound with 60-foot bases. Little League's Intermediate 50/70 division, for players league age 11 to 13, moves the mound to 50 feet and the bases to 70. It also lets runners lead off and steal at any time.
So a 12U player may play one set of rules this spring and a bigger set next year. Check your league's rules, then practice for both.
12U hitting drills for real pitching
Pitchers at this age throw harder and start mixing speeds. Coach BK tells hitters moving up: "The ball ain't changing shape, I promise ya that." For a 12-year-old, that means the same swing and the same plan work against the kid who throws hard.
- Two-speed front toss: an adult tosses from behind a screen, mixing firm tosses with slower ones. The hitter calls "fast" or "slow" before swinging. Ten swings, then switch.
- Deep tee: set the tee even with the back foot so the hitter has to let the ball travel. Ten swings, and the goal is a line drive to the opposite field.
- Two-strike game: every round starts with two strikes. Shorten up a little and put the ball in play. Score one point for each ball hit hard on the ground or in the air, no matter where it goes.
Keep score out loud. Kids at 12 compete harder against a number than against a cue.
12U defense drills pitchers and catchers often skip
Our 12U fielding drills cover backhands, feeds and the circle drill. Here are three team plays that win 12U games and get skipped at a lot of practices.
- Pitcher covers first: pitchers line up on the mound. A coach rolls a ball to first base. The pitcher sprints toward the line, runs parallel to it and takes the toss on the inside of the bag. Five clean reps each.
- Pop-up priority: a coach tosses high pop-ups between two or three fielders. One calls it three times, the others peel off and back him up. The goal: no ball ever drops between two quiet players.
- Catcher bunt race: the catcher, in full gear, starts in his crouch. A coach rolls a ball a few feet in front of the plate. The catcher pops out, fields it and throws to first. Eight reps, then switch catchers.
Pitchers need their own work, too. MLB's Pitch Smart guidelines for ages 9 to 12 say to warm up properly, stick with fastballs and changeups, and avoid catching on days you don't pitch. Follow your league's pitch-count and rest rules, and stop if the arm hurts.
Throwing and baserunning drills for the bigger field
- Step-back catch: partners start close. After five chest-high throws in a row, both take two steps back. The first throw that sails or bounces sends them back a step. Distance comes from good throws, not big ones.
- Crow-hop relay: three players in a line about 60 feet apart. The end player catches, crow-hops and throws to the middle player, who turns glove side and throws on. Race another line.
- Lead and get back: only where your league allows leads. From first, the runner takes a lead he can get back from with one crossover step. A coach on the mound throws over or delivers home. Back on a pickoff, two hard steps on the pitch.
- Read it off the bat: the coach tosses and calls the ball: "ground ball" means go, "line drive" means freeze, "fly ball" means halfway. Helmets on for every rep.
In leagues where runners can't leave until the pitch reaches the batter, run the same reads without the lead. Our guide to leads and steals walks through the rest.
A 90-minute 12U baseball practice
| Minutes | Station | Coaching point |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10 | Warm-up and step-back catch | Chest-high throws earn the next step back |
| 10–20 | Crow-hop relay | Turn glove side, throw through the target |
| 20–40 | Pitcher covers first, pop-ups, catcher bunts | Three stations, six minutes each |
| 40–65 | Hitting: two-speed toss, deep tee, two strikes | Keep score out loud |
| 65–80 | Leads and reads | Follow your league's leadoff rule |
| 80–90 | Clean-inning game and recap | Name two smart plays and one to fix |
Our free 12U practice plans print this on one page. For a full season of what to teach, cues and fixes, the 46/60 Coach Playbook is $59 for a year, and the first three lessons are free.
One thing to remember
At 12U, build habits that still work on a bigger field next year.
What to do this week
At your next practice, run pitcher covers first and the two-strike game for ten minutes each. At home, play 15 minutes of step-back catch and take 20 swings off a deep tee.
Parent questions
When do kids move to the bigger baseball field?
It depends on the league. Little League's Intermediate 50/70 division is open to league ages 11 to 13, and many players move to a bigger field at 13. Check your league's rules.
Can 12-year-olds lead off and steal?
It depends on the division. In Little League Majors, runners wait until the pitch reaches the batter. Divisions like Intermediate 50/70 allow leads and steals at any time.
Should a 12-year-old throw a curveball?
MLB's Pitch Smart guidelines for ages 9 to 12 say to avoid pitches other than fastballs and changeups. A good changeup and a fastball that hits the glove go a long way at 12U.
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Sources: Little League: Baseball Divisions (Intermediate 50/70) · MLB Pitch Smart: Pitching Guidelines, Ages 9–12 · Little League University: Is a Runner Out for Leaving the Base Early? (baseball Majors note)