Oklahoma City · Private instruction
Fielding and base running
Infield work with a focus on second and third, outfield fundamentals, and the part of the game that scores runs without a hit.
Why it's worth an hour
Defense and base running decide more games than hitting does
Every lesson booked in this metro is a hitting lesson or a pitching lesson. Meanwhile games are being lost on balls that should have been caught and won on bases nobody thought to take.
Part of that is fashion — nobody posts a highlight of a clean backhand or a good secondary lead. But part of it is that these skills are genuinely easier to teach than hitting, and they show up in games faster. A player who spends an hour on first-step reads is often visibly better the following weekend.
This is also the most honest value on my rate card. A twelve-year-old who becomes a reliable defender and a smart baserunner plays. That's the whole thing — they get on the field, and staying on the field is what keeps a kid in the game long enough to get good at the rest of it.
Infield
Second and third are where I'm strongest
I'll coach any infield spot, but the corners and the middle are different jobs and I'd rather be straight about where I'm most useful.
Pre-pitch and first step
Where to stand, when to move, and the small hop that gets a fielder going before the ball is hit. Most balls that get past a young infielder were lost before contact.
Glove work and angles
Getting around the ball rather than at it, working through it, and the backhand every third baseman eventually needs. Soft hands are a technique, not a gift.
The exchange
Glove to hand, feet under the throw, and getting rid of it. Where a strong arm turns into an out, or doesn't.
Third base specifically
Reaction, closing angles on slow rollers, charging the bunt, and throwing accurately across the diamond on the move. The hot corner is its own sport.
Second base specifically
Footwork around the bag, feeds to short, turning the double play, and the awkward throws nobody drills — the flip, the backhand toss, the play going away from first.
Situations
Where to be with a runner on second, who covers what, when to take the out you can get. Knowing the play before it happens is most of infield defense.
Outfield
The fundamentals, honestly scoped
I coach outfield, but I want to be clear about the level. I cover the fundamentals that decide the overwhelming majority of outfield plays in youth baseball — and for most players that's genuinely all they need.
If your player is an advanced outfielder chasing college looks and needs specialist development beyond this, I'll tell you, and I'd rather point you to the right person than take the booking.
- The drop step and first move — the difference between a catch and a double.
- Routes, not drifting. Taking an angle to where the ball will be.
- Catching on the move and through the ball, so a throw can follow it.
- Throwing to the right base, and hitting the cutoff instead of the sky.
- Communication — calling it early and loudly, every time.
Base running
The cheapest runs in baseball, and nobody practices them
Base running needs no size, no strength and no arm. It's pure instruction and attention, which makes it the fastest way for a smaller or younger player to start genuinely helping their team win games.
It's also almost entirely untaught. Ask a youth player what their secondary lead is for and most can't tell you. Ask them what they're looking at when the pitcher comes set and you'll usually get a shrug.
- Leads and the first step — primary, secondary, and getting back safely.
- Reading the pitcher instead of guessing: what moves first, and what it means.
- Reading the ball off the bat — when to freeze, when to go.
- First to third, and knowing before the pitch whether you're going.
- Sliding safely and correctly, which is also an injury-prevention conversation.
Questions
Fielding questions parents ask
Which infield positions do you focus on?
Second and third base are where I'm strongest and where I'd rather spend the hour. They're also very different jobs: third base is reaction, angles and arm strength; second base is footwork, feeds and the turn. I coach shortstop and first base too, but if your player is a corner or a middle infielder, that's where I can do the most.
Do you coach outfield?
Some. I cover the fundamentals that decide most outfield plays: the first step and drop step, taking a route rather than drifting, catching on the move, and throwing to the right base through a cutoff. For a player who needs specialist outfield development beyond that, I'll tell you honestly and point you elsewhere.
Is base running really worth paying for?
It's the cheapest run in baseball and almost nobody practices it. Leads, first step, reading a pitcher, secondary leads, reading a ball off the bat, and knowing when to go first to third. None of it needs size, strength or a great arm — which is why it's the fastest way for a smaller player to become genuinely valuable.
Can we combine fielding with hitting?
Yes, and most players do. A session can split between defensive work and the cage, or alternate week to week depending on what the season is asking of them.
What equipment does my player need?
Their own glove, and cleats if we're on a field. Working with the glove they actually use in games matters more than people think.
Let's talk about your player
Tell me a little about them — age, position, and what you're hoping to work on. I'll get back to you personally, usually within a day.
Lessons start at $75 an hour.