Cut-off and relay

Press play to watch it run. Open it in Playmaker to move the players and draw it your way.

Baseball drill · Age 9 and up

A youth outfielder who tries to throw from the fence to third base all on their own throws the ball into the ground halfway, and the runner scores. Two good throws are faster than one long one. The relay is how a team gets the ball from deep in the outfield back to a base: an infielder runs out into the line between the ball and the base, the outfielder hits them, and they turn and throw. This drill teaches everyone where to go when the ball goes over their heads.

Add to a session Open in Playmaker Add to a practice plan

Adding it to a session puts it on your run sheet with its time and cue. It does not use up one of your saved plays. No account? Add it to a practice plan and print the run sheet for free.

Time
15 minutes
Players
6 to 9: an outfielder, a relay infielder, a base to throw to, and the backups
Equipment
  • 6 to 10 balls, left in the outfield gaps
  • Bases at your league's distance
  • A cone for the relay spot while players learn it
  • Batting helmets for the runner

Setup

  1. Put the left fielder and centre fielder in their positions, a shortstop, second baseman and third baseman in theirs, and a pitcher on the mound.
  2. The coach places or throws a ball into the left-centre gap. A runner starts just past first base, as if they have rounded it on a hit.
  3. The nearer outfielder goes to the ball and the other backs them up. The shortstop runs out into the line between the ball and third base and raises both arms.
  4. The outfielder throws to the shortstop, who catches it, turns to the glove side and throws to the third baseman covering the bag.
  5. The second baseman covers second, and the pitcher runs to back up third in foul ground. Rotate everyone one position after each rep.

Coaching points

  • Relay: get out into the line quickly, then stop, face the outfielder and show both arms high. Be a big target.
  • Outfielder: throw at the relay's chest on the fly or one hop. Do not try to reach the base yourself.
  • Relay: turn to your glove side as you catch, so you are already facing the base when the ball arrives.
  • Everyone who is not touching the ball has a job: cover a base, back up a base or back up the throw.

On the run sheet: Outfielder: get to the ball and hit the relay man in the chest; relay: run out into the line, arms up, glove-side turn and throw; everyone else: cover a base or back one up

Progressions

  1. Move the ball to the right-centre gap, so the second baseman becomes the relay and the shortstop covers second.
  2. Let the third baseman shout 'third!', 'second!' or nothing, and the relay throws to the base called.
  3. Add a second runner from first base, so the relay has to decide which runner to throw out.

How it runs

The animation starts as the left fielder (LF) reaches a ball in the left-centre gap, with the centre fielder (CF) coming across to back them up. The batter-runner (B) is around first and heading for third. The shortstop (SS) runs out into the line between the ball and third base, the third baseman (3B) goes to the bag, the second baseman (2B) covers second and the pitcher (P) runs behind third in foul ground. The catcher (C) stays home. The left fielder throws to the shortstop, the shortstop turns and throws to third, and the ball beats the runner to the bag with a stride to spare.

Drawn on a 90 ft diamond, the two throws are about 95 ft and 115 ft. On a 60 ft Little League field each one is about two-thirds of that, the length a 10-year-old can throw on a line. One throw from the gap to third would be twice as long, which is the whole reason for the relay.

The rule it is practising

The tag play. A runner going from second to third is not forced, because nobody behind them has to take second, so the fielder at third has to tag the runner with the ball, not just touch the base. That changes how the third baseman sets up: straddling the front of the bag, facing the throw, glove down to the side the runner will slide into. A force play only needs a foot on the bag; this needs the ball on the runner.

It also shows the difference between a relay and a cut-off. A relay is the infielder who goes out to shorten a long throw. A cut-off is the infielder standing between an outfielder and a base, usually home, who can catch the throw and stop it or let it through. Leagues for the youngest players often stop play once the ball is back in the infield, so check your league's rules for coach-pitch and t-ball before you teach the runner to keep going.

The mistakes to watch for

A relay who stands at the edge of the infield instead of going out, so the outfielder's throw still has to be too long. A relay standing out of line, so the throw pulls them away from the base. Catching it and turning to the throwing side, which costs a full second. And the outfielder who throws over the relay's head trying to reach the base on the fly.

More baseball drills

Put Cut-off and relay in Tuesday's session

It lands on your practice plan already timed, with the coaching cue printed under it, next to your own plays.

Add to a session

Page updated · Baseball play designer · All drills

We use a first-party cookie to count visitors and see which features get used, so we know what to build next. It is ours, not an advertising network's, and you can say no. What we collect