As a parent in the Myrtle Beach or Conway area, you want your young athlete to develop a swing that actually translates to game-day success — not just look good in the cage.
At Big Game Performance, we focus on repeatable mechanics, disciplined habits, and game-speed development that builds real confidence under pressure.
Former professional player and Coastal Carolina standout Alex Buccilli brings his high-level experience to every hitting lesson.
Whether your child is just starting out or pushing for travel ball with the Ironbacks or Team Elite Platinum, these five foundational hitting drills can make a massive difference.
Best of all? Many of them can be practiced at home or during our indoor facility sessions in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area — where we train year-round, rain or shine.
1. Tee Work with a Purpose (The “Dot Drill” for Contact & Vision)
One of the simplest yet most effective ways to groove a consistent swing is hitting off a tee — but not just mindless swings.
How to do it:
Place a batting tee at belt height. Put a small dot or mark on the ball (use a Sharpie on a practice ball). Have your player focus on watching the bat make contact with the dot.
Start with high-tee work (to stay on top of the ball and avoid popping up) and low-tee work (for line drives).
What it teaches:
Proper head position, tracking the ball all the way to contact, and staying through the zone instead of pulling off early.
Pro tip from Alex:
“Confidence starts with preparation. When kids see the barrel consistently meet the ball, belief follows.”
This drill eliminates timing pressure so players can focus purely on mechanics.
Do 3 sets of 10–15 swings, emphasizing a balanced finish with the back foot up on the toe.
2. Soft Toss from the Side (Building Bat Path & Power)
Soft toss is a staple in quality hitting lessons because it lets coaches control the pitch location while the hitter focuses on swing path.
How to do it:
A partner or coach kneels to the side (just outside the opposite batter’s box) and tosses balls underhand into the strike zone.
Start with middle-away location, then move inside. Focus on driving the ball to the opposite field first.
What it teaches:
Keeping hands inside the ball, using the lower half to generate power, and creating a short, compact swing.
Common fix it addresses:
Many youth players cast their hands or swing with arms only. Soft toss highlights when the hips fire first and the hands follow.
At Big Game Performance, we use this in private hitting lessons and group sessions to refine mechanics quickly in our indoor cages.
3. Stride Pause Drill (Fixing Timing & Lower Half Engagement)
Poor timing and weak lower-half usage are two of the biggest issues we see in youth hitters around the Carolinas.
How to do it:
Set up on a tee or with soft toss. Have the player stride forward as normal, then pause for a full second with the front foot down before swinging.
This separates the load/stride from the actual swing.
What it teaches:
Better weight transfer, staying back longer on the pitch, and exploding through contact with the hips and core.
Variation for advanced players:
Add a “pause to swing” off front toss to simulate live timing.
This drill helps players who step in the bucket or lunge at pitches — common problems that hold back rec players trying to make the jump to travel baseball.
4. One-Handed Swings (Bottom Hand & Top Hand Isolation)
Isolating each hand builds bat control and teaches the proper roles in the swing.
How to do it:
- Bottom hand only: Grip with just the bottom hand (knuckles aligned). Swing from a tee or soft toss, focusing on pulling the knob toward the ball.
- Top hand only: Grip with the top hand. This encourages staying on top and driving through the ball.
Do 8–10 swings per hand, then combine with two-handed swings.
What it teaches:
The bottom hand guides and pulls the bat through the zone. The top hand stabilizes and helps with extension.
This fixes common youth mistakes like rolling over or weak contact.
Alex emphasizes this in private instruction because it creates cleaner, more repeatable mechanics that show up in games.
5. Freeze at Extension (Checking Finish & Balance)
Great hitters finish strong and balanced — this drill makes it obvious when they don’t.
How to do it:
Swing normally off a tee or soft toss, but freeze at the point of full extension (when the bat has just made contact and the arms are extended). Hold for 2–3 seconds.
Check these points:
- Are the eyes still on the contact point?
- Is weight shifted fully onto the front side?
- Is the back foot up on the toe with the knee pointed toward the pitcher?
What it teaches:
Proper weight transfer, staying on plane, and finishing through the ball instead of pulling off.
Players who struggle with this often lose power or pop everything up. It’s a quick diagnostic tool we use during sessions at our Conway-area facility.
How to Incorporate These Drills Into Your Routine
Start with 10–15 minutes of tee work, move into soft toss, then add the pause or one-handed variations. End with freeze-at-extension swings to reinforce good habits.
Aim for quality reps over quantity — 50–75 focused swings per session is plenty for most youth players (ages 8–14).
Parents in Myrtle Beach and across the Carolinas tell us the biggest difference comes when kids train with intention. That’s exactly what we build at Big Game Performance: fundamentals-first hitting that prepares players for real game moments.
Ready to Take Your Child’s Hitting to the Next Level?
These drills are a strong starting point, but personalized feedback from an experienced coach accelerates progress dramatically.
At our indoor training facility near Myrtle Beach/Conway, Alex Buccilli and our elite coaches provide one-on-one hitting lessons, small-group sessions, and travel-team development for the Ironbacks and Team Elite Platinum.
Book a private hitting lesson today and let us help your young player build the confidence and mechanics they need to perform when it counts.
Bonus Tip:
Many of these drills work great in our year-round indoor facility — no more worrying about rainouts or summer heat.