10 Ways Baseball Players Can Improve This Offseason

The offseason is a time for many baseball players to get away from the game for a bit, and at Baseball Factory we encourage playing another sport during this season. Whether or not you put on a different sport’s uniform in the winter, there are many ways to prepare for the baseball season without picking up a bat or ball. Here are 10 areas to improve that will pay big dividends on the field come spring:

Academics: Focus on improving your grades, and work ahead if possible, by completing projects and readings now. Practice good time management.

Functional Strength Training: Tailor your workouts to improve strength and explosiveness that will specifically benefit movements related to baseball performance.

Flexibility: Often neglected but extremely important is integrating a stretching routine before and after all workouts. Time spent improving flexibility can go a long way toward a healthy season.

Speed: Spend time improving running form and working on starts, acceleration and factors that can improve straight-line speed.

Agility: Work on the ability to change direction, cut, stop-and-start all while maintaining body control. Jumping rope as well as ladder drills, dot drills and cone exercises are all effective.

Vision: Work on drills that improve focus, acuity and peripheral vision. Eye-hand-brain coordination training is also helpful. Getting your vision checked each year is a good idea.

Nutrition: Pay attention to what you are putting into your body. Formulate good eating habits that fuel your body in a healthy way for the work you do on a daily basis. Your body is a temple. Build it and fuel it appropriately.

Concentration: A few minutes per week on a concentration grid can help you get better at staying in the moment and dealing with the task at hand. Breathing exercises are also valuable.

Arm Care: We encourage our players to use Jaeger Bands to strengthen the small muscles of the arm for injury prevention and in preparation for throwing.

Sleep: Don’t underestimate the effect of sleep on your performance. Sleep is a necessary part of the recovery process, and it improves performance and overall mental and physical health.

Write down a weekly plan that incorporates all of these areas into your offseason training program. Remember to trust the process and strive to get a little better in each area every day.

Being smarter and healthier, as well as being a better overall athlete—faster, more flexible, quicker, stronger—will pay huge dividends when you pick that bat and ball up again.