Baseball 14u Off-Season Speed Development

Why | What | How | When

The purpose of this off-season speed development program is to focus on the different phases of sprinting involved in the game of baseball as I see it. These include the start, acceleration or drive-phase, and top-end speed. Sudden deceleration could be considered a separate phase, but the modalities of deceleration are inherent within the various strength, plyometric, and mobility programming existent within the off-season development program linked elsewhere. Though linear top-end speed is a critical factor in baseball and a contributor for base-running and defensive efficiency, it is far from exhaustive due to the curvalinear aspects of the game, the prevalence of changing directions, and the propensity of the acceleration phase in both phases of the game. From a tactical standpoint, working on the acceleration phase seems most applicable for the baseball athlete. Conversely, “You get faster by sprinting longer distances at higher velocities” - Charles Francis. The primary goal is to increase speed by working on the sprint economy of these young athletes - which should transmute to various aspects of their baseball game.

Why is “Athlete Name” Doing This?

  • “Athlete’s Name” Long-Term Dreams and Goals (Lofty): By senior-year in high-school, be in the 90th percentile in 60-yard dash (establishes capability), home-to-first times (demonstrates ability), and success-rate in baserunning (demonstrates ability).

  • “Athlete’s Name” Intermediate Goals: Run less than 7.0 in 60-yard dash and over 90% in SB%. (May 2024)

  • “Athlete’s Name” Short-Term Goals: 60m: Under 8s in the 2024 Indoor T&F season, 10-yard split: 1.70s (Feb 2024)

  • Quote: "Therefore, as for base running, players must train to raise running speed. And it will be necessary for coaches to measure the times of straight line runs and base runs regularly, and give feedback to the players about this information to confirm base running efficiency." Comparison of base running in baseball players and track-and-field athletes (here), Kazuyoshi Miyaguchi1, Shinich Demura, Kazuya Nagai, Yu Uchida

What is “Athlete Name” Doing?

  • Development Plan | Capacity Planning:

    • We have spent the first 17 weeks developing work capacity, introducing new movements and modalities, and reinforcing baseline mechanics. We will now focus speed training for the remaining 14 weeks of the off-season on teaching the athlete to do the following:

      • Learn the body angles and rhythms corresponding to acceleration and top-end speed

      • Consistently exhibit these angles and rhythms in the different phases of sprinting

      • Establish personal embodiment by developing the neuro-muscular cues corresponding to optimal acceleration and top-end speed. This way they can “feel” when they are exhibiting maximum acceleration and velocity

How is He Going to Do It: Speed | Agility | Mobility Development Plan

  • Quote: "Therefore, ballistic and/or plyometric training with light loads is recommended for athletes who are required to generate high power outputs during fast movements against low external loads such as in sprinting, jumping, throwing and striking task"; Developing Maximal Neuromuscular Power, Cormie, McGuigan, and Newton

  • We will use block periodization as there are various aspects of sprinting, running, and agility we will want to focus on and progress to throughout the off-season, specifically as we get closer to the regular spring 2024 season. 

    • December 2023: We will be acceleration-focused on the track, in the weight room, and in our dynamic warm-ups.

    • January and February 2024: We will transition our focus from acceleration to top-end speed. We will do this on the track via practices and indoor-racing, in the weight room in our periodization, and with our dynamic warm-ups. These months will be used to transition from non-specific baseball movements to specific baseball movements to account for delayed transmutation. This is my first year engaging in this paradigm combined with the fact that I am only a practitioner, therefore the effectiveness of this plan and it’s intention are uncertain.

  • Sprint or Baseball Practice Sessions

When is He Going to Do It | Example Monthly Off-Season Development Schedule for December 2023: Here