AAPlayer Objectives

9-10 Year Old AA Minor Division –The AA Minors of NBLL shall consist of player members who are age league nine (9) and ten (10) and have not been drafted in either the Major or AAA Minor players draft. All players in this league will participate in a skills assessment prior to the start of the season. The 9-10 AA Division Director will form teams based primarily on location and school enrollment and every effort will be made to balance the player skill level equally among the teams. Requests for placement on specific teams will be allowed. A player member who is league age eight (8) and has had Rookie Division experience may enroll at this level of play. Players age 8 can only be placed on a 9-10 AA team and will not participate in the skills assessment and are not eligible for placement on a tournament team.

Objectives of AA League Baseball: To further develop the fundamental skills of each player, with added focus on specific skills of each position, including pitcher and catcher. To further learn nuanced aspects of various positions in the game of baseball in preparation

AA League players are placed on a team by the Player Agent with consideration given to developing regional continuity with competitive consistency. Special requests for a coach or teammates will be granted as best as possible.

By the end of the season, all AA-ball players should be able to:

OUTFIELD:

  • Skills:
  • Track and catch fly balls
  • Get the ball back into the infield quickly
  • Knowledge
  • Understand how to use the cutoff man and where to send cutoff based on the path of the ball.
  • Know their back up responsibilities
  • On stolen base plays
  • Passed balls
  • Balls in the gap

INFIELD:

  • Skills:
  • Consistently field well-hit ground balls
  • Throw accurately
  • Knowledge:
  • Begin understanding situational defense
  • How to cover a bunt in different situations
  • How to rotate when they have a runner in a pickle
  • Fully understand and play cutoff role
  • Understand the infield fly rule
  • Understand interference versus obstruction

PITCHERS:

  • Know the difference between a 4-seam and 2-seam grip
  • Consistently find the strike zone
  • Throw from both the windup and stretch
  • Begin throwing a changeup

CATCHERS:

  • Consistently catch pitches from shoelaces to shoulders and outside edges of plate
  • Make a strong throw to second base
  • Understand concepts of how to block pitches in the dirt

HITTERS:

  • Set place in batter’s box and stance without significant coaching
  • Pick good pitches to swing at and pitches to let go
  • Make contact with well-pitched, hittable balls
  • Comfortably set up and execute a bunt
  • Begin to understand differences between pulling and taking it opposite field

EXPECTATIONS AS TEAMMATES:

  • Follow the game without being reminded by coaches (in the field and dugout)
  • Be able to perform function of first and third base coaches
  • Encourage teammates – congratulating them when they perform well, and lifting them up when things don’t go well

Understand an