Situational Drills to Thrive in a Loaded Lineup: Drive-in Runners, RBI Focus

Beat the pressure in a loaded lineup: practice that produces runs, not just power

Standing in the box with a runner on second and two outs? That’s where games are won and slotted players live or die. If your team’s lineup is loaded with power, your value as a run-producer comes from consistency, plate control and the ability to execute productive outs and two-out RBI scenarios. This article gives you a complete, science-backed station plan and weekly rep scheme to own those moments in 2026.

The evolution of situational hitting in 2026 — and why it matters now

In late 2025 and into 2026, MLB and high-performance programs doubled down on blending hard-data metrics with situational practice. With teams stacking lineups (see recent high-profile free-agent moves), coaches expect role players to convert high-leverage at-bats into runs. Analytics teams now track situational run expectancy and two-out RBI rates more closely than ever — and they pair that with micro-feedback from bat sensors, high-speed cameras and lab-grade launch monitors.

That matters for you because while power remains valued, the modern lineup prizes players who can do the dirty work: hit behind runners, ground a ball to right when needed, or turn a two-strike approach into a run on the board. The drills below bridge mechanical control and game realism — the two ingredients that make situational reps transfer to game performance.

Principles for effective situational training

• Specificity: Practice the exact outcomes (groundball to right, opposite-field line drive, controlled soft contact) you need.
• High-quality reps over high quantity: Situational reps should be purposeful and measured; track launch data and contact location.
• Progressive overload: Increase difficulty by adding velocity, spin, or mixed counts—don’t jump from toss to live pitching without steps.
• Feedback loop: Use video + sensors to close the loop within 24 hours of practice so technique changes stick.
• Contextual fatigue: Train situational hitting after conditioning sets twice weekly to simulate late-inning at-bats.

How to structure a situational station session (90 minutes)

This session is modular: 6 stations you can run in 90 minutes for groups of 3–8 players or adapt for individual work. Keep rest strict: 60–90 seconds between maximal-effort reps, 3–4 minutes between stations if using live pitching.

Warm-up (10 minutes)

• 5 minutes mobility and activation: band walks, T-spine rotations, half-kneeling adductor stretch.
• Dynamic swing prep: 20 smooth dry swings (progressive), 10 underload/overspeed bat swings if available.
• Short toss contact drill: 15 tosses to feel soft hands and midline control.

Station 1 — Productive Outs (20 minutes)

Goal: Teach hitters to produce the correct outcome under situational constraints (e.g., force a groundball to right with runner on third and less than two outs).

1. Drill: Front Toss Low. Coach/tee throws low pulls to encourage a lower launch angle and groundball. Use soft toss or front toss at 60–70% velocity to start.
2. Rep scheme: 3 sets of 10 controlled reps (30 total). Each rep: call out scenario (runner on third, tie game) and focus on first-contact priority.
3. Coaching cues: short, level stroke, hands inside the ball, front foot landing slightly open to allow glove side contact for right-handed hitters aiming to hit to right field.
4. Progression: Add a live pitcher or throwing machine at 70–85% after baseline consistency (70% groundball rate to right-field window).
5. Metrics: Track contact location (oppo-field percentage), launch angle window (0–8 degrees) and situational contact rate.

Station 2 — Hitting Behind Runners (15 minutes)

Goal: Create consistent opposite-field contact while controlling swing path — essential with runners on second.

1. Drill: Opposite-Field Live Toss. Coach stands on the inner-half side and throws middle-in and middle-away at varying speeds. The hitter must direct the ball to the opposite field gap or to the right side.
2. Rep scheme: 4 sets of 8 reps (32 total). Alternate intentional oppo attempts with neutral reps.
3. Coaching cues: soft hands, let ball travel, maintain barrel behind the plate on contact, minimal upper-body rotation early.
4. Progression: Insert two-strike counts in 25% of reps to simulate pressure; require a minimum percentage of balls to right-center gap (set team standard: e.g., 60% oppo when called).

Station 3 — Two-Out RBI (20 minutes)

Goal: Produce run-scoring contact with two outs: line drives up the middle or opposite-field hard contact to bring runners from third in.

1. Drill: Two-Out In-Game Simulation. Coach calls count and situation (e.g., 2-2, runner on third, two outs). Use live BP, machine or pitcher. Hitter must attack hittable pitches and produce line-drive intent.
2. Rep scheme: 6 rounds of 5 at-bats (30 situational at-bats) — each at-bat is 5–7 pitches max. Keep intensity game-realistic.
3. Coaching cues: attack hittable pitches, square to the ball, low-to-mid launch angles (6–14 degrees), gap-to-gap focus rather than launch angle extremes.
4. Progression: Add sequencing pressure by stacking hitters (score when X of Y hitters convert). Measure conversion rate; aim to raise two-out RBI conversion by weekly increments.

Station 4 — Two-Strike Approach & Bat Control (10 minutes)

Goal: Build contact-first habits and broaden plate coverage with two strikes.

1. Drill: Two-Strike Short-Swing. Hitter chokes up an inch, uses short path, and must foul or put ball in play. Coach enforces contact-first approach.
2. Rep scheme: 5 sets of 8 two-strike swing reps (40 swings). Use both sides of plate, and vary by pitch location (inside, middle, outside).
3. Coaching cues: compact hands, quieter lower half, early load for quicker path, accept balls on the hands.
4. Progression: Live pitching with two-strike counts; require 70–80% contact percentage before moving back to full counts.

Station 5 — High-Leverage Game Simulation (10 minutes)

Goal: Combine decision-making, fatigue, and pressure into a short simulation that mimics late innings.

1. Drill: 6-Pitch At-Bat Ladder. Hitter faces a sequence: first two soft pitches, then two competitive pitches, then two max-effort competitive pitches. Scenarios called between batters: runner(s) on, number of outs, score. The target is to complete a productive outcome per scenario.
2. Rep scheme: 6 at-bats per player. Track success rate per scenario.
3. Coaching cues: read & react, swing selection discipline, mental reset between pitches.

Station 6 — Data & Feedback (video + sensors) (5 minutes per hitter)

Goal: Close the loop. Review 1–2 swings with a coach and sensor output immediately after station work to reinforce adjustments.

• Tools: portable launch monitors, Blast Motion, Rapsodo, TrackMan or equivalent; high-frame-rate phone video (240 fps or better).
• Checklist: attack angle, exit velocity, launch angle, distance, bar-to-body position at contact, and situational outcome (productive out, single, line drive).
• Adjustment plan: One micro-goal for next session (e.g., reduce upper-body tilt on inside pitches, improve oppo contact by getting hands through earlier).

Weekly volume and progression (6-week block)

Situational hitting requires repetition with measurement. Below is a sample weekly plan you can use whether you’re a college player, high-level amateur, or pro trying to hold a roster spot in a loaded lineup.

Week-by-week targets

• Week 1: Baseline. Run full station session once. Measure current situational contact rates and two-out conversion. Establish movement and mobility baselines.
• Week 2–3: Build frequency. Two station sessions per week. Add video review for every hitter twice per week. Goal: +5% situational contact consistency.
• Week 4: Intensify. Add live pitchers and increase game-simulation reps. Train two-strike approach under fatigue twice this week.
• Week 5: Competition. Introduce intra-squad competitive format where winners’ at-bats count toward the conversion target. Evaluate run expectancy improvements.
• Week 6: Test week. Simulated game situations with full lineup; measure situational KPI changes and finalize micro-goals for next cycle.

Measurable KPIs (what to track)

To show real progress and convert practice to roster value, track these KPIs weekly:

• Situational Contact Rate: Percentage of called situational swings that result in contact (target: raise baseline 5–10% over six weeks).
• Opposite-Field Conversion: Percent of oppo-target reps that find the right-center window (aim to reach team standard).
• Two-Out RBI Conversion Rate: Runs-driven per two-out plate appearance in practice/sim scrimmage.
• Productive Out Rate: Percent of at-bats that create positive run expectancy outcomes (sacrifice flies, RBI grounders when needed, advancing runners).
• Technical Metrics: Average exit velocity on situational contact, average launch angle in situational reps, swing path consistency from sensors.

Coaching cues & mechanical notes for situational success

• Contact-first mindset: Two-strike and runner-on scenarios prioritize contact — not maximum launch angle.
• Hands ahead of the barrel: This controls the bat plane and promotes oppo contact when necessary.
• Lower launch window for productive outs: aim for 0–12 degrees depending on situation; line drives up the middle are ideal with two outs.
• Adjust stride length: Shorten the stride to improve plate coverage with two strikes; lengthen slightly when trying to drive a ball in legs for an RBI grounder.
• Visual targets: Use a spot on the outfield wall or an infield chalk line as your intended contact zone during trade-off drills.

"Practical hitters win games. Set your reps with a scoreboard in mind — not just the power number on the radar."

Injury prevention and mobility considerations

Situational practice often repeats the same motion under high stress. Keep the body healthy with a 10–12 minute recovery circuit after high-rep sessions:

• Soft tissue maintenance: foam roll lats, forearms, quads.
• Dynamic stability: single-leg RDLs, Pallof press sets (2x8 each side).
• Thoracic mobility: banded rotations, seated wall slides.
• Shoulder prehab: external rotation sets with light bands, scapular control.

Train situational reps in a way that balances volume and recovery — situational work is high-skill, not high-volume strength work. For broader ergonomics and recovery approaches in small facilities, see practical kit recommendations that map to on-field recovery needs.

Technology that makes these drills measurable in 2026

In 2026, most competitive programs use a mix of wearable sensors and high-speed optical systems to accelerate learning:

• Bat sensors (e.g., Blast Motion or equivalents) for swing path and time-to-contact metrics.
• Portable launch monitors for immediate exit velocity and launch angle feedback.
• High-speed video (240–1000 fps) for hand-barrel alignment and exit vector confirmation.
• Statcast/track-style run expectancy matrices adapted for practice — use them to evaluate whether the produced outcome improved the situation.

Use the tech to validate what feels right: the goal is transferring better outcomes to game day.

Case study: Translating drills to game impact

At swings.pro we worked with a college lineup in late 2025 that showed a 12% two-out conversion rate over the season. After instituting station-based situational sessions twice weekly for six weeks — with video feedback and launch-monitor tracking — the team raised two-out conversion to 18% during a subsequent 12-game stretch. The mechanics we prioritized were compact two-strike swings and oppo-first reps. The difference wasn't raw exit velocity but situational contact and the team's ability to manufacture runs.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

• Too many power swings in situational reps — fix: enforce lower-intent cues and shorter path progressions.
• No accountability — fix: track outcomes and display situational leaderboards during practice.
• Ignoring two-strike reps — fix: dedicate 20–30% of weekly swings to two-strike scenarios.
• Flying from toss to live pitching — fix: progressive loading with tempos and live throws at 70% before full speed.

Sample 6-week micro-cycle (quick reference)

1. Weeks 1–2: Two station sessions per week, emphasis on baseline and oppo contact.
2. Weeks 3–4: Add live pitching to Stations 2 & 3; introduce conditioned game sims; increase two-strike reps.
3. Weeks 5–6: Competition & testing; full simulated innings with lineup; finalize individual micro-goals for off-week maintenance.

Final takeaway — what to track and aim for

Situational hitting in modern baseball is less about sacrificing your swing for power and more about maximizing run expectancy with controlled outcomes. Track these three numbers as the clearest indicators of your progress:

• Situational contact % (call it the most critical metric)
• Two-out RBI conversion rate
• Opposite-field productive contact (when asked to go opposite-field)

Every practice rep should have a scoreboard in mind. When your drills start to look like game outcomes, you’ve done the work.

Ready to convert practice into runs?

If you want the full ready-to-print 6-week station plan, video cue checklist, and sensor-ready templates for measuring the KPIs above, download our Situational Hitting Pack or book a 1-on-1 analysis session. We’ll review your swings, create a tailored station plan, and set the measurable targets you need to thrive in any loaded lineup.

Take action: Sign up for video feedback or download the drill pack at swings.pro and start turning at-bats into runs.

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