The Lost Art of Pepper - And Why We're Bringing it Back.

James Huffman
5 hours ago
3 min read

Before showcases, before private lessons, before fences that said ‘No Pepper Games,’ kids learned the game by playing it.

Last night at a Coyote Kids buddy session, I introduced two young ballplayers to a game they had never heard of before.

Pepper.

No scoreboard.

No home runs.

No cones.

No radar guns.

Just a bat, a glove, a ball, and rhythm.

At first, they looked at me like I was about to explain something from the old days—and in a way, I was. But within minutes, they were locked in, laughing, competing with themselves, and building real baseball skills without even realizing it.

That’s the magic of pepper.

Pepper is a simple, fast-paced baseball drill that’s been around forever. One hitter stands close to a fielder (or a small group of fielders) and hits short, controlled ground balls and line drives. The fielder catches and tosses the ball right back. The rhythm stays quick. The focus stays sharp.

It’s not about power, it's about control, timing, hands, and feel.

Pepper used to be a staple. Big leaguers did it. Kids did it. It was how you warmed up, how you got loose, how you learned to feel for the ball.

Now? It’s almost disappeared. —replaced by buckets of balls, machines, and long lines of kids waiting their turn.

What We Did at the Buddy Session

At our Coyote Kids buddy session, I kept it simple.

• Close distance

• Soft tosses back and forth

• Emphasis on staying athletic

• Quick hands and quick decisions

At first, both players were tentative. They wanted to swing harder. They wanted to “do more.”

Then something clicked.

They started adjusting their swings.

They began reading the hop.

They communicated with each other.

They competed—not against each other, but against the drill itself.

The reps stacked up fast. Way faster than a traditional hitting station. And most importantly?

Once they got the hang of it. They were vibing.

Why Pepper Still Matters

Pepper teaches things that don’t show up on a stat sheet—but absolutely show up on the field.

Hand-eye coordination

You can’t cheat pepper. You have to track the ball and react.

Soft hands

Fielding at close range forces clean catches and smooth transfers.

Barrel control

Big swings don’t work. Good swings do.

Baseball instincts

Reading hops. Anticipating movement. Staying balanced.

Confidence

When kids realize they can control the ball, everything changes.

Pepper slows the game down while keeping the brain moving fast. That’s a rare combination.

Why Kids Love It (Even If They’ve Never Heard of It)

The funny thing is—kids don’t care that pepper is “old school.”

They care that:

• They’re involved every second

• They get tons of reps

• It feels like a game, not a drill

• They’re improving without pressure

Once they try it, they’re in.

Both players asked if we could do it again next time. That’s always the best feedback.

Bringing the Lost Art Back

At Coyote Kids, we mix modern training with timeless baseball traditions. Pepper is one of those traditions that still works—maybe now more than ever.

If your player hasn’t played pepper yet, they’re missing out on one of the simplest, most effective ways to build real baseball skill.

And if you played it growing up? It might be time to bring it back.

Because sometimes, the best way forward... is rediscovering what the game already knew.