Catching Barrels vs Driveline Online Hitting
Short answer
Driveline's Online Hitting Program is $299 a month for an assigned trainer who writes your hitting, strength, mobility and optional throwing workouts, with video feedback. Catching Barrels is built around one pro hitting coach reading your swing directly: start with a $97 SwingScan, go deeper with a $397 4B Assessment, or keep a coach in your corner with the Hitting Caddy at $500 a month. If you want a full training program with weight-room work, Driveline is a strong pick. If you want to know exactly why your swing isn't producing, and to work with the coach who finds it, start with Catching Barrels.
Side by side
| Driveline | Catching Barrels | |
|---|---|---|
| Price to start | $299/month | $97 one-time SwingScan |
| Who coaches you | An assigned Driveline trainer | Rick Strickland, former Triple-A hitting coach, personally |
| What's included | Individualized hitting, strength, mobility and optional throwing workouts, plus video feedback | A swing read built on 4B (Ball, Bat, Body, Brain), then a plan aimed at the one thing holding the swing back |
| Commitment | Monthly program | Start with a single $97 scan. The Caddy is a 3-month minimum. |
| Best for | Hitters who want a complete remote training program, strength work included | Hitters and parents who want a pro coach's diagnosis first, and coaching that stays on the swing |
Where Driveline wins
Driveline is one of the best-known names in data-driven baseball training. Its online program extends the in-gym experience: a trainer programs your workouts, including strength, mobility and throwing, and adjusts them from your video. If your hitter needs a full weekly training plan and a weight-room structure, that breadth is real value.
Where Catching Barrels wins
Most hitters need a clear read more than another drill. They need someone to find the one thing that leaks. Catching Barrels starts with a read of the swing: how the body turns, when the turn happens, and how the bat gets delivered to the ball. Rick has coached hitters at Triple-A, and the same eye goes into a high schooler's SwingScan. You're not handed off to a program. You work with the coach who read your swing.
A common example: a hitter with plenty of raw rotation who sinks into the stride and turns late. Organizing the move is the fix, and that's what a 4B read is built to find.
Pricing at a glance
- SwingScan: $97, one swing read with the key finding and what to work on.
- 4B Assessment: $397, a full Ball, Bat, Body and Brain evaluation with a plan.
- Hitting Caddy: $500/month (3-month minimum) for local high school and amateur hitters, about four visits a month: online lessons, in-person sessions at trainRight in Fenton, MO, or Rick at a game.
- Driveline Online Hitting: $299/month (source: Driveline help center).
FAQ
- Is Catching Barrels cheaper than Driveline?
- To get started, yes. A SwingScan is $97 one-time, against $299 a month for Driveline Online Hitting. The Hitting Caddy at $500 a month costs more, because it includes in-person time and game visits with Rick.
- Do I need special equipment?
- For a SwingScan, a phone video of your swing is enough. Sensor and motion-capture data (Diamond Kinetics, HitTrax and similar) make the read deeper when you have them.
- Can I do both?
- Yes. Some hitters use a strength-and-training program and a hitting coach side by side. A SwingScan tells you what your swing needs, whichever program you're in.
- Who is Rick Strickland?
- Rick is a professional hitting coach based in St. Louis who coached in pro baseball, most recently at Triple-A in 2026. He runs Catching Barrels and The Hitting Skool, training in person at trainRight in Fenton, MO, and remotely.