The Different Baseball Diamond Positions

There are nine positions in baseball. Each position has a different job and location on the baseball diamond

The catcher

The catcher is the field general of the defense. They make most of the decisions on the field regarding pitching changes, defensive positioning and Base running The catcher needs to be very vocal to ensure that all teammates are on the same page. Because of this, catchers are often considered leaders on and off the field. A good catcher will have a strong arm to prevent runners from stealing bases and quick feet to move into position quickly to block balls in the dirt.

The pitcher

Pitchers, also referred to as hurlers, are the players who throw the baseballs. Technically, in professional baseball the pitcher is only the player who throws the ball to the catcher for the initial pitch of each play; any other player who throws the ball to a bases for a defensive out or from one base to another is not technically considered a “pitcher.” In most amateur baseball games though, anyone who throws the ball is considered a pitcher.

The first baseman

The first baseman is the player on the baseball diamond who occupies first base. As the name suggests, this is the player who will be first to receive the ball when it is hit by the batter. The first baseman must have quick reflexes in order to catch the ball and get it to second base quickly. They must also be able to field balls that are hit to them and make quick decisions on whether to throw it to second or third base.

The second baseman

The second baseman is positioned between the first and third base. They play on the second base side of the infield. The shortstop is on their left side and the third baseman is on their right side. They also play in front of the catcher.

The second baseman’s main responsibility is to defend the second base. They also try to turn double plays with the shortstop and first baseman. Sometimes they will try to steal bases or bunt the ball.

The shortstop

The shortstop is the captain of the infield. He/she has the most important and demanding position on the field. shortstop is responsible for everything that happens in the infield, and must have a thorough understanding of every other position. The shortstop must be able to catch anything hit to him/her, and must have a strong arm to throw out runners.

The third baseman

The third baseman (sometimes referred to as the “third sacker”) is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base. The third baseman must be quick and agile, as he or she is often called upon to field balls hit hard in their direction. They must also have a strong throwing arm, as they are often required to make long throws to first base. Third basemen typically bat cleanup or fifth in the batting order

The right fielder

The right fielder is one of the nine defensive positions in baseball. Right fielders are tasked with catching balls hit to the right side of the diamond. They also must throw runners out who try to advance to second base or beyond on hits to right field.

Right field is considered the easiest position to play in baseball, as there are not as many balls hit to right field as there are to left field or center field. However, right fielders still need to have good hand-eye coordination and be able to make quick decisions, as the ball can come at them quickly off the bat.

The most famous right fielder in baseball history is probably Babe Ruth who played for the New York Yankees from 1920-1934. Ruth was an incredible hitter and helped lead the Yankees to seven World Series titles during his time with the team.

The center fielder

The center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfield position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the center fielder is assigned the number 8. Outfielders must cover large distances; as a result, speed, stamina and quickness to react to the ball are key. They must be able to catch fly balls above their head and on the run. They must have accurate arms to be able throw runners out at the plate or to bases.

The left fielder

The Left fielder is the outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the outfield position to the left of center field. Bats left-handed throwing left-handed, he tends to pull the ball more than hit it to the opposite side. As a result of this, most left fielders are good at hitting home runs

The designated hitter

In baseball, the designated hitter is a position intended to generate more offense. The DH is a tenth player in the batting lineup who does not play in the field. Designated hitters typically bat cleanup or fifth and play for both American League and some National League teams.

The position was introduced in 1973 by then-American League president Lee MacPhail. Since then, it has been a part of AL baseball, but has not been used in the NL. The first designated hitter in MLB history was Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees who walked in his sole plate appearance on April 6, 1973.

The rule allows teams to use another hitting specialist in place of the pitcher in the batting lineup. The pitcher must still take their turn in the field defensively, unless they are also pinch hit for or replaced by a pinch runner during their turn at bat. Designated hitters do not count as one of the nine Defensive Players so an AL team may use a DH even if it does not have nine available fielders.

In interleague games, where NL rules apply, a designated hitter may be used only when an NL pitcher bats and all fielding positions have been filled by NL players; if an injury or ejection leaves only eight NL fielders available at any time prior to the start of an inning (including if a DH is ejected or injured), then whoever occupies the DH slot becomes an actual fielding position that may be vacant for purposes of determining whether that half-inning constitutes an official game (i.e., if one more player is needed to reach the required number). Similarly, should a team find itself with only eight available fielders while its opponent continues to have nine on defense due to injuries/ejections (including if its own DH is among those unavailable), then AL rules shall again apply until both teams have had nine defensive players on defense during that inning (or at least one out has been recorded). From 2018 onward, should this situation arise during Extra Innings as well (and continue unabated until completion), each team would be allowed to send any remaining available position player(s) to occupy vacant base(s) on offense as “automatic runners”, with those runner(s) being eligible to score as normal if driven in; once all base positions have been filled with automatic runners from both clubs (if necessary), whichever team had batted last would then automatically win via walk-off without any further play taking place (in other words: akin to basketball’s “Mercury Rule”).