MLB

baseball positions.

Nine spots on the field, each with a specific job. Once you know who's supposed to be where, a routine play stops looking like chaos and starts looking like a plan.

Pitcher

Throws the ball to the batter to start every single play. A pitcher is trying to get hitters out, either directly through strikeouts or by inducing weak contact that the defense turns into an out.

Standing alone on the mound in the middle of the diamond. Every play in baseball starts with them.

Full windup, and the pitch. Everything you're watching starts right here.

Catcher

Crouches behind home plate and catches every pitch that isn't hit. They also call the game, signaling the pitcher what to throw next, and block the plate on close plays at home.

The one in the mask and full gear, squatting behind the batter, flashing hand signals between every pitch.

Catcher just called for the curveball. He's running this at-bat as much as the pitcher.

Corner infielders (1B/3B)

Play first base and third base, the two infield spots closest to the foul lines. They're usually the first line of defense on hard-hit ground balls down either side.

Stationed right next to the foul line on either side of the infield, guarding the corners.

Smoked down the third-base line. That's exactly the kind of ball a corner infielder earns their spot on.

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Middle infielders (2B/SS)

Play second base and shortstop, cover the most ground of any infielders, and are usually the two turning a double play together.

Positioned in the gap between first and third, ranging side to side more than anyone else in the infield.

Ground ball, flip to second, relay to first. That's the middle infielders working in sync.

Outfielders (LF/CF/RF)

Cover the grass beyond the infield in left, center, and right field, chasing down fly balls and cutting off extra-base hits before they turn into something worse.

Spread out across the outfield grass, usually the players you notice sprinting toward the warning track.

Deep fly ball, and center field runs it down at the wall. That save just kept a run off the board.

Designated hitter (DH)

Bats in the lineup in place of the pitcher and doesn't play defense at all. All of MLB uses the DH now, so every team's lineup gets one extra real hitter instead of a pitcher trying to bat.

You won't see them in the field. They only show up in the batting order, then head back to the dugout.

DH is up. He's only here to hit, and tonight that's all that matters.

Other sports

Basketball.Football.Hockey.Soccer.

Once you know who does what, the baseball glossarycovers what they're actually doing out there.

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