There are two different categories of fielders in the game of baseball: infielders and outfielders. They each have a specific job to do. Click through the tabs below to see each position and what they are required to do.
The Infielders
The Outfielders
| First Base | The first baseman’s job consists largely of making force plays at first base on ground balls hit to the other infielders. When an infielder picks up a ball from the ground, he must throw it to the first baseman for the runner to be out. The first baseman also fields balls hit near first base, but because the position is less demanding than the others, the team’s strongest hitter is often also their first baseman. |
| Second Base | The second baseman covers the area to the right of second base and provides backup for the first baseman. |
| Shortstop | The shortstop fills the critical gap between second and third bases—where right-handed batters generally hit ground balls—and also covers second or third base and the near part of left field. This position is the most demanding defensively, so a good shortstop need not necessarily be a good batter. |
| Third Base | The third baseman’s primary requirement is a strong throwing arm, in order to make the long throw across the infield to the first baseman. |
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball, farthest from the batter. The three outfielders—left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder—are so named from the catcher’s perspective (from home plate looking onto the field). The right fielder generally has the strongest arm of all the outfielders as this individual needs to make throws on runners attempting to take third base.
The center fielder has more territory to cover than the corner outfielders, so this player must be quick and agile with a strong arm to throw balls to the infield. Also, the center fielder is considered the outfield leader, and left- and right-fielders should cede to this player’s direction when fielding fly balls.
Other than general rules, the fielders can make appeals to the umpire. An appeal takes place when a fielder claims to the umpire that the offensive team has violated the rules and that an out should be called against the violator. Some of the more commonly appealed offenses are:
- Hitting with an illegal bat.
- Failing to touch a base after a fly ball is caught; if runner or base is tagged, the runner is out.
- Missing a base or home plate when running the bases.
- Batting out of turn.
