How many positions are there in baseball?

There are 9 named positions in baseball: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Not all of them are on the court at once in every format — junior and small-sided grades use fewer.

Nine fielders take the field on defence. Each position carries a standard number used in scoring notation — a 6-4-3 double play means shortstop to second base to first base. In junior grades most children are better off rotating through several rather than specialising early.

Every position

The 9 baseball positions

Position	Role	Area
Pitcher (1)	Starts every play by pitching to the batter. Also fields bunts and covers home on passed balls. The most physically demanding position, which is why youth grades cap pitch counts.	Battery
Catcher (2)	Receives every pitch, calls the game, blocks balls in the dirt and throws out runners stealing. The only fielder who sees the whole field, so they direct the defence.	Battery
First Base (3)	Receives throws from the other infielders to record force outs. Needs reliable catching and the footwork to stay on the bag while stretching for a wide throw.	Infield
Second Base (4)	Covers the right side of the infield, turns double plays with the shortstop, and backs up throws to first. Quick hands matter more than arm strength.	Infield
Third Base (5)	Guards the line at the "hot corner", fields hard-hit balls and bunts, and makes the longest infield throw to first. Reactions and a strong arm.	Infield
Shortstop (6)	Covers between second and third, the busiest infield position. Takes the most ground balls and usually the strongest all-round infielder on the team.	Infield
Left Field (7)	Covers the outfield on the third-base side. Sees a lot of balls from right-handed pull hitters, which is most of them in junior grades.	Outfield
Centre Field (8)	Covers the most ground of any outfielder and has priority on any ball they can reach. The quickest outfielder, and the one who calls off the others.	Outfield
Right Field (9)	Covers the first-base side and makes the longest throw to third. Often where the least experienced player is hidden in junior baseball — worth rotating rather than parking someone there.	Outfield

By area of the court

Grouped by role

Battery

Pitcher (1)
Catcher (2)

Infield

First Base (3)
Second Base (4)
Third Base (5)
Shortstop (6)

Outfield

Left Field (7)
Centre Field (8)
Right Field (9)

Should junior players stick to one position?

Generally no. Most junior development guidance favours rotating children through several positions rather than specialising early — both because it builds a fuller set of skills, and because a child labelled as a defender at nine tends to still be one at fourteen.

The practical exception is goalkeeper in the sports that have one, where some children genuinely want the role and are happy in it. Even then it is worth checking in, because a fixed keeper has a very different experience of a season from everyone else.

Rotating positions and rotating playing time are separate problems, and it helps to treat them separately — see how to plan player rotations for the mechanics, and fair playing time for the policy behind it.

Where these come from

Based on Official Baseball Rules with modifications for Baseball New Zealand youth age groups.

Governing bodies: WBSC · Baseball New Zealand · MLB (General Framework)

Last reviewed: September 2026. Junior formats vary by region and are revised between seasons — your competition handbook takes precedence over anything here. The full baseball rules reference has formats, scoring, fouls and timings.

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