Softball Position Roles and Responsibilities (2024)

Home>Team Sports>Softball>Softball Rules

PreviousNext

Like many other team sports, there are several different fielding positions in softball. The positions in softball have the same names and functions as those of baseball positions. Read on to learn more about the positions in softball, including the responsibilities each position has throughout a game.

• How Many Players Are in a Softball Game?
• How Many Positions Are There in Softball?
• List of Softball Positions
• Outfielders
• Infielders
• Pitcher
• Catcher
• Offensive Positions
• Batter
• Baserunner
• FAQ

How Many Players Are in a Softball Game?

In a traditional softball game, each team must field a minimum number of nine players while on defense.Just like on a baseball team however, there are often many more players on the roster for each softball game, ensuringthat each team has enough players to fill each position and substitute players in case of injury or fatigue.

How Many Positions Are There in Softball?

There are nine defensive positions in softball; these can be broken into four different categories: the outfield, the infield, pitcher, and catcher.These positions are played by the team currently on the field, meaning they are pitching and playing defense rather than batting. The team at-bat only has two possible positions: batter and baserunner. Meaning the team on offense is batting against the opposing team’s pitcher and can have up to three runners on base at a time.

List of Softball Positions

• Left Field
• Center Field
• Right Field
• Third Baseman
• Shortstop
• Second Baseman
• First Baseman
• Pitcher
• Catcher
• Batter

Outfielders

Outfielders are responsible for fielding balls hit past the infielders. Outfielders cover an enormous amount of ground, so they should be quick enough to reach balls hit into their areas before they drop. They must also have strong arms to throw the ball back into the infield after fielding it. Typically, outfielders are some of the better hitters on the team.

Left Field

The left fielder is part of the outfield and responsible for catching fly balls, line drives, and fielding ground balls that make it past the left side of the infield. The left fielder is positioned in the outfield on the left side of the field, closest to third base.

Left fielders must be fast enough to track down balls and have a strong enough arm to make long throws back into the infield. They also are responsible for backing up the center fielder on balls hit to centerfield and the third baseman on hits towards third base.

Center Field

Center field is also part of the outfield and shares the same responsibilities as left field: catching fly balls, line drives, and ground balls in the outfield. However, the center fielder is the outfielder responsible for covering the most ground, and thus is usually faster. They also typically have the longest distance to throw and one of the strongest arms on the team. The center fielder is positioned behind second base in the middle of the outfield between left and right field.

The center fielder must have an excellent throw as well, in order to throw balls from the outfield into the infield quickly. They are also responsible for backing up both the left and right fielders when balls are hit into left or right field.

Right Field

The right fielder shares the same responsibilities as the other two previous outfield positions. However, the right fielder is positioned behind first base in the outfield, on the right side of the field.They are in charge of backing up center fielders on balls hit to center field and the first baseman on hits and throws towards first base.

Infielders

Infielders are responsible for fielding ground balls, line drives, and pop-ups that are hit near their position on the field. They typically have quick reflexes, as they are the closest positions to the batter, except for the pitcher and catcher.

Third Baseman

The third baseman is part of the infield and is responsible for covering third base. They are positioned a couple of feet off the bag towards second base, which allows the fielder to cover a wider range of the infield. The third baseman must field any balls hit in their area and catch throws from teammates throwing out an opposing player at third.

The third baseman must be able to make a throw to the catcher when an opposing player is running to home plate. They also must have a strong arm in order to make the long throw to first base before the opposing runner reaches the base.

Shortstop

The shortstop is part of the infield and plays a very important role. This position is tasked with covering the gap between second and third base, and is positioned in the middle of the two bases.The shortstop and second baseman work together to back one another up on any balls thrown in the other’s direction.

The shortstop must cover second base along with the second baseman since the two positions split responsibilities depending on where the ball is hit in the field. They are also often involved in turning double plays with the second baseman. The shortstop is often the position that does the most communication with the outfield, indicating how many outs and balls there are on each pitch. The shortstop tends to have the most responsibilities and tends to be the team’s most versatile player.

Second Baseman

The second baseman is also a part of the infield and is positioned in between first and second base.The main responsibilities of the second baseman include: fielding ground balls hit in their area, catching pop-ups, and covering second base.Again, the second baseman and shortstop work together to cover balls coming towards second base, depending on where the ball is hit in the infield. The second baseman is often right-handed in order to improve their efficiency.

First Baseman

The first baseman is the final core position in the infield and is positioned a few feet off the first base bag in between first and second base. The primary responsibility of the first baseman is to cover first base. The first baseman must have an excellent glove, because almost all ground balls hit into the infield will be thrown to first base in order to get the batter out. The first baseman must also field any ground balls or pop-ups hit in their area. First basem*n are known for their long reach and extension in order to get outs.

Pitcher

The pitcher throws the softball from the center of the diamond, known as the pitcher's mound, to the catcher. The pitcher’s goal is to throw balls within the strike zone of the batter. The strike zone is an imaginary zone from the batter’s shoulders to their knees where the pitcher must land the ball in order for it to be called a strike.

The pitcher must use an underarm motion to throw the ball. After throwing the ball, the pitcher then becomes a fielder.They are responsible for catching and fielding ground balls and pop-ups within their area and covering first base when the first basem*n cannot.

Catcher

The catcher is positioned directly behind home plate and is responsible for catching each pitch the pitcher makes.The catcher plays in a squatting stance to provide the pitcher with a target within the batter’s strike zone. The catcher must also cover home plate when an opposing team’s runner is attempting to score, in addition to fielding pop fliesin foul ball territory and throwing out the runner's attempt to steal a base.

The catcher must be effective at communicating, as they use signals with the pitcher to decide the specific pitch that should be thrown. They alsocommunicatewith the infielders to let them know how many strikes and outs there are.

Offensive Positions

The batter and baserunners are the offensive positions in softball. Only one player bats at a time, but there can be up to three runners on base at any given moment. Every player on the roster, except sometimes the pitcher, takes turns batting when their team is on offense.If the pitcher chooses not to bat, the team will select an extra player to serve as a designated hitter in the pitcher’s place.

Batter

Batters face the opposing pitcher and attempt to hit the ball into the field and away from the opposing team’s players.They also can be walked if a pitcher throws four balls, which will grant them first base. If the player makes contact with the ball and hits it into play, they must immediately drop the bat and begin running toward first base.

The batter’s goal is to hit the ball, get on base, advance to each base, and finally reach home plate and score a run for their team. Meanwhile, the whole fielding team is trying to prevent any runs from scoring. The best batters are powerful hitters that are skilled at timing their swings, making contact with the ball through hand-eye coordination, and swinging with proper form.

Baserunner

Whenever a batter reaches base, they become a baserunner.A baserunner is tasked with running through all three bases and touching home plate to score a run for their team. A baserunner can advance bases through stealing, running when the ball is put in play, or can be moved forward automatically by a walk that puts the batter or another runner on their base. Baserunners rely on acceleration and speed to quickly round the bases and score runs.

FAQ

PreviousNext

Pages Related to Softball Position Roles and Responsibilities

• What Counts As A Foul In Softball?
• How Does Scoring Work In Softball?
• Do You Have to Run After You Hit In Softball?
• What Are The Rules of Softball?
• The Top 10 Rules Of Softball
• How Long Is A Softball Game?

PreviousNext