Baseball Positions by Number

As a baseball coach, player or fan, it is important to know what the baseball position numbers are because you are likely to handle the scorebook at some point in your baseball career.

Have you heard the play-by-play announcer on TV or public address announcer at the stadium ever say, “That’s a 6-4-3, double play!” You may have been able to pick up what the corresponding number means from watching the game, but we’ll lay it out for you.

Maybe you have seen this popular baseball shirt and didn’t understand how 6+4+3=2.

A 6 4 3 double play is when the shortstop (6) fields the ball, tosses it over to the second baseman (4) to get the lead runner and the second baseman throws the batter out at first base (3) to complete the double play. This is the most typical double play you will see on the ball diamond.

The position numbers in softball are the same as baseball. The diagram below depicts the numbers for each position on a baseball or softball field.

Baseball Positions by Number

 

1. Pitcher (P)
2. Catcher (C)
3. First Base (1B)
4. Second Base (2B)
5. Third Base (3B)
6. Shortstop (SS)
7. Left Field (LF)
8. Center Field (CF)
9. Right Field (RF)

When scoring a baseball or softball game, you will use the corresponding numbers by position for every ball put in play. If the batter flies out to the right fielder, that would be scored as an F-9. If the bases are loaded and the batter hits a hotshot at the third baseman (position 5), who steps on his base and throws to the second baseman (position 4) to get out number two, and their throw beats the runner at first base (position 3), that would be a 5-4-3 triple play.

Learn more about how to keep score of a baseball or softball game.

After getting to know the baseball positions and their positional numbers, do you know what a 4-5-4 triple play would look like? The Pittsburgh Pirates turned one in 2015.