How many positions can you play well?

[Orange Socks]

It is true if you can hit well, you will get in the lineup. I am talking to my buddy, and he isn't happy about his DD's playing time. She can hit pretty dang well!!! She is very strong and is a bulldog. She still spends a lot of time with her hitting coach and did a lot of strength and conditioning workouts, but her defensive skills are lacking which is hurting her ability to get into the lineup as an everyday player. Mostly doing PH and DP so far this year on her college team. She can play catcher but she spent most of TB days in RF.

This weekend was interesting for DD. Her primary position is Catcher and spent lots of time in her 14U/16U years working with a catching coach and attended NE Catching camp to keep improving. On her TB team she basically split time at Catcher her soph year. Junior year she split her time at C/1B. Senior year she got some sporadic starts at 3B, while playing Catcher and 1B. Her Freshman year in college she split time at Catcher/3B. This year she has been playing C/3rd and 1B since the starter tore her ACL. The team has been struggling at SS using 2 different players, but they were not getting the job done. Halfway through the first game on Friday, coach moved DD from Catcher to SS and played there the next 2 games as well. She did amazingly well for not taking any reps at that position for some time. I forgot to mention that she split time at SS/C in HS so she is quite familiar with the position.

All this to say, don't get wrapped around the axle if your DD doesn't get to play her primary position all the time. Learn to be flexible and be willing to play all positions. To the coaches out there: Don't be afraid to mix it up and give your kids different looks at different positions. You never know when you will need that player to step in if you are missing some key players. Never in my life would I have guessed that my DD would be playing SS in college. I still prefer her playing catcher.

 

[marriard]

DD is at least competent at 8 of the 9 positions on the field (everything but catcher)

If had to rate her in order of position:
P - primary/ superior
SS/2B - superior
3B - above average
1B - above average, but needs to be taller
RF/LF/CF -competent; not fast enough to be above average, but she is going to make all the standard plays and the right throws.

Several colleges recruited DD as a SS/2B and asked if she was willing to give up pitching.
Several colleges recruited DD as a P and asked if she was willing to give up fielding and hitting.

She wanted to do both, so she went to a college that is willing to let her compete for both roles (among other things... she primarily picked her college for academics and environment)

Game days I expect she is going to play a lot of 1B rotating with the other pitcher - in intrasquad she plays all around the infield when she isn't pitching.

It is ball, base, backup... catch it, field it and throw it. The basic skills can be used to play everywhere that is not P and maybe C.

 

[Cannonball]

I've mentioned this before but my dd was recruited as an OF. She practiced all fall her freshman year in RF. Then, as the team was getting on the bus, the 1B, got on the bus and then got off of the bus and said she wasn't going to play anymore. Coach called my dd to the front of the bus and asked her if she had ever played 1B. She said that she had a little but not much. He said, "you're the first baseman." The rest is history. In HS, from freshman year on she played P, SS, RF, 1B and CF. She mostly played P, SS and CF. It is a great idea for your dd to know how to play multiple positions. JMHO!

 

[Orange Socks]

DD would fail miserably in the OF.

I have another friend whose DD is playing for a mid major. I truly never thought she would pitch in college, and that she got committed because of her bat not her pitching. Out of the pitchers on her team, she ranks 3rd for innings pitched. She was never a great pitcher in HS or TB but look at her now! It's all about finding the right fit.

 

[murphdog]

What year is his DD? Are there older players playing her primary positions?
My DD was lucky, she started as a freshman because the entire starting outfield from the previous year was gone, 2 to graduation and one moved to C after waiting 2 years for the previous starting catcher to graduate.
she worked her butt off the be better than any of the other OF choices and has starting in CF ever since. One of her classmates was mostly a pinch runner for 2 years and finally started this year.

 

[canyonjoe]

Outside of P and C you should know how to play every position. You might lack some of the nuances with footwork but if you play 6 games every weekend for 8-10 years you should be able to step in. We had a kid on our team who was the best player at every position Except P. The was a good athlete but not great but her brother played and her dad worked with her.

 

[Rambler34]

One thing we did when our teams were young is practice every single kid at every single position. We would rotate them as a group to take balls at every single spot. DD is left handed but she learned how to field a bunt at 3B and turn a DP from SS and 2nd. You never know what could happen the next game when you have to move them around.

DD has now played every positon in HS except P and 3B. She can hit and could basically fill any hole needed as a 7th and 8th grader so it opened up so many opportunities. She didn't become a full time outfielder for the varsity until her freshman year but had played every single game up until that point somewhere. Even this past summer she caught some games to give our catchers a break. Her future college coach saw her and and you could tell he liked it. Jut another way for her to earn a little playing time.

 

[HunterMO]

DD is a 2026 and the whole potentially playing for college is new to us. While still well down the road is something I'm making sure I start learning about now. While reading through this forum I saw this thread and enjoyed it.

Knowing multiple positions is something I'm huge on. Even before DD mentioned wanting to play during college. It's important not just for college but even for TB and school ball. (And work life). I know that my DD will not play on the same team her whole career. And as such will be joining teams where maybe her current primary position will be filled. Either because another established player on the team has it or the coach thinks she can excel or help them more at another position. I think knowing other positions also helps when playing her primary positions.

So far in DD's 3 years of competitive softball her positions have been (ranked primary to least played):
- Pitcher / 1B (TB and Jr High; B-Squad due to A-squad depth)
- 3B (TB)
- RF (Jr High - A squad; it got her bat in the lineup this Spring)
- C (TB)

Just last week she rotated through P, 1B, 3B & C all in one game due to a couple teammate injuries. She has a good fielding fundamentals, a strong arm, and is very game smart. It's rare she makes a mental mistake (but it happens). These things allow her to play some of the secondary positions and fill gaps when needed. Her preferred positions are 1B & P. But, when asked to play another spot there is never hesitation. "Yes coach" with a thumbs up and she's out there.

This year I'm going to encourage her to take more reps at SS to become at least familiar and start seeing balls while in this position. Maybe after this year she never plays catcher again. That's fine. But, she'll be smarter and a better player because of it. And in a pinch.....can throw the gear on.

 

[clemenslee1]

This reason is why some youth coaches frustrate me, they don't mix players around. Why because they want to win, instead of develop.

 

[_MIA_]

On DD's new team she has played 3B and 2B about 30 to 40 percent of the time, along with SS. I like it. Actually I think she would make a great CF as well but there is only so much moving around a coach can do and still try and be somewhat competitive (some of the kids who play OF would really have a tough time in the IF).