How many positions can you play well?

[HunterMO]

Interesting reading everyone's experiences. My DD is an 06. Has played SS for the highest organization in the midwest since she was 9...every inning. Started at SS for her HS varsity team as well so has no experience playing anywhere else. It will be interesting to see if a college coach finds that limiting. At HS tryouts she played outfield as well as our 3 d1 committed outfielders but that's all I've ever seen of her at another position. She's ridiculously athletic and runs a 2.65 home to first, personally I think a coach would be crazy to think he couldn't teach her to do anything he wanted.

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I don’t think the point was meant to be a player has to be an expert in multiple positions. Just proficient or have a basic understanding that they can build quickly on.

We spend waaay more time at P and 1B for DD in terms of practice reps. And she spent majority of last year and so far this year at those positions. Even as a fill in.

But it’s nice as a player she can confidently tell a coach she can play LF/RF or 3B if it’s needed and not feel out of place.

 

[efastball]

I'm not sure it takes long to learn to play any new position. So all the hullabaloo about learning different positions is probably unwarranted.

You do need to learn to field grounders, and catch fly balls properly.

The only position you must learn beforehand is pitching. And in baseball, you don't even need to learn that.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Every player that is serious about playing at the next level should shag flyballs every week. My DD is SS, C, 3rd and 2nd but she take 30 or 40 flyballs a week. Got to ready for everything and anything.

 

[RichK]

I'm not sure it takes long to learn to play any new position. So all the hullabaloo about learning different positions is probably unwarranted.

You do need to learn to field grounders, and catch fly balls properly.

The only position you must learn beforehand is pitching. And in baseball, you don't even need to learn that.

Sorry no. Go to any high-level 16U/18U team. Shuffle all the player positions. I'd even give you a month before you put them on the field. That team would be significantly worse. If not, they probably weren't that good to begin with. 'Learn how to field grounders and catch fly balls properly' is not the same as playing a position at a high level

 

[Rolling Hard]

Most high level SS are better at OF than the teams starting LF. All players should be ready willing and able to catch flyballs. That being said, this does not mean the LF can play SS. If you can hit, you will play and it will probably LF.

 

[_MIA_]

Most high level SS are better at OF than the teams starting LF. All players should be ready willing and able to catch flyballs. That being said, this does not mean the LF can play SS. If you can hit, you will play and it will probably LF.

OU’s LF (of late) Donihoo was a SS through HS as was their CF (Coleman). Happens all the time especially in pro baseball when they have more time to transition.

 

[ang2bmd]

Does she know how to play 2nd. I just ask that because we had a kid who was a really good SS. We needed her to play 2nd for a couple of games due to an injury and she had no idea how to play it. This was at 14U but I was shocked she didn't at least know the basic cuts.

She has an extremely high game IQ. She's never been asked to play second so I couldn't confirm she knows how but I'd be shocked if she didn't

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[efastball]

Sorry no. Go to any high-level 16U/18U team. Shuffle all the player positions. I'd even give you a month before you put them on the field. That team would be significantly worse.

I'm pretty sure this has never happened. However, in the real world, this 18U team has injured/missing players all the time and they have others fill in random positions. There's nothing magic about these positions. Most teams probably have someone on the roster that has never played their position before.

Having said all that, if you can't hit, then you won't get the opportunity to learn.