[Blog] What Position Can Left-Handed Baseball Players Play? (2024)

FAQs

[Blog] What Position Can Left-Handed Baseball Players Play? ›

The only positions lefty baseball players should play are pitcher, firstbase and outfield positions.

A lefty catcher would struggle to throw out runners at third base. This is true! Whereas a right-handed catcher can keep his feet planted and make the throw, a lefty would have to pivot first. This encumbrance counts on plays in which fractions of a second make the difference between safe or out.

The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet, needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly, and must be able to make the pivot on a double play. In addition, second basem*n are usually right-handed; only four left-handed throwing players have ever played second base in Major League Baseball since 1950.

Though the fact of advantage remains constant, the actual degrees of these advantages are much different. Reiterating from above, Lefties did 32 points better against their same-handed opponents than their opposite-handed ones (0.293/0.325). Righties did only 15 points better (0.308/0.323).

In the sport of Polo, playing with the left hand is NOT allowed.

The last left-handed catcher to play in the big leagues was Benny Distefano, who caught three games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1989. Before Distefano, there had only been a handful: Jack Clements, Dale Long and Mike Squires to name a few. Why so few lefties behind the dish?

However, a left-handed pitcher would release the ball closer to the first base, which allows more room for a right-handed hitter to “pull” the ball. Moreover, the sidearm pitchers and pitches that move horizontally increase this angle advantage even more.

It is very uncommon to see a left-handed player playing any infield position other than pitcher or first basem*n due to the clockwise flow of the game when throwing the ball around the bases.

The most common reason cited is that a left-handed catcher is at a disadvantage in making the throw to third base, especially with a right-handed hitter at the plate.

How rare are left-handed baseball players? ›

By the numbers, it would be the outfielders (3 positions) that throw left more than others. Something like 25% of players are left-handed, including pitchers.

While the difference of . 04 seconds may not appear significant, it actually equates to a left-handed batter reaching first base approximately 10 inches (25 cm) before a right-handed batter.

Only a handful of lefties have ever played shortstop or second or third base in the major leagues. None of them was a regular. All were placed at there in a pinch, due to injuries or some other emergency that left the team without a righty who could play the position.

The reasons lefties play pitcher, 1st base and outfield are because we are trying to develop baseball players to play for the local high school teams. In higher baseball levels these are the only positions lefties will play.

Although left-handed pitchers are an asset, southpaws have advantages in fielding and batting as well: Left-handed batters are one step closer to first base, giving them a head start over right-handers. Left-handers turn towards first when they swing so their momentum is heading in the right direction.

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston's Yordan Alvarez might be the top left-handed hitter in Major League Baseball. Teammate Framber Valdez ranks among the best left-handed pitchers, too. Other than that, those guys are all right. Literally — neither player considers himself left-handed at all.

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston's Yordan Alvarez might be the top left-handed hitter in Major League Baseball.

southpaw • \SOUTH-paw\ • noun. : left-hander; especially : a left-handed baseball pitcher. Examples: "MLB's best team against righties has been one of its worst against southpaws…." -