Who has priority on a pop-up in youth baseball?

It depends on direction. Outfielders coming in have priority over infielders going out. The first and third basemen take pops in front of them; the shortstop and second baseman take pops behind the corners, going away from the plate; the catcher takes pops near the plate. The pitcher points and yells but lets a fielder catch it, unless nobody else can get there.

Should the pitcher catch pop-ups?

Generally no, unless nobody else can get there. The pitcher points at the ball, calls out who should take it, and moves out of the way. The infielders usually have a better angle on it.

What does the pitcher do on a foul pop-up behind home plate?

When the catcher leaves home to chase a foul pop, the pitcher runs in and covers home plate.

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Who Catches the Pop-Up? Fly Ball Priority for Youth Players

Fly ball and pop-up priority for youth baseball and softball: who takes balls in front of the corners and behind them, when an outfielder calls an infielder off, and who takes the foul pop behind the plate.

4 min read · September 24, 2026

The ball goes straight up between three players. All three look at it. Nobody calls it. It drops right in the middle of them. Every youth coach has seen this one. The cure is a priority system: everyone knows ahead of time who has the right of way, and whoever has it calls it loudly.

Priority depends on direction

A flat list ("the shortstop beats everybody") breaks down fast. The better rule: the player coming toward the ball has priority over the player going away from it, because it's much easier to catch a ball running in than backpedaling.

Outfielders coming in beat infielders going out. The center fielder beats the corner outfielders; they're usually the best outfielder and can see both sides.
Behind the corners, going away from the plate: the shortstop and second baseman have priority over the first and third basemen. When the two middle infielders are close, the shortstop has it.
In front of the corners: the first and third basemen own those pops. They're coming in on them.
Near the plate: the catcher, behind and beside the plate; the corners up the lines.
The pitcher doesn't take pop-ups unless nobody else can get there. They point, yell the name of who should take it, and get out of the way, even on a pop right by the mound.

Watch this play
Pop-up just behind 2nd base. The shortstop calls it (the shortstop has priority over the second baseman when it's close), and the center fielder comes in behind in case they can call the shortstop off. Watch this play
Pop-up in front of 1st base. The first baseman takes it, coming in; the second baseman doesn't run 40 feet in to take it from them. Watch this play
Shallow fly to left. The left fielder, coming in, takes it over the shortstop going out.

Calling it

Call it loud, and call it more than once: "I got it! I got it!"
Call it as soon as you're sure you can get there, usually when the ball is at the top of its flight, and keep calling it.
Once someone calls it, everyone else peels off and says "Take it!" If a higher-priority player calls you off, you peel off. No arguments.

Foul pops near the plate

The catcher takes pop-ups behind and beside the plate. Off with the mask, find the ball, then toss the mask away from where you're going so you don't trip on it. Turn your back to the field, because foul pops curve back toward the infield. When the catcher leaves home, the pitcher covers home plate. On a pop in front of the plate, the pitcher just steps out of the way instead — never run through the catcher.

Watch this play
Foul pop behind the plate. The catcher goes after it, and the pitcher runs in to cover home.

Down the lines, the first or third baseman takes it and the catcher helps call it. Someone else covers the empty base: the second baseman at 1st, or the shortstop at 3rd.

The infield fly rule

With runners on 1st and 2nd (or the bases loaded) and fewer than two outs, the umpire calls the batter out on a fair fly ball (not a line drive or a bunt) that an infielder can catch with ordinary effort. The batter is out whether or not it's caught. It stops a fielder from dropping it on purpose for a double play. Runners may advance at their own risk: if the ball is caught, they have to tag up first, the same as on any caught fly; if it drops, they don't have to tag up.

A drill that works

Throw pop-ups between two or three fielders, and don't let anyone catch it without calling it. A catch without a call counts as a drop. After a week, the calling becomes automatic, and so do the catches.

Quick answers

Who has priority on a pop-up in youth baseball?: It depends on direction. Outfielders coming in have priority over infielders going out. The first and third basemen take pops in front of them; the shortstop and second baseman take pops behind the corners, going away from the plate; the catcher takes pops near the plate. The pitcher points and yells but lets a fielder catch it, unless nobody else can get there.
Should the pitcher catch pop-ups?: Generally no, unless nobody else can get there. The pitcher points at the ball, calls out who should take it, and moves out of the way. The infielders usually have a better angle on it.
What does the pitcher do on a foul pop-up behind home plate?: When the catcher leaves home to chase a foul pop, the pitcher runs in and covers home plate.