Right Field Responsibilities: Where the Right Fielder Goes on Every Play

Right field is often where a youth team puts its least experienced player, but the right fielder has a job on almost every ground ball: backing up first base.

Throws to first are the most common throws in the game, and the one that gets away turns a single out into a runner on second or third. The right fielder is the one who stops it.

The right fielder's main jobs

• On a ground ball in the infield, charge in to back up first base, in line with the throw.
• On a hit to right, charge the ball and throw it to the cutoff.
• On a catcher's throw to first (a back-pick in softball, or at 50/70 and up), back up first.
• Let the center fielder take fly balls between you.

Every play, and where the right fielder goes

There are 85 plays in the Simple Fielding library. The right fielder backs somebody up on 49, gets the ball on 11 and stays ready on the other 25. Tap any play to watch the whole defense move in the app.

Ground balls (Little League baseball, 60 ft bases)

• Backs upGrounder to short, nobody onRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upGrounder to 1st — pitcher covers!Run in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upDouble play: runner on 1st, grounder to shortRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upDouble play: runner on 1st, grounder to 2ndRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upRunners on 1st & 2nd, grounder to 3rdRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upBases loaded — force at homeRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upRunner on 2nd — look them backRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upTwo outs — take the easy outRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upComebacker to the pitcherRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.

Singles (Little League baseball, 60 ft bases)

• Backs upSingle to left, nobody onRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.
• Backs upSingle to center, nobody onRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.
• Gets the ballSingle to right, nobody onCharge the ball and get it! Throw it to the cutoff, chest high.
• Backs upSingle to left, runner on 1stRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.
• Gets the ballSingle to right, runner on 1stCharge the ball and get it! Throw it to the cutoff, chest high.
• Backs upSingle to left, runner on 2ndRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.
• Backs upSingle to center, runner on 2ndBack up the center fielder — get behind them in case the ball gets by.
• Gets the ballSingle to right, runner on 2ndCharge the ball and get it! Throw it to the cutoff, chest high.

Doubles & triples (Little League baseball, 60 ft bases)

• Backs upDouble down the left-field lineRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.
• Backs upDouble in the left-center gapRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.
• Backs upDouble in the right-center gapBack up the center fielder — get behind them in case the ball gets by.
• Gets the ballDouble down the right-field lineChase the ball down, then throw hard to the relay.
• Backs upDouble to left-center, runner on 1stRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.
• Gets the ballTriple to the right-field cornerChase the ball down, then throw hard to the relay.

Fly balls & pop-ups (Little League baseball, 60 ft bases)

• Backs upFly ball to left, nobody onRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.
• Backs upTag up from 3rd — fly to centerBack up the center fielder — get behind them in case the ball gets by.
• Gets the ballTag up from 2nd — fly to rightCall it, and catch it moving forward so your throw is strong. Throw to the cutoff — the runner is tagging up!
• Backs upShallow fly — outfielder calls off the infielderRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.

Bunts (Little League baseball, 60 ft bases)

• Backs upBunt down the 3rd-base lineRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upBunt to the pitcher, runner on 1stRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upBunt down the 1st-base lineRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upBunt with a runner on 2ndRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upBunt right in front of the plateRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.

Steals & leads (Little League baseball, 60 ft bases)

• Backs upPrimary lead — pickoff at 1stCharge in to back up the pickoff throw.
• Backs upSecondary lead — catcher back-pickCharge in to back up the throw to 1st.

Softball: slaps, bunts & steals (12U fastpitch softball)

• Backs upSoft slap to the left side — shortstop chargesRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upHard slap past the crashing third basemanRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upSlap in the hole — shortstop backhandRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upDrag bunt by a slapper — first baseman crashesRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upSlap with a runner on 1st — take the sure outRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upSacrifice bunt, runners on 1st & 2ndRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upSqueeze — take the out at 1stRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upBunt, runner on 1st — catcher covers 3rdRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upCatcher back-pick at 1stCharge in to back up the throw to 1st.
• Backs upDropped 3rd strike — throw to 1st from the insideCharge in and back up the throw to 1st.
• Backs upDropped 3rd strike to the backstop — throw from outsideCharge in and back up the throw to 1st.

90 ft: depth, relays and tags (high school baseball, 90 ft bases)

• Backs upDouble-play depth — 6-4-3Run in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upDouble-play depth — 4-6-3Run in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs up5-4-3 around the hornRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upDeep in the hole at shortRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upSlow roller — charge itRun in and back up the throw to 1st base.
• Backs upSingle to center, runner on 2nd — play at the plateRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.
• Gets the ballSingle to right, runner on 1st — 1st to 3rd?Charge the ball and get it! Throw it to the cutoff, chest high.
• Backs upSingle to left, 1st & 2nd — third baseman cutsRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.
• Backs upDouble down the left-field line — tandem relayRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.
• Gets the ballDouble down the right-field line — tandem relayChase the ball down, then throw hard to the relay.
• Backs upGap double, left-center — tandem to 3rdRun in and back up 2nd base in case the throw gets away.
• Gets the ballTriple to the right-center gapChase the ball down, then throw hard to the relay.
• Backs upTag from 3rd — medium fly to centerBack up the center fielder — get behind them in case the ball gets by.
• Gets the ballTag from 2nd — fly to rightCall it, and catch it moving forward so your throw is strong. Throw to the cutoff — the runner is tagging up!
• Gets the ballPop-up in the triangle — 1B, 2B, RFCall it — "I got it! I got it!" — and catch it above your head with two hands.

Quick answers

What does the right fielder do on a ground ball to the infield?

Charge in to back up first base. If the throw gets past the first baseman, the right fielder stops it before the runner can take another base.

Is right field the easiest position?

It's where the ball is hit least often in youth baseball, but it isn't easy: the right fielder has a backup job on nearly every ground ball, and the longest throw in the outfield, to third base.

Who backs up first base?

The right fielder on ground balls to the infield, and the catcher, who runs down the line behind the batter when nobody is on second or third.

Where teams do it differently (who's the cutoff home, who covers second on a steal), these pages follow a common youth system. Your coach's system wins.