The last HC at my sons old HS many times kept the players who were good kids and the team genuinely liked, sometimes in another role besides player. He has kept kids that are catchers, but he makes it clear that there only role will be in the bull pen, and they won't be on the playing field. Or if not a catcher they will be protecting the Bullpen catcher when a pitcher is warming up in the bull pen.
Most players usually take him up on this option. They get listed on the roster. If they are a Senior they will be listed on varsity, if they are a Junior or Sophomore they will be listed on JV. Most of the time all freshman make the freshman team unless they are a danger to themselves or others. The freshman classes are not so large that they usually require many cuts. But these are kids who seem pretty committed, they do the off season stuff, get in the weight room and try. It is pretty likely if my youngest continued to play that he would have been one of these players.
He has moved on now and there is a new coach at the HS, and I do not know his philosophy.