Do kids just play one position in 12th grade?

I would think as a player you should be able to play more than one position. Sure you will have your "best" position. but to get on the field you should work at a couple.  First, in my experience,  as position players most HS coaches are looking for kids that can hit, then they will work the puzzle defensively. You definitively need a catcher (and my feelings are a SS and CF as well) and will give up some offense if they bring a lot to the table defensively. But I think a SS could play anywhere, 2b and 3B could be interchangable and corners as well. 3B, 1B and catcher are often lumped together as posistion players learn.

First things first for most any coach- hit-hit-hit.

I know it is with me when I coach whether it is school or travel

By college its not about what position a kid plays in high school. Other than pitchers, catchers and mashers almost everyone on the field in college was a high school shortstop or a center fielder. However the high school shortstop may be projected for another position in college. He may not have the arm or range to play short in a particular baseball conference. A lot of high school shortstops end up in the outfield in college due to their speed and arm.

Even if a kid plays short in high school he may be told during recruitment he projects at another position. Then like the kid in the other thread he finds out five other recruits are projected at the same position.

It can depend on the player and the position.

As an example, in our school we have a 6'5 lefty first baseman.  He has an average arm, and no foot speed.  However he is excellent defensively and swings a mean bat.  This kid is never going to be anything other than a first baseman.

It's easier for righties to move around, but even at that a kid may be a good third baseman, but lack the footspeed to play short or second.

Looking at a college scenario, a kid may be a great catcher - but barely average at any other position. If his college all of a sudden lands a stud commit or two at his position, he faces being a backup at every position he can play. That's not a real tempting scenario.

Ultimately that's why I say you need to love the school you commit to, regardless if you ever put on the uniform or not.  It's not just a baseball decision, it's a life decision. Always ask, would I be okay with this school if I got cut or injured? If the answer is no - you better be real sure about the baseball situation.

This is why the transfer rate is so high for D1. This number is before the one year sit out rule. 50% of D1s transferred to where they ultimately played. With the rule change players have to make this decision after freshman year if they have to sit out. Or they have to transfer from D1 to JuCo and back to D1. Or transfer down to a top D2 like Tampa. I remember looking at Tampa's roster about three, four years ago. It was loaded with ex ACC and SEC players.

RJM is correct.

Players that are not pitchers must be able to play another position.

I do believe that most position players are chosen for their athleticism and for their bat, with the ability to be flexible.  Being able to play other positons makes you more marketable.

I didn't read that post but I do believe that many players are so set in thinking that they will only play at one position and then when they are not noticed they dont get it.

I have seen it all. Catchers to outfield or third, catchers get converted to pitchers,  first baseman play outfield, an outfielder becomes a ML pitcher, SS goes to second, second to SS.  On sons college team everyone except for the pitchers were able to play multiple positions, most of the pitchers were SS at one time. Coach signed them because they had talent and could hit.  

CaCO3Girl,

Good question.   In addition to those excellent replies you've already received I'd like to add.....

In my son's college experience (low to mid D1), he rarely saw a kid recruited specifically for outfield except one CF who was all conference when he got there.  The coach would recruit mostly infielders as position players (+ the usual pitchers/catchers that every team needs).  He'd take the most promising freshmen position players (those that could hit)  and teach them to play corner outfield.  He'd give them the opportunity to win a spot in the hitting order their freshmen or sophomore year. 

Once an infield position became available (ie graduation), he'd give them the opportunity to move from outfield to infield if they could do the job and continue to hit.  There were exceptions, but that looked to be the overall strategy of getting bats in the lineup and giving guys experience where it doesn't hurt the team. 

I think you'll find this strategy repeated throughout college baseball.

Even going back to coaching 13u and 14u I told my players they would all learn to play outfield. Almost everyone one of them was a shortstop coming out of LL. I told them if they can hit when they are freshmen or sophs in high school they could start by playing corner outfield. I explained they were far less likely to take a premier position away from an upper classman. It's the same theory you posted. Ironically, my son played short as a soph and was moved to center junior year.

I have never coached but always advised players who primary position was 2nd, to hit well and learn OF. Most of the secod basemen I have met in college were SS in HS and summer ball.

My sons team has a player that was a second baseman in college, but he was recruited for his hitting. His freshman year he was mostly OF. This year he will probably move to the infield. But he is the exception and not the rule.