on or off?
youth leagues or hs field conditions vary alot and some are pretty sh***y. in that case it makes sense for a young guy developing skills to be on the safe side & leave it on, but bad hops happen at all bases so if fielding skills are bad, those helmets with the little cage thingy on the front can be worn by the whole team.
anyway, with mask on sitting STILL behind the plate vision is fine for receiving the pitch & there isn't much need for peripheral vision.
a play at the plate requires movement, alot of side vision, last second adjustments, and often the ability to make a play at another base. ditch the mask when you've aquired the skills to play.
tying run attempting to score from 2b on a single to rf, w/2 out - 2 on, 6th inn . . ACCs Jacksonville
had the runner held, UM would have had bases loaded - tying run at 3b, 2 out, top of the order
(J Weeks - 4 for 5, Giles, 2 for 5, & Jay 2 for 5) and likely forced another pitching change
.