When does a kid settle down into 1 position...do they ever?

I will use a former MILB teammate of our son's to answer this one.  At Stanford, that kid started all 4 years on a team which went to Omaha 3 of the 4 years.  He was really good. As a freshman, he spent most of his time at 3B with some at shortstop.  As a sophomore/junior, he played all the outfield positions, but less in center.  As a senior, he was the starting 1B. Never took a ball at 2B in 4 years.

He was drafted in the 10th round...as a 2B, and he was a really good one until hand/wrist injuries cut his MILB career short.

My point is the higher players get in baseball the better it can be for those without elite/top tier skills, but with strong talent, to be versatile. If someone can produce at the top levels with the bat, being versatile by position can be a huge plus above HS.

A good answer by infielddad, but a lot can depend on the situation. I think often a first baseman who fits a certain profile--power hitter, big guy, a little bit too slow to effectively play the outfield on a good team--settles into that and nothing else. Early in his career my son settled into a center fielder because his profile was exactly that despite the fact that every team he played on after the age of 14 had guys who had been centerfielders but were truly not upper level centerfielders. Since shortstops and second basemen can sometimes be somewhat interchangeable  although if one sees a TRUE shortstop, there is a difference, they tend to still jump positions.

Agree with infielddad.  A former HS teammate of my son played 3B to start HS - mostly because there was a pretty good upperclassman at SS.  He wound up playing SS his junior and senior year.  On his travel ball team, he split time between infield and outfield.  He went to a top ACC team where he played 3B, SS and outfield for 3 years.  Was drafted in the 21st round this year and is playing 3B.  BTW, he was fast as well.  I believe he ran a 6.4 or 6.5 60 at a top national showcase junior year which wound up getting him a lot of attention.

 

Bottom line is you never know.  Colleges and pro teams are looking for athleticism and a bat.  From there, you will be moved to where coaches think you will best help the team.

A kid may "know" he's a catcher. But when he goes to the first day of HS tryouts and there are two kids there named Molina, both with pop times under two, it's time to buy him an IF or  OF glove.

 

It's always good to keep your options open.

When the coach says head out to SS, LF, RF, etc...

 

HS - Fresh, 3B/P, Soph-Sr OF/P, College - Fr OF/P Soph OF now Sr, only P....

 

 

So, basically each coach can and will change the kids position depending on the needs of the team at the time.  And college coaches are just looking for a bat and ability to play anywhere.

Then why is there a term like position player?  I mean if it all depends on the team/coach can anyone other than perhaps the pitcher really claim they are a "insert position here"?

Generally speaking, you can break it down to outfielders, middle infielders and corner infielders. Although some of them are interchangeable. I have seen outfielders moved to the infield and infielders moved to the outfield. I have also seen middle infielders moved to 3B.

Position players refer to anyone other than a pitcher. By college, there are very few "two way guys" or guys that pitch and play in the field. So you have pitchers and position players. More often than not, the coach has to find the best bats on the team, then find a place for all of them to play. From there, the chips fall where they may in terms of where you wind up playing. Sometimes a coach may sacrifice a little hitting for obviously superior defense, but the guys that can hit will play. That's why you may have a very athletic player who's always played SS moved to the outfield. They're trying to get his bat in the lineup.

Hope that explains things a little.

^^^ +1

...."but the guys that can hit will play."

Happens at every level. I remember the first day of 10yo LL All Stars practice. I was asked to take 5 kids to the OF and hit flies.  One of the guys says, Hey coach, this is a mistake!  I'm a shortstop!  I said, look around you buddy. Everybody on this team is a shortstop.  But some of you shortstops are going to play outfield.

College coaches and MILB folks want players who can produce.  When our son played in Newport in the NECBL, he showed up as a shortstop/2B. At the first practice, the coach told them to take their positions. 4 guys ran to short, 3 to second and none(actually one) to 3B, a position he had not played except 2 games as a sophomore in HS when called up in the playoffs when the varsity guy broke his hand.

After about 3 balls to him, the coach(a D1 guy from the ACC) walked out and said you have not played here much...you better hit!

Going 3-4 in the first game ended the discussion and 44 games later he played enough 3B to know he could do it in MILB when that spot opened and his bat showed he belonged. Being able to hit and versatility/athleticism is a big advantage for both the player and his coaches in every situation above HS.

I guess it depends on how we view this in terms of whether the coach changes the position or the player "earns" a position.  Our experience in every level above HS is it is usually the latter.

So, the consensus is focus on hitting, not so much which position the kid plays or how well he plays it.

 

Does any position have an advantage?  For example if Johny is only on base 0.250 percent of the time...BUT he plays X position really well (take pitchers out of this equation please), then he will find a spot on any team because a really good position X is hard to find.

CaCO3Girl, I think you will find as your son gets older how many VERY good ball players are out there.  When you attend a Perfect Game event with 200-300 teams attending from all over the country, reality will begin to set in.  There are a limited number of spots that open up every year at the college level and at the pro level for that matter.  WAY fewer spots than there are kids that want to, or are eligible to move on to the next level.  

 

I say this because when you are talking about moving beyond HS, coaches have an abundance of players to choose from.  And they are all very good.  Hitting is the hardest thing in sports to do, so that is usually the determining factor.  May there be a kid who is SUCH a good SS that his bat can be overlooked?  It's possible, but would be more the exception than the rule.  Way more the exception.  Bottom line is, to play position at the next level, you have to be able to hit.  It helps to be an athletic player because that will give you more options to play in the field as well.  An athletic SS can probably play anywhere on the field.  A 6'4" 230lb. kid who runs a 7.5 60 does not have a lot of options.  If he can rake at the plate, he'll probably be able to find somewhere to play, but he will have to find a team that is in need of a 1st baseman.  There's only one of those starting on each team.  Whereas the athletic SS can probably play 7 positions.

 

In HS it's a little different.  The players are spread out and you will be more likely to have a very good CF or SS playing there even if their hitting is spotty.  It will also depend on the program.  Some HS have a wealth of talent and some struggle just to field a team.  Beyond HS, everyone is good and the competition is fierce and you better be able to hit or someone will be in the lineup in your place.

As of right now I am just gathering information.  My kid is only in 7th grade, BUT (and it's a big but), his high school is a 6A team, and we are in GA which is almost as crowded as FL when it comes to baseball.

 

I have seen first hand that coaches will put him all over the field, he currently plays Catcher, Pitcher and 1B...and he has batted 4th since he was 6, so he can hit.  Just wondering if there was a particular position that would make him more attractive to a future coach.

Keep gathering info.  It never hurts.  Right now, just make sure you enjoy your time with your son and make sure that he is having fun.  If a kid stops having fun - for whatever reason - it won't matter what HS or college coaches are looking for and what skills your son might have.  Baseball is still a game played by kids because they LOVE to play it.  Whether that kid is 8 or 12 or 21 or 39 .  At this point, focus on that first and foremost.  Next, work on his skills.  The 5 tools in baseball are hitting, hitting for power, speed, arm strength and fielding.  If you want to help your son, help him develop these tools.  The more the better.  These are the thing coaches, recruiters and scouts will be looking for more than what position a player is playing.  Many times a coach will see a player play in a particular position, evaluate his tools and totally see him playing in a different position for his program.  Hope this helps.

My respectful advice, as you are the parent of a 7th grader, focus on improvements from season to season. At his age it's too early to think much about college. Let him get as much experience playing different positions as possible. The coaches will choose one for him.

But the more he works on his complete game, strength and conditioning,  speed, etc. the better an overall player he will be.

Enjoy these next few years.

The old saying is "if you can hit, we'll find a place for you in the line up."

 

The general consensus when my son was playing in HS was those looking to play at the next level generally come from the positions that go through the center of the field - catcher, pitcher, middle infield, and centerfield.  But that does not mean a coach wouldn't take a 3B or 1B if he had the tools.

 

As mentioned, if a player has the 5 tools or projects very well, it won't matter what position he plays.

 

My son played catcher, 3B and 1B in HS.  Signed with a JuCo as a 1B, but he also was in the lineup as DH, RF and 3B.  He played where ever the coach needed him.  He signed with a D2 as 1B (mainly due to his hitting), and so far in intersquad scrimmages the coach has had him at 3B, OF and 1B.

 

As mentioned, you have a 7th grader.  It will be a while before college is even on the radar.  Gotta make the HS team first.   "Enjoy the ride.  It'll be over before you know it."

I'm in alignment with many of the responses, and adding:

1) The position played, outside of P, will be decided for you! It'll be decided by the HS coaches, by the showcase/travel team coaches, and Lord willing the college coaching staff. Implication: focus on the five tools, and start the strength and conditioning (under the tutelage of a professional).Exception: if there is an inclination towards C, then you'll want specific training. 

2) Regarding "he will find a spot on any team because a really good position X is hard to find.": I'm trying to find an example that would support this, e.g., OF 6.5 speed with a 90+ arm, SS with similar speed 88+ across the diamond, C with a 1.9 pop with great block down skills, etc. But it comes back to hitting. You hit, you play. If the incumbent at position X is inferior from a fielding perspective but is a better hitter, coach is probably going to opt for the hitting (unless the fielding is atrocious). 

 

So use these two years to build strength, build the five tools, and play as many positions as possible. Then go out and hit the crap out of the FB, C and CU, and everything else will fall into place.