How to fill out a baseball lineup card, with a worked example
You have the roster and a blank lineup card. Now you need to decide what goes in each box, which copy to hand over, and how to keep the defensive plan straight after the first inning.
Start with three separate pieces of information: the order players bat, the numbers on their jerseys, and where they play in the field. They often appear beside each other on a card, but they mean different things.
Need the paper first? Open our free blank lineup card, choose the number of batting slots, and print it. To fill in names and positions before printing, use the baseball lineup maker.
1. Put the game details at the top
Write your team, opponent, date, and game time. If you’re playing twice that day, mark which game this card belongs to. Keep yesterday’s card out of the stack you’re handing to the scorekeeper.
Confirm who is actually available before filling in the batting list. A player who hasn’t arrived yet needs a plan under your league’s late-arrival rules, not an assumed place on the field.
2. Number the batting order
The first column says who bats first, second, and so on. Write each player’s name and jersey number beside that slot. Use enough of the name to distinguish players who share a first name.
Choose the order before the game. Moving someone from left field to second base later doesn’t move them from eighth to fourth in the batting order. Little League’s scorekeeping guide explains the distinction between position numbers and jersey numbers, and the importance of recording the batting order correctly.
| Bats | Player | Jersey | Starts at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Rivera | 12 | SS (6) |
| 2 | Blair Chen | 8 | CF (8) |
| 3 | Casey Davis | 3 | 1B (3) |
| 4 | Drew Morgan | 21 | C (2) |
| 5 | Eli Brooks | 6 | P (1) |
| 6 | Finn Patel | 15 | 3B (5) |
| 7 | Gray Taylor | 4 | 2B (4) |
| 8 | Harper Lee | 9 | LF (7) |
| 9 | Indy Reed | 7 | RF (9) |
Alex bats first, wears number 12, and starts at shortstop, which scorekeepers call position 6. The three numbers describe different things. This example shows how to read a card; it isn’t a recommended hitting strategy.
3. Use the right number of batting slots
A continuous batting order includes all available, eligible players in the batting list. A player sitting during a defensive inning still takes their turn to bat. See Little League’s explanation of continuous batting order.
If your game instead uses a starting lineup with substitutes, list the starters and substitutes in the places required by your league. Don’t put every player in the batting list simply because the card has spare lines. Check the rules for your division and game, including any designated-hitter or re-entry rules, before submitting it.
4. Label the starting field positions
These are the standard position numbers. They describe field positions, not where a player bats. On a defensive plan, letters such as P or SS can be easier to scan; on an official card, use the format your league requests.
| Number | Short name | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | P | Pitcher |
| 2 | C | Catcher |
| 3 | 1B | First base |
| 4 | 2B | Second base |
| 5 | 3B | Third base |
| 6 | SS | Shortstop |
| 7 | LF | Left field |
| 8 | CF | Center field |
| 9 | RF | Right field |
5. Keep a defensive plan for the dugout
The card you exchange may only need the batting order and starting positions. Your coaching copy can also show positions and bench turns for every planned inning. Ask the umpire what needs to be submitted; your private planning grid doesn’t replace the required official card.
Read down each inning column: every field position should be filled once, and nobody should appear in two places. Then read across each player’s row to check their playing time. If your league requires infield innings or limits consecutive bench turns, check those separately. Our 12-player Little League example walks through that process using one league’s specific rules.
Choose pitchers and catchers using their preparation, recorded workloads, and the rules for your game. A name in the pitcher box doesn’t establish eligibility.
6. Check the printed copy before handing it over
- Match the names and jersey numbers to today’s available roster.
- Check that the batting list has the right number of players for your format.
- Compare the exchanged copies so the umpire, other coach, and scorekeeper receive the same order.
- Keep a copy with room to record changes. Follow the game’s reporting procedure for substitutions.
The public lineup maker lets you arrange up to 5 innings manually and open a print preview without an account. Use your browser’s print options to print or save a PDF. Print before leaving the page because this preview doesn’t save your work.
For longer games and saved teams, create an account. Your first 3 saved lineups are free per account. Review the card one last time with your assistant coach, then put their copy on the clipboard.