Infielder

Baseball has infielders, outfielders, and the battery on defense and batters on offense.

An infielder is a baseball player who plays on the infield, the dirt portion of a baseball diamond between first base and third base. The infield defensive positions are first baseman, second baseman, shortstop and third baseman. Pitchers and catchers are distinct from infielders even though they play on the infield; they can be described jointly as the battery. The other three players on defense are the outfielders. They generally position themselves beyond the bases.

Utility infielders are bench players who can play at least two infield positions. They are often weak hitters but skilled fielders, who enter the game in the late innings as defensive substitutes.

Among infielders, shortstops are generally the best fielders, followed by second basemen, third basemen, and first basemen, respectively. First basemen are generally required to be very adept at fielding thrown balls, as many throws are aimed to force out the batter-runner at first base. Normally, first and third basemen are better hitters than second basemen and shortstops. Second basemen and shortstops are referred to as "Middle Infielders," while third basemen and first baseman are called "Corner Infielders", or simply the "corners".

Most shortstops and second and third basemen throw right-handed because of the angle and momentum used in throwing around the infield (especially towards first base). However, first basemen are often left-handed throwers because fielding throws to first base is easier when catching with the right hand.

In racing sports, the infield is the area in the center of a racetrack, often used as the spectator area.