Designated Hitter

However, designated hitters are an integral part of the team in other baseball leagues. There are two divisions in Major League Baseball (MLB) – the National League and the American League – but only one position exists designated hitter. The designated hitter is a common position in most Caribbean competitions.

The designated hitter’s sole responsibility is to hit the ball. No one else in the lineup plays defense for designated hitters. Therefore they have a place in the order. The designated hitter can take the at-bat in place of any defensive player in the batting order. However, pitchers, who are notoriously bad hitters, are often substituted.

Without a designated hitter, a team can play. For the duration of their appearances, that pitcher (or DH, if applicable) would take an at-bat every time they face the batters. The manager must first remove the current player from the game to bring in a pinch hitter.

Power hitters typically serve as designated hitters for their respective teams, and they usually start at the middle of the order in the lineup. The “clean-up” place in the batting order is frequently taken by a player who can consistently hit home runs. Hence it’s normal to see designated hitters as fourth batters.