Baseball Lineup Card

This standard lineup card covers nine batting order slots with columns for jersey number, player name, fielding position, and one substitute per slot. The header row captures team name, date, opponent, and coach. Print it as an image for a dugout copy, or copy the table into Excel or Google Sheets.

A baseball lineup card is an official document that lists a team's batting order, defensive positions, and available substitutes for a game. The manager presents two copies to the home plate umpire before first pitch. One copy goes to the opposing team's manager, and the other stays with the umpire. Once exchanged, the batting order is locked and can only change through official substitution rules(opens in new tab). At every level from Little League through MLB, the lineup card serves the same purpose: it keeps umpires, scorekeepers, coaches, and broadcasters on the same page.

What Goes on a Lineup Card

• Team name, date, and opponent
• Batting order (1 through 9, or full roster for continuous batting)
• Jersey number and full name for each starter
• Defensive position (using standard position numbers)
• Available substitutes
• Designated hitter, if the league allows one

Filling out the card takes two minutes once you know the format. Complete these steps before heading to the plate meeting with the umpire.

Step 1: Header Information

Write your team name, the date, the opponent's name, and your name as head coach. Some leagues also require the field name or game number. If you are the home team, your card goes on the right side of the umpire's clipboard.

Step 2: Batting Order

List your nine starters in the order they will bat. For each batter, write their jersey number, full name, and the defensive position they will play. Use position numbers (1 through 9, or DH) to keep the card compact. If your league uses a designated hitter, list "DH" in the position column for that batter.

Step 3: Substitutes

List available substitutes in the "Sub" column next to the batting slot they are most likely to replace, or list all substitutes at the bottom. A substitute must bat in the same position as the player they replace. Listing subs on the card is a courtesy, not a requirement: any eligible player on your roster can enter the game regardless of whether they appear on the card.

Step 4: Pitcher Log

Track each pitcher's innings, pitch count, earned runs, hits, walks, and strikeouts in the Pitcher Log section. Youth leagues often enforce pitch count limits, so updating this section between innings keeps you compliant. Little League, for example, sets daily pitch limits by age group with mandatory rest periods(opens in new tab) that increase as the count rises.

Each fielding position has a standard number that coaches write in the "Pos" column of the lineup card. These same numbers appear on scorecards to record plays (a "6-3" putout means the shortstop threw to first base). Using numbers instead of full position names keeps the card compact and universally readable.

The designated hitter (DH) does not have a traditional position number because the DH does not play defense. Write "DH" in the position column for that batter. Not every league uses the DH rule: Little League and most youth leagues allow it, while some high school state associations do not.

Many youth leagues use continuous (or "full roster") batting order, where every player on the team bats regardless of whether they are in the field. This eliminates bench time for hitters and simplifies substitutions because only defensive positions change between innings. The card below holds up to 15 batters with position columns for each inning.

When to Use Continuous Batting Order

• Rec leagues and house leagues where equal participation is required
• Little League regular season (many local leagues adopt this rule)
• Younger age groups (T-ball through 10U) where development matters more than strategy
• Any program that wants every player to get at-bats regardless of defensive role

How Substitutions Work with Continuous Batting

With continuous batting, there are no offensive substitutions. Every player bats in their assigned spot every time through the order. Defensive substitutions happen between innings: you rotate which nine players take the field, but the batting lineup stays fixed. A player who sits out an inning on defense still bats when their spot comes up. That is why the card above has position columns for each inning rather than a single "Sub" column.

Where you place each hitter in the lineup changes how many plate appearances they get and what situations they face. The first batter might get five at-bats in a six-inning game while the ninth batter gets three. Traditional batting order strategy assigns each slot a specific role based on the hitter's strengths.

Youth Baseball Lineup Considerations

At the youth level, strict adherence to these roles matters less than giving every player meaningful at-bats. Rotating your lineup between games (moving each player up one slot per game, for example) gives everyone experience batting in different positions and prevents the same kids from always hitting last. Focus on development first and strategic optimization later as players reach competitive travel ball or high school.

For a more detailed look at how player evaluation connects to lineup decisions, see our baseball tryout evaluation form which covers the skill categories that inform where each player bats.

Tracking pitcher workload is part of the lineup card's job, especially in youth leagues with pitch count rules. The card below records innings pitched (IP), pitch count (PC), earned runs, hits, walks, and strikeouts for up to four pitchers per game.

Pitch Count Rules by Age Group

Youth leagues set daily pitch limits to protect developing arms. Little League's pitch count rules(opens in new tab) set age-based daily maximums and require rest days that increase with the total thrown. High school leagues (NFHS) do not have a universal pitch count rule, but most state associations have adopted limits or recommended guidelines. Always check your league's specific rules, as limits vary by age group and organization.

For calculating pitcher efficiency after the game, our ERA calculator converts earned runs and innings pitched into a standardized ERA rating.

Paper lineup cards have been standard since the earliest days of organized baseball, and they still work for single games and small programs. Digital tools add features that paper cannot match: automatic pitch count tracking, lineup rotation across a season, and shared access for assistant coaches and parents.

When Paper Works

• Single games where you need a quick dugout reference
• Umpire plate meetings that require a physical card
• Tournaments with limited phone access or battery life
• Teaching new coaches the basics of lineup management

When Digital Tools Help

• Tracking pitch counts across a season to monitor arm health
• Ensuring equal playing time across multiple games
• Sharing lineups with assistant coaches and parents before game day
• Storing lineup history for end-of-season reviews

Platforms like Striveon let you build lineups alongside player evaluations and development plans, so your roster decisions connect to the data you collect during practices and tryouts. See how Striveon tracks player performance from tryouts through the season.