Custom Lineup Cards

This lineup card builder covers nine batting slots (or ten for softball) with columns for jersey number, player name, defensive position, and one substitute per slot. The header includes space for team name, logo, date, opponent, and coach. A pitcher log sits below the main grid for tracking innings, pitch count, and basic stats. Toggle between baseball and softball, pick your team colors, and upload your logo to create a card that matches your program.

Download the card as an image and print it at home, or copy it into Google Docs or Word to further customize it and save as a PDF. For a standard 9-batter card without the customization focus, see our baseball lineup card template.

A custom lineup card is any card you have personalized with your team or organization branding. The printed-card vendors in Google Shopping results offer carbonless multi-copy cards with logos, watermarks, and team colors. You can get the same result with a home printer and a few design choices.

The table below lists the elements that separate a generic blank card from one that looks like it belongs to your program.

Adding Your Logo

The simplest approach: copy the lineup table into Google Docs or Word, insert your logo image in the header, and adjust the team name font to match your program. Save it as a PDF and print as many copies as you need. This costs nothing beyond printer ink and gives you the same visual effect as a $1.50-per-card custom print order.

Choosing Team Colors

Keep colors in the header bar and table borders only. A fully colored background burns through ink fast and makes handwritten entries harder to read in the dugout. A colored header strip with white rows below keeps the card legible while still looking branded.

Softball lineup cards differ from baseball in two ways. First, many leagues allow 10 batters instead of 9, using a designated player (DP) and FLEX(opens in new tab) system. The DP bats but does not field. The FLEX fields but does not bat (unless the coach chooses to swap them). Second, fastpitch softball uses different position abbreviations for some coaches, though the standard 1-9 numbering still applies.

Use the lineup card builder above and toggle to "Softball" to get a 10-batter card with DP/FLEX fields included.

DP/FLEX Rules Quick Reference

• The DP starts in the batting order. The FLEX does not bat (initially).
• The DP can play defense for any player, including the FLEX, without removing either from the game.
• The FLEX can bat in place of the DP. If that happens, the FLEX takes over the DP batting slot.
• A team can choose to use 9 batters with no DP/FLEX, just like baseball.

For evaluation criteria specific to softball, see our softball tryout evaluation form which covers windmill pitching mechanics and slap hitting assessment.

The lineup card builder above is ready for home printing. Download it as an image (PNG, 2x resolution for sharp text) or copy it into a spreadsheet for further editing. Once you have the layout in a document, save it as a PDF for consistent formatting across printers.

Print Tips

• Print at 100% scale (do not select "fit to page") so columns stay wide enough for handwriting.
• Use landscape orientation if your card has many columns (like the softball 10-batter version).
• Print a test page first. Check that position and substitute columns have enough room for full names.
• For outdoor games, print on cardstock or laminate one copy as a dugout reference.

Paper Options for Custom Cards

The paper you choose depends on how many copies you need per game and where you play. Indoor gyms allow standard paper. Outdoor diamonds in unpredictable weather call for something sturdier.

Carbonless (NCR) paper is what the online custom card vendors use. It creates instant duplicate copies without carbon sheets. You can buy blank NCR paper for home printers, though feeding it through an inkjet requires testing since some printers smear on the slick surface.

MLB managers fill out official lineup cards(opens in new tab) that include DH designation, defensive alignment, and eligible players with potential substitutes. The pro format looks clean, but it contains fields that youth and high school games do not need (bullpen status, replay challenge tracking, injury designations).

To get the MLB aesthetic without the clutter, focus on these elements from the pro card:

• Bold team header with logo placement. MLB cards feature the team wordmark across the top.
• Clean grid lines with alternating row shading. This makes the card easier to read at a glance.
• Jersey numbers in their own column rather than combined with names. Umpires scan numbers first.
• Pitcher section separated from the batting order. Keeps pitching data organized when you make mid-game changes.

Skip the 40-man roster listing, the injury report, and the replay fields. For a standard 9-batter template with position reference and batting order strategy, check our printable batting order template.

Custom lineup cards come in two forms: cards you design and print yourself (DIY), and cards you order from a print shop or online vendor. Each has trade-offs.

DIY Custom Cards

• Cost: Free to design. Printing costs depend on your paper choice ($0 for regular paper, $5-15 for a ream of cardstock).
• Turnaround: Immediate. Edit and print the same day.
• Flexibility: Change the layout between seasons, add fields, or adjust column widths whenever you want.
• Limitation: No multi-copy carbonless unless you buy NCR paper separately.

Vendor-Printed Custom Cards

• Cost: $30-75 for a pack of 50 (4-part carbonless). Per-card cost drops with larger orders.
• Turnaround: 1-3 weeks for design proof and shipping.
• Flexibility: Locked once printed. Design changes require a new order.
• Advantage: Professional finish, multi-copy carbonless, and durable card stock included.

Which Makes Sense?

For rec leagues, house leagues, and programs that change rosters between seasons, DIY cards save money and give you more control. For travel ball organizations with a fixed roster and a budget for team gear, printed vendor cards add a professional touch that matches the rest of your team branding.

Paper cards still serve their purpose at the plate meeting, but managing lineups across a full season works better in a digital format. Typing names once, dragging players into batting slots, and saving each game lineup means no more rewriting the same roster on paper before every game.

What Digital Tools Add

• Lineup history across the season, so you can see who batted where in every game
• Automatic pitch count tracking tied to each game record
• Playing time tracking to ensure fair rotation in youth programs
• Shared access for assistant coaches and team managers

Platforms like Striveon connect lineup management to your broader coaching workflow: player evaluations, skill tracking, and development plans all live in the same system. That means your lineup decisions are backed by the practice and tryout data you already collect. See how Striveon connects evaluations to in-season roster decisions.

When to Keep Paper

Some situations still call for a physical card. Umpire plate meetings require a paper copy at most levels. Tournaments with limited phone access or strict no-phone-in-dugout rules mean paper is your only option during the game. The practical approach: manage your lineups digitally during the week, then print the game day card from your template.