Top Baseball Rules Every Player Should Know

Baseball is a complicated sport with many rules. Even veteran players and managers sometimes don’t understand the nuances of certain rules. The official 2024 baseball rule book is 192 pages long.

Constantly changing and evolving rules are part of the sport.

When baseball started in the late 1800s, there was a floating strike zone. Batters, not umpires, defined their strike zone, which was high, middle, or low zone. They informed the umpire which zone they preferred when they went to the plate. Eventually, the strike zone was standardized. The strike zone area has changed multiple times over the years.

There are countless examples of rules that are open to interpretation. It’s why being an umpire is a difficult job. They must make judgment calls often about how to apply a rule in game-time situations.

Even though it can seem overwhelming, it’s important to have a basic understanding of the fundamental rules of baseball. Knowing these can help improve your approach to the game and make you a better player.

Rules for Pitchers

Pitchers are the most visible players in a game, which makes their job harder because they’re closely scrutinized by opposing teams. Below are 3 basic rules that apply to pitchers.

Strike Zone: The strike zone is the area where the pitcher throws the ball over the plate. If the ball is thrown out of the zone, it’s a ball. If it’s in the zone, it’s called a strike. When a batter gets 4 balls it’s called a walk, and the player is awarded first base. If a player gets 3 strikes, it’s considered an out. They can get a strike by swinging and missing a pitch or by not swinging at a pitch in the strike zone. The zone is 17 inches, and it runs from the midpoint between a player’s shoulder and belt and to the back of their kneecaps. Umpires call the balls and strikes. In minor league baseball, they’re experimenting with a challenge, which means a batter can ask for a review of a pitch call from the umpire. A camera records the pitches. If there’s a challenge, an official is required to review the camera to see if it was a missed call.
No Contact: A pitcher can’t touch their mouth with their hand or apply any foreign substance to the baseball. Any action that could be construed as altering the baseball is illegal. The first violation is usually a warning and the second one an ejection.
Balk Rule: If a runner is on base, the pitcher isn’t intentionally allowed to use a deceptive motion to try to pick the runner off. If a balk is called, the runner automatically moves up a base.

Rules for Base Runners & Fielders

To be a good base runner and fielder, it’s important to know the rules. Every small play counts in baseball. Below are some common rules for base runners and fielders.

Force Outs and Tag Outs: A force out is when the lead runner is required to move off the base they occupy. The fielder can step on the base the runner is going to for the out. A tag out is when the fielder must touch the runner with the baseball in his glove. If a runner isn’t required to move, the fielder must tag out the runner.
Dropped Third Strike: When the catcher drops the ball after the batter swings or is caught looking at the third strike, it’s called a dropped third strike. The batter can run to first if this happens, and the catcher must throw to first to get them out. If the batter beats the throw, they’re awarded first base.
Tagging Up: A runner can move up a base with less than 2 outs on a fly ball if they stay in contact with the base until the fielder catches the ball. The defensive player can throw out the runner on a tag up. For example, if a runner is on third base and the ball is hit to the centerfielder, the runner can tag up and try to score. If the runner beats the throw, they’ve successfully tagged up. If the runner is out at home plate, it’s called a put-out. If the runner leaves the base before the ball is caught, the defense can appeal to the umpires. A successful appeal results in an out.
Stealing Bases: A stolen base occurs when a runner advances a base, usually when the pitcher throws the ball to the catcher. If the catcher receives the ball and “throws the runner out,” the play is called caught stealing.
Pickoff: A player trying to steal a base usually takes a leadoff. That’s when they move closer to the base they’re trying to steal while the pitcher is throwing to the catcher. If the pitcher throws the ball to the fielder and the runner is tagged out, it’s called a pickoff.
Fielder’s Choice: A fielder’s choice is when a defender, usually an infielder, pitcher, or catcher, has more than one base to throw to for an out. For instance, with players on first and second base, on a ground ball to shortstop, they could either throw to third, second, or first base to get an out.
Infield Fly Rule: To avoid allowing a fly ball to drop intentionally so the defense can make a double play, the infield fly rule occurs when runners are on first and second base or first, second, and third base with less than 2 outs. A player who hits a ball in the air in the infield area is automatically out whether the ball is caught or not.

Rules & Plays for Hitters

The biggest offensive play in baseball is the home run. Good hitters with power are always trying to hit the ball out of the park. Below are some plays and rules that offensive players must know.

Ground Rule Double: When an umpire awards a batter 2 bases after a hit bounces out of play, it’s called a ground rule double. Some examples are when a ball hits the warning track, which is the last part of the outfield and bounces over the fence. If a fan interferes with a live baseball, an umpire could call it a ground rule double.
Designated Hitters: A designated hitter is the 10^th player in a baseball lineup. Baseball teams only have 9 fielders or defensive players. The extra player typically bats for the pitcher and is called the DH. Because pitchers don’t play every day, they generally aren’t good hitters. In 1973, the American League adopted the DH rule. The National League adopted the DH rule in 2022.
Home Run: A home run occurs when a batter scores from home plate after hitting the baseball. This usually happens when the ball leaves the designated park area. Every stadium has a fence at the end of their field. A ball hit over the fence is considered a homer. Occasionally, a player scores from home after hitting a ball that stays in the park. That’s called an inside-the-park homer.
Illegal Action: When the batter interferes with the catcher’s fielding or throwing, it’s deemed an automatic out. This could happen when the batter steps in front of the catcher while they are trying to throw to a base or if they block a catcher from getting to a fair ball.

Every year, there are rule changes in baseball. It’s important to know the rules and keep up with the modifications, because rules are such an integral part of baseball and understanding them will help you improve.