Utility Player?

[ShortSlugger]

As tryout season is coming up, I'm curious about your opinions on a true utility player with a good bat. On the one hand saying she is utility for tryout purposes might be read as bench player who doesn't have a position but if she picks a position or two, she may be limiting herself as the coaches will only look at her for those two positions - if they are already filled she's out of luck. This is a 16U, A team player.

 

[canyonjoe]

I would present as I can play anywhere but you need to pick a position of 2 that you are best at for tryouts.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

I would rather offer the utility player a set position at tryouts and let her float throughout the season. If you already have your 3 pitchers, 2 catchers, and 7 position players she is really the 13 player which is fine as long as she understands that she is 13. I personally wouldn't carry 13 at 16u level unless the team was built for nationals.

As a parent, I would ask what position is my daughter playing in the very first game of bracket play.

 

[uncdrew]

Yeah, one of my daughters is like this. Great catcher and outfielder but can play 1B and 3B better than most. We usually stick with C/OF but try to mention the others when we can.

 

[ShortSlugger]

This is really helpful, thank you. Her best position is catcher but that has limited her on her current team. She is the second catcher which means she plays one pool play game and never in bracket games, even if that means the first catcher plays 5 games in a row in 100 degree heat. She is the first to be put in anywhere else (except pitcher obviously) if someone is sick, injured or on vacation.

 

[Lance Steckler]

just remember that most rosters that run very low on players encounter problems with needing subs when players miss.

And viewing your comments, coach is doing huge disservice to players and team by have 1 player catch like that.

Older the team, the larger the roster. PERIOD. between college stuff, testing, jobs, boyfriends, family vacations, senior trips, camps, prom, etc.

 

[ShortSlugger]

just remember that most rosters that run very low on players encounter problems with needing subs when players miss.

And viewing your comments, coach is doing huge disservice to players and team by have 1 player catch like that.

Older the team, the larger the roster. PERIOD. between college stuff, testing, jobs, boyfriends, family vacations, senior trips, camps, prom, etc.

Thank you for the advice as she starts the process for finding a new team. She doesn't want to leave the current one, great group of girls and nice coach, but she just needs to get in the game on a more regular basis. After doing some quick research it appears the current situation is not normal and the teams that tend to do well find a way to get all of their players time, may not be equal but they are playing in over 50% of the games. Any other advice for try outs or how to assess the team culture? She's trying to avoid being brought on as "backup" which is a risk as a utility or multi-position player.

 

[Strike2]

Thank you for the advice as she starts the process for finding a new team. She doesn't want to leave the current one, great group of girls and nice coach, but she just needs to get in the game on a more regular basis. After doing some quick research it appears the current situation is not normal and the teams that tend to do well find a way to get all of their players time, may not be equal but they are playing in over 50% of the games. Any other advice for try outs or how to assess the team culture? She's trying to avoid being brought on as "backup" which is a risk as a utility or multi-position player.

Most teams aren't overflowing with catchers at 16/18U, and rotating is common. Showing up to a team as a viable choice behind the plate will get her hired almost anywhere. However, to play a lot as a new player, she needs to find the spot where the team needs the most help, and make herself indispensable there. That could be catcher, or 3B, or somewhere in the OF. DD was a pretty good corner infielder, and she got to play there frequently, but what kept her in the lineup almost every inning as an older player on a 13+ player roster was her hitting and effectiveness in the OF.

 

[mmeece]

Her best position is catcher

You buried the lead! If she's a good catcher then this is an easy answer. ALWAYS lead with the fact that she is a catcher. Then, list the infield position she plays best and that she can play OF as well. If the team doesn't need a C then you need to know that up front, so lead with it. If they do need a C, and she is good in other positions then she'll be very valuable to them. If the team invites her to join make sure to ask where they see playing, and how she fits into their plans. Your current team is not the norm for C use. On most teams the 2nd C catches about 1/2 the pool games and some of the bracket games, especially when they are close together. I have to admit, I wouldn't lead with her being a utility player. That can come across as her not being skilled enough to win a starting position anywhere. Even though it conveys pretty much the same message, if I were listing her positions I'd say C/3B/OF for example.

 

[Dabears17]

My DD's club HC was very excited to learn she can catch and now is the team's C3. He was more excited to know she was a catcher this year than he was last year when she agreed to come out of retirement as a pitcher when he only had 2 pitchers besides her.

My DD is a lefthanded utility player with a pretty good bat. Small sample size, but so far this summer with 17 ABs, she is batting 0.750 with 12 hits, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 8 RBIs, and has scored 7 times. Because she is a utility player, the coach can get her into games 2/3rds of the time without having to replace a starter.

I currently list her positions as 'OF/1B/C/3B' because those are her true preferences. I should change that to 'C/OF/1B/3B'.