What does baseman mean?
A baseman is a defensive player in baseball or softball whose position is at or near one of the three bases — first, second, or third — and whose job is to catch throws, tag runners out, and field balls hit into the infield. The word almost always appears with a specific base specified, giving rise to the familiar compound forms 'first baseman,' 'second baseman,' and 'third baseman,' each with distinct defensive duties: the first baseman fields throws from other infielders, the second baseman turns double plays alongside the shortstop, and the third baseman guards the 'hot corner' against hard-hit balls. The term belongs firmly to the vocabulary of bat-and-ball sports and carries no significant use outside them. Because it sounds similar to cricket's 'batsman' — an entirely different, offensive role — the two are occasionally confused by newcomers to either sport. For fans and players alike, 'baseman' is an everyday, unremarkable term, but it neatly captures how baseball organizes its defense around fixed points on the diamond.
nounA fielder in baseball positioned at or near one of the bases (first, second, or third), responsible for covering that base and tagging out runners.
- A defensive fielder in baseball who plays at or covers first, second, or third base.
- More generally, any player assigned to guard a base in a base-running game.
"The third baseman made a diving stop to rob the batter of a hit."
"The first baseman stretched to catch the throw just as the runner's foot hit the bag."
"She played second baseman for her college softball team all four years."
The plural follows the standard '-men' pattern, though in practice writers often name the positions individually.
"Both corner basemen were named to the All-Star team."
The word 'baseman' is essentially baseball's own invention — the term barely exists outside the sport, making it one of the clearest markers of America's national pastime.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of baseman
The word 'baseman' is formed by compounding 'base' — borrowed into English from Old French 'bas', ultimately from Latin 'basis', itself taken from Greek — with the agentive suffix '-man'. It arose in nineteenth-century America alongside the codification of baseball itself, when the game's rules established fixed defensive stations at each base. Its closest relatives are the other baseball compounds built on 'base', such as 'baseball', 'basepath', and 'base runner'.
Related word forms
How baseman is actually used
Almost exclusively used in the context of baseball and softball; 'baseman' typically appears with a specific base attached (e.g., 'first baseman'). In cricket, the analogous term 'batsman' refers to an offensive role, so the two words should not be conflated despite their similar form.
Easily confused with baseman
A batsman (or batter) is the player hitting the ball, while a baseman is a defensive fielder stationed at a base.