What Is a Batboy in Baseball?
Quick answer
A team helper, often a teenager, who collects bats after each at-bat, keeps the umpire supplied with baseballs and helps the dugout run smoothly.
In this article
A batboy is a team helper who works in the dugout and on the field during games. The best-known part of the job is collecting a hitter's bat after each at-bat, but batboys (and batgirls) do much more: keep the umpire supplied with baseballs, run equipment to players and help the clubhouse staff before and after the game.
What a batboy does
During the game
- Picks up the bat after each plate appearance and returns it to the rack
- Brings fresh baseballs to the home-plate umpire
- Collects helmets, batting gloves and gear left on the field
- Runs water, towels and equipment to players and coaches
Before and after the game
- Sets up the dugout: bats, helmets, water jugs, towels
- Helps clubhouse staff with laundry, cleaning cleats and stocking supplies
- Shags balls during batting practice
Age rules and safety
Batboys work close to the action, so safety rules matter. In MLB, batboys must be at least 14 years old. The rule came after the 2002 World Series, when the manager's three-year-old son, acting as a batboy, ran onto the field to grab a bat and was scooped up by a runner crossing home plate just before a collision. Batboys also wear helmets on the field.
Who gets the job
At the professional level, teams usually hire local high school students for the season. It's a long, unglamorous job (early arrival, late nights, lots of laundry) but it puts kids right next to big-league players. In Little League and high school ball, the batboy is often a younger sibling or a volunteer.
Related roles
- Ball kids sit along the foul lines and retrieve foul balls.
- Clubhouse attendants handle uniforms, meals and equipment.
For more of the game's vocabulary, see baseball terms explained, or learn how baseball works if you're new to the game.
Frequently asked questions
What does a batboy do?
A batboy retrieves bats after each at-bat, brings new baseballs to the umpire, fetches equipment and helps the clubhouse staff before and after games.
How old do you have to be to be a batboy?
In MLB, batboys must be at least 14 years old, a rule adopted after a toddler batboy was nearly run over at home plate during the 2002 World Series. Many teams hire high school students.
Do batboys get paid?
Professional teams usually pay batboys an hourly wage, and players often tip them. In youth and high school ball it is usually a volunteer role.
Are there batgirls?
Yes. Teams hire both batboys and batgirls, and many use the term bat attendant or ball kid.
