Which baseball position is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions?

The debate over the most difficult position to play in baseball has been going on since, well, the beginning of baseball. More often than not, arguments point to the shortstop as the hardest position in baseball. Some may point to the catcher, or center fielder, or maybe even pitcher - but the shortstop almost always ranks high on lists.

The shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions.

The shortstop the hardest position in baseball because of a combination of a number of factors, including its central location on the field, the difficulty of the fielding chances, the distance of throws to first base, a myriad of cutoff and double-play responsibilities, and being located in a spot where more balls are hit than any other.

There are solid reasons why Shortstops are considered the “captain of the infield.” It’s almost always a position commanding a leadership role on the team. The shortstop definitely is the king of the defenders not behind home plate; and on some teams, of all defenders on the field.

Aside from the difficulty of regular activities like fielding balls and throwing to bases, shortstops are called upon as a leader for a number of fundamental plays on the field. The shortstop is the captain of the infield, and may very well be the captain of all defenders not pitching or catching.