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In-Game Workload Demands of Position Players in Major League Baseball
Jonathan Freeston1,2, Lonnie Soloff2, Mark Schickendantz2,3
1Exercise, Health and Performance Research Group, The University of Sydney, Australia.
Sports Health
|June 16, 2023
Summary
Major League Baseball (MLB) players have varying in-game physical demands based on their defensive positions. Understanding these workload differences is key for optimizing athlete preparation and injury prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Biomechanics
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Athlete preparedness is crucial for injury prevention and performance.
- Major League Baseball (MLB) faces a significant injury burden, with positional differences noted.
- Workload demands for MLB position players remain largely undescribed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify and compare in-game workload demands across different defensive positions in MLB.
- To identify positional variations in running, acceleration, throwing, and hitting metrics.
- To inform physical preparation and return-to-play protocols for MLB athletes.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study analyzing Statcast data from MLB players with 100+ games in the 2018 season (n=126).
- Metrics included high-speed running distance and count, hard accelerations, defensive/baserunning minutes, throwing volume and intensity, and bat swing counts.
- Analysis focused on positional differences in these workload indicators.
Main Results:
- Offensive and baserunning metrics were similar across positions.
- Significant positional differences were found in defensive and overall workload.
- Outfielders exhibited the highest high-speed running; first basemen had the most hard accelerations; middle infielders led in total throws; shortstops and third basemen had the most hard throws.
Conclusions:
- In-game physical demands vary significantly by defensive position in MLB.
- Positional workload differences necessitate tailored physical preparation and return-to-play strategies.
- These findings support optimizing athlete health, performance, and reducing injury risk.
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