The infield fly rule says the batter is automatically out on a fair pop-up an infielder can catch with ordinary effort, when runners are on first and second (or the bases are loaded) with fewer than two outs. The ball stays live, runners may advance at their own risk, and the rule exists so the defense can’t drop an easy pop-up on purpose to turn a cheap double play.

In this guide

1. What is the infield fly rule in baseball?
2. When does the infield fly rule apply?
3. Why does the infield fly rule exist?
4. Does the infield fly rule apply in Little League and other youth divisions?
5. What should base runners do on an infield fly?
6. What should infielders do when the umpire calls infield fly?
7. What does “infield fly, if fair” mean?
8. How do you teach the infield fly rule at practice?
9. Frequently Asked Questions
10. Get your team ready for every situation

What is the infield fly rule in baseball?

An infield fly is, in Little League’s words, “a fair fly ball (not including a line drive or a bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort,” hit when first and second or all three bases are occupied with fewer than two outs (Little League Rule 2.00). When the umpire declares it, the batter is out whether or not the ball is caught.

What trips up youth teams is everything that happens next: the ball is still live, runners are no longer forced, and the play can keep going.

When does the infield fly rule apply?

All four of these conditions must be true at the same time. If any one is missing, there is no infield fly.

1. Fewer than two outs. With two outs, the defense only needs one out, so there’s nothing to protect against.
2. Runners on first and second, or bases loaded. These are the only base situations where a dropped pop-up creates a force at two bases.
3. A fair fly ball that isn’t a line drive or a bunt. It has to go up in the air. A popped-up bunt does not count.
4. An infielder could catch it with ordinary effort. This is the umpire’s judgment call. Little League notes that the pitcher, catcher and any outfielder stationed in the infield count as infielders for this rule.

Here’s a quick reference you can tape inside your scorebook:

Runners on base	Outs	Can infield fly be called?
First only	0 or 1	No
First and second	0 or 1	Yes
First and third	0 or 1	No
Second and third	0 or 1	No
Bases loaded	0 or 1	Yes
Any runners	2	No

Why does the infield fly rule exist?

It protects the runners. Little League’s own explanation says the rule is “to protect the runners on base” and is “NOT supposed to be a free gift to the defense” (Little League University).

Picture runners on first and second, one out, and a lazy pop-up to the shortstop. The runners have to stay near their bases in case it’s caught. If the shortstop could let it drop on purpose, both runners would suddenly be forced to advance, and the defense could throw to third and then second for an easy double play. The runners did nothing wrong and had no way to escape it. Calling the batter out removes the force and takes that trick off the table.

Does the infield fly rule apply in Little League and other youth divisions?

Yes in most divisions, with one clear exception: by rule, it does not apply in Tee Ball (Little League Infield Fly FAQs).

The rule itself is the same at every level, but “ordinary effort” is judged against the age group. Little League points out that in the lower Minor League divisions almost any fly ball can be hard to catch, so umpires there may rarely call it, and many local leagues choose not to apply it in the lower Minors at all. Before your season starts, ask your league’s umpire-in-chief or check your local rules so you know what to expect.

A practical guide by age:

• Ages 4–6 (Tee Ball): Not in effect. Don’t spend practice time on it.
• Ages 7–9 (lower Minors / coach or machine pitch): Teach it as “the umpire might call the batter out on a high pop-up.” Mostly teach runners to stay close and listen.
• Ages 10–12 (upper Minors / Majors): Expect it to be called. Teach both the base running and fielding responsibilities below.
• 13 and up: Players should know it cold, including tagging up and advancing on a dropped infield fly.

What should base runners do on an infield fly?

Treat it like any other fly ball: stay close to the base, tag up if it’s caught, and only run if you’re sure you can make it. Little League’s rule says runners “may advance at the risk of being caught or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as any fly ball.”

Teach your runners these steps:

1. Listen and look. Umpires typically point straight up and call “Infield fly, batter’s out.” Runners should hear that call and know the batter is gone.
2. Stay within a step or two of the base. A pop-up in the infield is almost always caught. Wandering off is how runners get doubled off.
3. Remember you are not forced. Because the batter is already out, nobody has to run if the ball drops. Runners can stay put safely.
4. If it drops, you may go, but you can be tagged out. The ball is live. Because there’s no force, the fielder must tag a runner who’s off the base, not just step on a bag.
5. If it’s caught, it’s a normal catch. Retouch (tag up) before advancing, just like any caught fly ball.

One unusual detail worth knowing: if a runner is standing on his base and gets hit by an infield fly, Little League says the runner is NOT called out. It’s the only time a runner is protected that way (Little League University). If you want your runners making these reads automatically, our Base Running Situations Guide walks through runner responsibilities for every common fly ball and ground ball scenario. For more on reading fly balls from each base, see our post on base running situations: when to go and when to hold.

What should infielders do when the umpire calls infield fly?

Catch the ball anyway, then immediately look at the runners. The batter being out doesn’t end the play, and a dropped or caught infield fly can still produce an out if a runner strays.

• Call the ball loudly. Use your normal priority system so two infielders don’t collide. Our guide to fly ball priority in youth baseball covers who takes what.
• Don’t relax after the call. Make the catch with two hands, then check the runners right away.
• If a runner is far off the base after a catch, throw to that base to double him off.
• If the ball drops, stepping on a base does nothing because there’s no force. Pick it up and chase a runner who’s off the bag, or hold the ball and get it back to the pitcher.
• Never drop a ball on purpose. A separate rule, 5.09(a)(12) in the Official Baseball Rules, covers an infielder who intentionally drops a fair fly ball or line drive with first base occupied and fewer than two outs: the batter is out, the ball is dead and the runners return to their bases. Teach kids to catch everything they can.

Situations like this are exactly why we built the Defensive Situations Guide, which shows where every fielder goes and what they do on the most common plays, so your infielders aren’t guessing.

What does “infield fly, if fair” mean?

It means the pop-up is near a foul line, and the infield fly only counts if the ball ends up fair. If it’s caught in foul territory, it’s a regular foul-fly out; if it lands foul and stays foul, it’s just a foul ball and the batter keeps hitting.

Little League’s rule says that if the batted ball becomes foul, “it is treated the same as any foul ball.” The tricky case is a ball that drops untouched near the line and rolls before reaching first or third base: whether it’s fair or foul is decided like any other batted ball, and the infield fly stands only if it’s ruled fair. Tell your players to play every one of these as if it matters, because it does.

How do you teach the infield fly rule at practice?

Use a short, game-like rep where a coach acts as the umpire. Ten minutes is enough, and it doubles as pop-up practice for your infielders.

“Call It” drill (10 minutes, ages 9 and up):

1. Put a full infield on defense and runners on first and second. Tell everyone the number of outs before each rep.
2. A coach near home plate tosses or fungoes a high pop-up to an infielder.
3. A second coach acts as umpire and calls “Infield fly, batter’s out” (or stays silent with two outs or a ball that’s too hard to reach).
4. On some reps, have the fielder let the ball drop. Runners must decide whether to stay or go, and fielders must remember to tag rather than step on a base.
5. After each rep, ask one quick question: “Was that an infield fly? Was anyone forced?” Rotate runners and fielders every three reps.

Mix in reps with runners on first and third, or with two outs, so players learn when the rule does NOT apply. That contrast is what makes it stick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the batter out if the infield fly is dropped?

Yes. Once the umpire declares an infield fly on a fair ball, the batter is out whether the ball is caught or dropped. That’s the whole point of the rule.

Can runners advance on an infield fly?

Yes, at their own risk. The ball is live. If it’s caught, runners must tag up before advancing. If it drops, they may run without tagging up, but they can be tagged out because they are not forced.

Does the infield fly rule apply to a bunt or a line drive?

No. Both the Little League and MLB definitions specifically exclude line drives and bunts. A popped-up bunt is never an infield fly.

Can an outfielder catch an infield fly?

Yes. Little League says the umpire may call it when any fielder makes the play, as long as an infielder could have caught the ball with ordinary effort. Who actually catches it doesn’t matter; where and how high it was hit does.

What if the umpire forgets to call infield fly?

It can be corrected. Little League says umpires should not allow a double play because they failed to call an infield fly; the batter is ruled out when play ends and runners are placed equitably. Coaches can politely ask the umpire about it between plays. Like the dropped third strike rule, it’s a rule worth reviewing with your umpires before the season.

Get your team ready for every situation

The infield fly is one of those plays that only happens a few times a season, but when it does, the team that knows what to do usually comes out ahead. If you want both your fielders and your runners prepared for it and dozens of other game situations, the Baseball IQ Bundle pairs our Defensive Situations Guide with the Base Running Situations Guide so your whole roster is on the same page.