Which player's position is located behind home plate?

The player positioned behind home plate is the catcher.

In baseball, the catcher crouches directly behind the batter and home plate to receive pitches from the pitcher. The position is central to every pitch: the catcher gives or receives pitch signals, catches strikes, blocks balls in the dirt, and fields plays at the plate. Because the catcher faces the entire field, they can also help direct defensive positioning and communicate with the pitcher.

Catchers wear specialized protective equipment, including a mask, chest protector, shin guards, and a mitt designed differently from ordinary fielder’s gloves. They must react quickly to pitches, foul balls, bunts, wild throws, and runners attempting to steal second or third base.

The home-plate umpire is also behind the catcher, but not in the same position. The umpire stands farther back to judge balls and strikes, while the catcher occupies the designated area immediately behind home plate. In scorekeeping, the catcher is represented by the number 2.