baseman
n.a player in baseball or softball who stands near one of the three bases. Their job is to catch the ball and touch the base to get a runner out.
n.a defensive player stationed at or near first, second, or third base. The term is usually preceded by a specific ordinal (first, second, or third) to identify the player's exact position on the field.
“The first baseman caught the ball just in time.”
“The third baseman made a spectacular diving catch to prevent the runner from reaching home plate.”
“A successful second baseman must possess quick reflexes and a strong throwing arm to complete double plays effectively under pressure.”
Commonly modified by 'first', 'second', or 'third' to specify the position.
From base + man.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.