Depth Chart

In sports, a depth chart is used to show the placements of the starting players and the secondary players. Generally a starting player will be listed first or on top while a back-up will be listed below. Depth charts also tend to resemble the actual position locations of certain players.

The typical Major League Baseball depth chart consists of a list of players at each position, with the starter or first-string player listed first, followed by replacement and platoon players. For fantasy baseball, typical preseason projection systems such as PECOTA construct depth charts that specify not just the order of the players at each position (starter, replacement or bench player) but also the amount of playing time each person at that position will have. For example, at first base one player may be projected as playing 60 percent of the innings, and another 40 percent for the coming season, while at catcher one player may be projected as playing 80 percent of the innings, and another 20 percent. For pitchers, the depth charts project the number of innings each roster player will pitch.