batter

…as home plate, where a batter, holding a formed stick (a bat), waits for him to throw a hard leather-covered ball. The goal of the batter is to hit the ball out of the reach of the fielders and eventually (most often with the help of hits by subsequent batters)…

The first batter up for each side in the first inning is the first man in the batting order (known as the leadoff man). In succeeding innings, the first batter up is the man in the order who follows the last batter (with a complete at bat)…