Designated hitter

The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher.

In Major League Baseball, the position is authorized by Rule 5.11 of the Official Baseball Rules. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and by the National League in 2022, making it universal in MLB. Within that time frame, nearly all amateur, collegiate, and professional leagues worldwide have adopted the designated hitter or some variant, except for Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League.