トップバッター

also: トップ・バッター

ト

ッ

プ

バ

ッ

タ

ー

Meanings

1

leadoff batter; first batter

Baseball term for the first batter in the lineup. Wasei-eigo from English 'top batter'.

と

し

て

試し

合あい

に

出で

た

。

He played in the game as the team's leadoff batter.

2

first person to appear; first up

Extended use outside baseball: the first person to perform, speak, or appear in any sequence. Common in variety shows, presentations, and events.

〈人ひと〉がトップバッターを務つとめるfor someone to serve as the leadoff/first person
彼かれが今日きょうの試し合あいでトップバッターを務つとめた。
He served as the leadoff batter in today's game.
トップバッターとして〈動どう詞し〉to do something as the first one up
彼かの女じょはトップバッターとしてスピーチをした。
She gave her speech as the first speaker.
トップバッターを切きるto be the one who goes first / kicks things off
新しん入にゅう社しゃ員いんがプレゼンのトップバッターを切きった。
The new employee was the first to give a presentation.

先せん頭とう打だ者しゃ sense 1
先頭打者 is the formal baseball term for the leadoff batter, while トップバッター is the everyday wasei-eigo equivalent used in casual speech and media.
一いち番ばん手て sense 2
一番手 broadly means 'the first one' in any ranking or sequence, while トップバッター specifically evokes the image of being first to act or perform.

大おおトリ sense 2
大トリ is the final, most prominent performer in a lineup, the opposite of トップバッター who goes first.

人にん
Used for people in general; this word refers to a person, so 人 is the natural counter.

Wasei-eigo from English 'top batter'. The English phrase 'top batter' is not standard; Japanese coined it for the first batter in the lineup.