lead-off batter; first batter in the lineup
Baseball term for the first batter in the batting order, who leads off the game or an inning.
He hit the first pitch as the team's lead-off batter.
When the lead-off batter gets on base, scoring chances increase.
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.
先頭打者 is the standard Japanese baseball term for the first batter in an inning or game, while リードオフマン is a direct loanword used interchangeably in casual commentary.
Compound of 先頭 (lead, head) and 打者 (batter), directly describing the batter who leads off.