How to Install a New Home Plate

Home plate is literally the cornerstone of any baseball or softball field, with the rest of the layout based on it. The pitching rubber and other bases will all be out of alignment if home plate is twisted or off-centered. For that reason, it’s necessary to install home plate properly.

This task doesn’t require a surveyor, at least not at the recreational, high school, or even college level. It simply requires string lines and attention to detail. Keep reading to see what we mean.

The first step of a home plate installation is to run string lines from the foul poles through the existing home plate, running the lines past the plate.

Next, run a string line from the apex of home plate through the middle of the pitching rubber and the second base anchor. 

Ensure that all three string lines are tight. Then, with the lines set, you can remove the existing plate. Replace it so the apex fits into the intersection of the first two lines, with the third line now running through the center of the new plate.

You’ll finish the project by double-checking distances and adding new mound clay around the plate. By following this process, you can set your field up for success—no surveyor needed.