GamePlanLab's lineup engine evaluates four signals per player:
- On-base percentage — how often they reach base via hit, walk, or HBP
- Contact rate — inverse of strikeout rate
- Power — slugging-style metric using doubles, triples, and home runs
- Speed — stolen bases / triples per game
Each signal gets a weight that depends on competition mode:
| Mode | OBP weight | Contact weight | Power weight | Speed weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | medium | high | low | medium |
| Balanced | high | medium | medium | medium |
| Tournament | high | low | high | medium |
Continuous batting order (every roster spot bats) is the default at youth ages. The engine assembles the order top-down: the best on-base + speed combo leads off, the best power bats third or fourth, and the bottom of the order absorbs your weakest contact.
Players flagged absent on Setup are dropped from the order automatically. Their pitching assignments redistribute too.