Play Ball Y’all: Country Walk-Up Songs for Your Little League Team

'Tis the season for Little League Baseball. Make it Country.

Mar 26, 2025

This week’s article is brought to you by Ballpark DJ Walk Up Intros: Major League energy for YOUR team.

If you’re like us, overwhelmed parents trying to balance work, school, what’s for dinner and Read Across America Week, you can’t handle anything extra this time of year. Spring is crazy.

So when your Little League team requests a “walk-up” song for your tee-baller’s cute yet probably disappointing at-bat, do not despair! The Country Music Dads have your back via 22 country bangers that are sure to keep you interested even in a 15-run mercy-rule blowout.

As two certified and bona fide Little League Dads, we’re going head-to-head with our ideal starting lineups of country music walk-up songs. Feel free to borrow, steal and take credit for any song that fits your little Jim Bob’s aura on the diamond. Because we would never let a well-meaning, burnt-out parent pick “Baby Shark” because they ran out of ideas on Saturday morning.

This exact scenario hit Dave’s team a few weeks ago. Fortunately, the Team Mom for the North Venice “Coach-Pitch” Padres had the Ballpark DJ app, this week’s sponsor, downloaded and ready to rock on Day 1.

For a very low price per player, Dave’s 5- and 6-year-olds had customized walk-up songs AND a professional announcer voice that somehow pronounced the name “Pidancet” correctly on the first try (perhaps a first in history). A little setup, a Bluetooth speaker, and the RIGHT song were all it took to create some magic at 9 am Sunday with the kids.

Ballpark DJ curated a list of the Top 20 Country Songs for immediate import on the app.

The Country Music Dads did the same. And we hope our lineups/playlists bring the country music vibes you need most after a morning spent wrestling baseball socks and a belt onto a squirmy child.

Let us know in the comments or on Instagram @countrymusicdads whether Dave’s or Donnie’s “teams” would win if their lineups faced each other in a 7-game series or whether they should swap out some songs for Ballpark DJ’s picks.

Play Ball.

Team Dave (The Yolo County Broskis)

“Six Days On the Road” by Sawyer Brown: Traditionally, the leadoff spot is for your fastest kid and I’m a Traditionalist. We kick off the game with a high-energy driving song, capped off with a little bravado via this line: “six days on the road and I’ma gonna make it home tonight.” As in home plate. My leadoff guy is ABSOLUTELY scoring with this song.
“Fuss and Fight” by Koe Wetzel: Koe is more “country-adjacent” than country, just like your #2 hitter is “leadoff-adjacent” in Little League. He’s not fast, he’s not great, but he is scrappy (and angry that he’s not hitting leadoff). You want some fire at the top of the lineup, and a Koe Wetzel-fueled #2 hitter brings that edge you need to compete in the cutthroat business of youth sports.
“Long Hot Summer Day” by Turnpike Troubadours: The 3-hole is typically reserved for your best player, so it almost doesn’t matter what song he picks. But as you hear the slow-developing, Kyle Nix fiddle intro, Turnpike’s rhythmic anthem to hard work in hot weather suddenly sounds intimidating when Little League’s version of Barry Bonds strides into the box. Opposing pitchers, enjoy your long, hot summer day facing this guy.
“Cold As You” by Luke Combs: A gentle banjo quickly escalates into electric guitar, drums, bass, and Luke Combs’ snarling vocals: the perfect hype track for your clean-up hitter. In my mind, he’s about the size of Luke Combs at 11 ½ years old, and he’s either striking out, being walked intentionally, or obliterating a baseball into low-earth orbit. His presence in my lineup makes your blood run cold… cold as you.
“Danger” by Silverada: The 5-spot is critical for run-production, so the kid here should be a dangerous yet unappreciated hitter (since they’re not hitting cleanup). An opposing pitcher feels this danger in their bones. And this player, as Silverada says in the song, should feel “the shadow of my father following me” because Dad is disappointed they’re not hitting 3rd.
“Sleeping on the Blacktop” by Colter Wall: The #6 hitter is the sneaky star in Little League. As the top of the lineup gets on base, #6 gets countless RBI opportunities. Colter Wall’s haunting vocals set the tone for an under-the-radar slugger most responsible for running up the score against your most bitter crosstown rival.
“Don’t Come Lookin’” by Jackson Dean: Let’s face it: the 7-hitter is a liability. He’s an anxious, nervous, headcase who won’t swing the bat. But pair him with Jackson Dean’s vulnerable yet inspiring words and maybe, just maybe, he’ll swing the bat this time (this was me in Little League, btw). If you’re on my team, don’t come lookin’ (at strike three).
“I’m the Only Hell (My Mama Ever Raised)” by Johnny Paycheck: The 8-spot is for the problem-child: the kid who acts up at practice, sneaks snacks into the dugout, and finds himself at the center of every dogpile and melee. He might run into a few hits throughout the season, but he is best served backing up the #2 hitter in the brawl with your rival that he probably started.
“Evinrudin’” by Muscadine Bloodline: The 9-hitter is the worst player and there’s nothing wrong with that. Players develop at different speeds and ages. And if there’s one thing all players 1-9 can agree on, it’s that the best part of the game are the post-game snacks. Per “Evinrudin’,” it’s the “Hardee’s biscuit waitin’ on me callin’ my name” and the chance to go fishing instead. To others it’s the Dippin’ Dots or the Capri Suns or the Nutella & Go! Dipsticks. The #9 hitter brings perspective to the game of baseball: there is more to life than sports, personal achievement, and living vicariously through your kids.
Starting Pitcher: “Welcome to Hard Times” by Charley Crockett: The starting pitcher and your #3 hitter is probably the same person, but we should differentiate offense from defense musically. Charley Crockett’s title track from his 2020 album strikes the perfect balance for Little League pitching. “Life’s a casino,” he says, because it’s mostly luck whether or not a 9-year-old can throw a strike. But if you have a dominant starter (like I will, thanks to superior coaching), “welcome to hard times, and feeling low,” because my guy will be dealing no-hitters from here to Williamsport.
Closer: “Cuckoo” by Stephen Wilson Jr.: Some people might say it’s unnecessary or even inappropriate to have a dedicated Closer in Little League baseball. Those people clearly have never seen Eastbound and Down and have no right to question your managerial decisions. Yes, the pressure looms large for kids who lack the body control or mental strength to get the last three outs of a game with Dad staring behind a pair of aviator sunglasses just past the backstop. Enter “Cuckoo,” Stephen Wilson Jr.’s country-rock song about the many things in life you can’t control; things like your two-seam fastball, the outcome of the game, or your father’s love.

Team Donnie (The Upstate LA Loons)

“White Lightning” by George Jones: The opening bars of this song are fast, fun and feel like you’re gonna break some rules. My fastest kid is up, just like Dave’s. However, my kid understands the nuance of my hand signals from the dugout — spikes up, baby. He’ll leave the base a bit before the ball crosses the plate, and he’s gonna steal. He’s wearing white cleats and he calls them — White Lightning.
“Nose on the Grindstone” by Tyler Childers: Your second hitter needs to stay in the box, work the count and get on base. This player can’t strike out — a walk or sacrifice fly is fine. But he also knows how to turn into one in the later innings; he’ll utter a few choice words under his breath as he jogs it off down the first baseline. A workhorse song for a workhorse hitter.
“Strong n’ Steady” by Johnny Marfa and the Lights: LFG! This kid is a bit crazy, and everyone knows it. You love it when he’s on your team, and you fear it when you face him. He crowds the plate. He hits the gaps. He takes that extra base, and if it’s close, he’s sliding hard. This song cooks and is all about showing up for the people you care about. While he may be a bit crazy, he’s showing up for your team.
“The Bird Hunters” by Turnpike Troubadours: I’m feeling particularly pissy about Dave taking a Turnpike song in this “draft.” So, much like any other disgruntled Little League coach, I’ll use passive-aggressive tactics to ensure my adult ego has time on the field intended for children: here is my favorite Turnpike song in the clean-up spot. This song slaps so damn hard — and I’d hold it up against any piece of cowboy poetry out there. While the story is perfect for any kid in a little bit of a slump, the opening notes are perfect swagger for a clean-up hitter batting .800.
“Walking After Midnight” by Patsy Cline: Children grow at different rates, and every team has one who hasn’t hit his growth spurt yet. That yet-to-hit-it player is a liability to the other team because, brother, he has no strike zone. He’s the perfect mid-line-up baserunner — while he might not be tall or super strong, he plays soccer, so he’s quick. His incalculable batting average works, because his OBP is elite.
“Wild Women” by Margo Price: Our league always has a few girls playing in every age group who work harder than the boys and show up in ways you’d never expect. My oldest son’s division has a girl who, I believe, had as many RBIs as she had at-bats last season — she was a machine with the bat. She might not seem like a wild woman, but she’s here to deal with the trouble that always seems to find her — and hit it out of the park (or infield).
“Turn You Down” by HARDY featuring a bunch of bros: Let’s be fair, the seventh hitter is not the meat of the order, but he still wants to get pumped and turned up for the team. And a great walk-up song from a great songwriter and screamo country rocker like HARDY could be the perfect fix. (Also, my use of HARDY is payback for Dave taking the perfect baseball Turnpike song.)
“You Can Have the Crown” by Sturgill Simpson: This isn’t appropriate in any way, shape, or form, but your eighth hitter dreams of hitting fourth and has the power for it — but perhaps not the discipline. He plays 100% all the time, except when he gets a bit distracted, which happens often. The coach knows this, too and is hoping he can dial it in before playoffs.
“The Devil Went Down to Georgia” by The Charlie Daniels Band: Finishing out the lineup is a kid who lives for baseball, starts all the cheers and likely warms the bench. But the team loves this guy, and they know that he would make a deal with the devil for just one walk-off double in the clutch. His teammates grab their bats and play the fiddle as he gets dug in for another at-bat because you never know.
Starting Pitcher: “Less Honkin’ More Tonkin’” by The Deslondes: Your starting pitcher is on a travel team. He has weekly lessons with a speed coach. He’s doing strange things with a resistance band. If he’s not on the field, he’s in the car going to something baseball-related. He’s ready to play. He wants to get it going and hates nothing more than a pitch count. He’s got those Less Honkin’ More Tonkin’ blues, and by that, I mean he wants to play more baseball.
Closer: “Wait So Long” by Trampled By Turtles: This is the moment you’ve waited for — oh so long. As your closer throws heat over the plate, warming up with this Fast Grass blaring over busted speakers, people take note quickly. Because while he waited the entire game for this opportunity — likely at shortstop — he’s ready to end this thing. Fast.