Fly ball off wall after hits player

Question
if a softball player touches a ball in the field of play, the ball then touches the wall and the fielder (not trapping against the wall but just having it bounce from his glove off the fence and back to his glove) makes the catch is it an out?

Answer
Hi Mitch,

Thank you for your question.  If a player touches, or is touched by, a fly ball, and then the ball strikes a wall and caroms back to the fielder's hand or glove, it is NOT a catch and NOT an out.  The ONLY thing a deflected fly ball can carom back from that will result in a catch and an out is a fellow fielder.

After the fielder finally does corral the batted ball it could be live, dead, fair, or foul, depending on the location of the fielder, the ball, and the wall.

Scott Kelly