On January 1, 2018, the new USA Baseball Bat Standard was implemented. USABat standard racquets must be used in the Major League Baseball division of the Little League and below. USABat or BBCOR standard bats must be used in intermediate (50/70) baseball divisions and junior league baseball divisions. In the senior league baseball division, all racquets must meet the BBC standard. Baseball bats approved by Little League and approved for the 2017 season will no longer be accepted for Little League games or activities as of January 1, 2018. For more information about the USABat standard and a complete list of bats allowed by the USABat standard, see usabat.com. NOTE 2: Bats that meet the BBC performance standard and are therefore screen-printed or other durable certification mark are also approved for the intermediate division (50-70) and the junior league division. The certification mark must be rectangular, at least half an inch on each side and on the barrel of the racquet in any contrasting color. Aluminum/alloy bats and composite bats must be marked as aluminum/alloy or composite.
This marking must be screen-printed or another durable certification mark, at least half an inch on each side and on the barrel of the racquet in any contrasting color. Your bat is approved to play if it meets the following standards for softball bats. NOTE: Approved tee ball rackets can also be used for minor Coach Pitch/Machine Pitch divisions only with the use of approved tee balls. Prior to the start of a Little League® game, it is the responsibility of the referees to check the condition of the playing equipment used by the players participating in the next game. To do this, the local referee and his partners must examine each of the rackets that can be used in the game. The bat must be a softball bat that meets the specifications and standards of the Little League, as set out in this rule. It must be a smooth, rounded stick and be made of wood or material that has been tested and proven acceptable to Little League standards. The racquet must not be more than 33 inches (34 inches for the junior/senior league) in length, not more than two and a quarter (21/4) inches in diameter, and if the wood, not less than fifteenths (15/16) inches in diameter (7/8 inches for bats under 30 inches) on its smallest part. Non-timber bats must be printed with a GMP (Bat Power Factor) of 1.20.
Bats can be taped or sleeved at a maximum distance of 16 inches from the small end. Coloured bats are acceptable. A non-wooden bat must have a handle made of cork, tape or compositional material and must be at least 10 inches from the small end. Adhesive tape or similar material is prohibited. Bats must not exceed a bat power factor (GMP) of 1.20. This should be marked on most, if not all, USSSA-approved Fastpitch bats. Bats can be made of aluminum or other metals; fiberglass, graphite or other composite material; or wood. Bats can be made from one or more parts. All baseball bats used in the Major Division and below must bear the USABat standard marking and are considered to comply with Little League Rule 1.10 as described in the current edition of Little League rules, regulations and policies. In the Little League Baseball Intermediate 50/70, Junior and Senior divisions, BBCOR bats are allowed.
In all cases, all racquets that can be used in the following game must be free from physical damage or alteration that would prevent the racquet from complying with the USABat standard. NOTE 1: One-piece solid wood gun rackets do not require an American baseball logo. Starting with the 2018 season, non-wooden, laminated bats used in the Little League (Majors) and below, Intermediate Division (50-70), Junior League Divisions, and Challenger Division must bear the USA Baseball logo, indicating that the bat meets USABat`s Youth Bat – USA Baseball performance standard. All GMPs – 1.15 bats are prohibited from the 2018 season. Also, as of 2018, the club`s diameter must not exceed 25/8 inches for these sections of the game. Clubs that meet the BBC (Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution) standard can also be used in the intermediate (50-70) and junior divisions. For more information, see LittleLeague.org/batinfo. Little League International has compiled a page of online baseball bat information resources that includes the latest bat information, Little League® Baseball`s current rules and regulations for bats, and a number of® frequently asked questions. It must not be more than 36 inches long and not more than 25/8 inches in diameter, and if it is made of wood, not less than fifteen sixteenths (15/16) inches in diameter (7/8 inches for bats less than 30 inches) on its smallest part. Wooden bats with tape or a sleeve must not exceed eighteen (18) inches from the small end. The racquet should not weigh more than three ounces less than the length of the racquet (for example, a 33-inch racquet cannot weigh less than 30 ounces). All clubs that are not made of a single piece of wood must meet the BBCOR (Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution) performance standard, and these clubs must be screen-printed or another durable certification mark.
The certification mark must be rectangular, at least half an inch on each side and on the barrel of the racquet in any contrasting color. Aluminum/alloy bats and composite bats must be marked as aluminum/alloy or composite. This marking must be screen-printed or another durable certification mark, at least half an inch on each side and on the barrel of the racquet in any contrasting color. It must not be more than 33 inches long; even more than 25/8 inches in diameter, and if the wood, not less than fifteen sixteenths (15/16) inches in diameter (7/8 inches for bats under 30″) at its smallest part. Glued or sleeve-equipped wooden mixers must not exceed sixteen (16) inches from the small end. Important note: These changes apply only to baseball divisions and not to softball divisions. Receiving news that a bat has been decertified, especially in the middle of the season, is difficult, uncomfortable and disappointing for everyone. Little League International is committed to sharing information about decertified bats with all our members as soon as they receive them.