Dear League Officers,

As you know, this year marks the first year in the adoption of the USABat Standard by many youth baseball organizations, including Little League® International. We greatly appreciate your understanding over the past three years as we've worked with USA Baseball to transition to this new standard.

Recently, USA Baseball has provided Little League and other youth organizations with some additional guidance on how organizing bodies, like Little League International, can make it easier for local leagues, volunteers, and players to use bats within our programs. We encourage you to review their FAQs at USABat.com, as well as the information on LittleLeague.org/BatInfo.

Effective immediately (Thursday, February 15, 2018), Little League has amended Rule 1.10 for Little League Baseball for the Coach Pitch/Machine Pitch Divisions and the Intermediate (50/70) Baseball Division and Junior League, to reflect this guidance from USA Baseball. Read the fully updated Rule 1.10 on LittleLeague.org.

Coach Pitch/Machine Pitch

Players may use approved Tee Ball bats, including those that were produced and/or purchased prior to the implementation of the new standard that have been certified using an Approved Tee Ball Sticker via the USA Baseball Tee Ball Sticker Program (USABaseballShop.com) ONLY FOR USE WITH APPROVED TEE BALLS.

Little League International encourages leagues using approved Tee Ball bats at the Coach Pitch/Machine Pitch level to only use approved tee balls in these instructional divisions to help avoid confusion as to what type of baseball should be used at any given time.

Intermediate (50/70) Baseball Division and Junior League

In addition to using bats approved for Little League play based on the USABat Standard, players in these two divisions can also choose to use bats that have been approved and appropriately certified using the BBCOR standard. All bats not made of a single piece of wood shall meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) performance standard, and such bats shall be so labeled with a silkscreen or other permanent certification mark. The certification mark shall be rectangular, a minimum of a half-inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color. Aluminum/alloy and composite bats shall be marked as to their material makeup being aluminum/alloy or composite. This marking shall be silkscreen or other permanent certification mark, a minimum of one-half-inch on each side, and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color.

Please note that these changes are only applicable to these levels of play within the Little League Baseball program. If you have any additional questions, please contact us at [email protected].

Thank you,

Patrick Wilson
Senior Vice President, Operations and Program Development