Courtesy of LittleLeague.org
Rule 1.10 - Baseball
The bat must be a baseball bat which meets Little League specifications and standards as noted in this rule. It shall be a smooth, rounded stick and made of wood or of material and color tested and proved acceptable to Little League standards.
Little League (Majors) and below:
It shall not be more than thirty-three (33) inches in length nor more than two and one-quarter (2¼) inches in diameter. Non-wood bats shall be labeled with a BPF (bat performance factor) of 1.15 or less;
EXCEPTION: For the Little League (Majors) and below, for regular season play and Tournament, composite bats are prohibited unless approved by Little League International. View the list of approved and licensed composite bats.
Intermediate (50-70) Division and Junior League
It shall not be more than 34 inches in length; nor more than 2 5/8 inches in diameter, and if wood, not less than fifteen-sixteenths (15/16) inches in diameter (7/8 inch for bats less than 30”) at its smallest part. All composite barrel bats 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.
Senior/Big League:
It shall not be more than 36 inches in length, nor more than 2 5/8 inches in diameter, and if wood, not less than fifteen-sixteenths (15/16) inches in diameter (7/8 inch for bats less than 30") at its smallest part. The bat shall not weigh, numerically, more than three ounces less than the length of the bat (e.g., a 33-inch-Iong bat cannot weigh less than 30 ounces). 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 and composite bats shall be marked as to their material makeup being aluminum 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.
Rule 1.10 - Softball
1.10 - The bat must be a softball bat which meets Little League specifications and standards as noted in this rule. It shall be a smooth, rounded stick and made of wood or a material tested and proved acceptable to Little League standards. The bat shall be no more than 33 inches (34 inches forJunior/Senior/Big League) in length, not more than two and one-quarter (2-1/4) inches in diameter, and if wood, not less than fifteen-sixteenth (15/16) inches in diameter (7/8 inch for bats less than 30 inches) at its smallest part. Non-wood bats shall be printed with a BPF (bat performance factor) of 1.20. Bats may be taped or fitted with a sleeve for a distance not exceeding 16 inches from the small end. Colored bats are acceptable. A non-wood bat must have a grip of cork, tape or composition material, and must extend a minimum of 10 inches from the small end. Slippery tape or similar material is prohibited.
An illegal or altered bat must be removed.
NOTE 1: The traditional batting donut is not permissible.
NOTE 2: The bat may carry the mark “Little League Tee Ball.”
NOTE 3: Non-wood bats may develop dents from time to time. Bats that cannot pass through the approved Little League bat ring must be removed from play. The 2 ¼ inch bat ring must be used for bats in all softball divisions. Any bat that has been altered shall be removed from play.
Decertified Bats
Note 1 (2-28-12): USA Baseball has advised Little League that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has provided official notice that the BBCOR decertification process has been implemented for the Marucci CAT5 and Reebok Vector-TLS 33-inch model bats.
Effectively immediately and until notified otherwise, these bats (Marucci CAT5 and Reebok Vector-TLS 33-inch length bats) should be considered non-compliant and subject to Junior, Senior, and Big League Baseball Rules 1.10 and 6.06(d). It should be noted that the National Federation of State High School Associations has taken similar action.
USA Baseball has advised Little League that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has provided official notice that the BBCOR decertification process has been implemented for the Marucci CAT5 Squared 34-inch model bat and the Marucci Black 33-inch and 34 inch models.
Effectively immediately and until notified otherwise, these bats (Marucci CAT5 Squared 34-inch length and Marucci Black 33-inch length and 34-inch length) should be considered non-compliant and subject to Junior, Senior, and Big League Baseball Rules 1.10 and 6.06(d).
In all divisions, wood bats may be taped or fitted with a sleeve for a distance not exceeding sixteen (16) inches (18 inches for Junior/Senior/Big League baseball) from the small end. A non-wood bat must have a grip of cork, tape or composition material, and must extend a minimum of 10 inches from the small end. Slippery tape or similar material is prohibited.
- NOTE 1: Junior/Senior/Big League: The 2¾ inch in diameter bat is not allowed in any division.
- NOTE 2: The traditional batting donut is not permissible.
- NOTE 3: The bat may carry the mark "Little League Tee Ball."
- NOTE 4: Non-wood bats may develop dents from time to time. Bats that cannot pass through the approved Little League bat ring for the appropriate division must be removed from play. The 2¼ inch bat ring must be used for bats in the Tee Ball, Minor League and Little League Baseball divisions. The 2 5/8 inch bat ring must be used for bats in the Junior, Senior and Big League divisions of baseball.
- NOTE 5: An illegal bat must be removed. Any bat that has been altered shall be removed from play. Penalty – See Rule – 6.06 (d).