Baseball Bat Resource Page

Little League International has assembled an online resource page dedicated to baseball bat information.

Click here to find the latest bat information, including the 2012 Little League Baseball rules and regulations governing bats, definition of terms, the moratorium on the use of composite bats, and a series of frequently asked questions, with answers and licensed bat lists.

Here are the highlights, click on the link above for the actual text of the 2012 baseball bat rules:

For the Little League Major Baseball Division and below: The moratorium on composite-barreled baseball bats remains in effect. However, some composite-barreled baseball bats that have been proven in laboratory testing to meet the BPF (Bat Performance Factor) standard throughout the life of the bat, through the Accelerated Break-In (ABI) process, have received waivers. That list is here: Licensed/Approved Composite 2 1/4 Bats.  

For Junior League Baseball: The rule was updated to reflect the changes that were anticipated and published two years ago regarding bats with 2 5/8 inch barrels. As a result, composite-barreled baseball bats in this division, regardless of barrel size, must meet BBCOR (Batted Ball Co-Efficient of Restitution) standards, and must be so labeled. Note that all composite-barreled baseball bats that meet the BBCOR standard have a “drop” of no more than “minus-3.” However, in the Junior League Baseball division, bats that do not have composite materials in the barrel (i.e., all metal, all alloy, all wood), and meet all other applicable standards, can have ANY drop weight. Bats with a barrel of less than 2 5/8 inches also can be used in the Junior League Baseball Division, but must still comply with all other specifications noted.  

 For Senior League Baseball and Big League Baseball: The rule was updated to reflect the changes that were anticipated and published two years ago regarding bats with 2 5/8 inch barrels. As a result, all bats with non-wood barrels must meet BBCOR (Batted Ball Co-Efficient of Restitution) standards, and must be so labeled. Because all BBCOR bats have a “drop” of no more than “minus-3,” this means all non-wood bats in these divisions must have a drop of no more than minus-3.

Softball: All rules regarding bats in all softball divisions remain the same as in 2011. The moratorium on composite-barreled bats does not apply to softball.