Youth League (Spring Rec League)
Beginning in 2018, Babe Ruth and Ripken (Little League, etc.) are requiring players to use bats which carry the USA logo on the handle:
Babe Ruth created a table showing how the various leagues are affected: https://www.baberuthleague.org/bat-rules.aspx
Our BCC leagues correspond to the Babe Ruth leagues as follows:
Winners and Rookies = T-Ball (bats 27” and smaller only, 28” bats fall into Cal Ripken Baseball)
A, AA, AAA and Majors = Cal Ripken Baseball
Pony = Babe Ruth Baseball 13-15
The current list of approved bats can be found here:
https://usabat.com/
This site is updated as bats are approved, so be sure to check it before purchasing a new bat.
We provide a game bat for our Winners and Rookies teams. In addition, the BCC will purchase a new “USA Baseball” bat to have at each field box or shed used by the affected leagues. These bats can be used at games but must be returned to the box or shed after the game by the coaches.
Spring and Summer Travel
The Ripken/BR bat rules above are straightforward and BR provides a link to a list of all approved bats. Any bat on the list meeting the marking requirements for the respective age league can be used in our Youth League program and for Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth tournament play. Notably, BR does not specify drop (-10,-8,-5) for USA label bats. By mandate all BBCOR .50 are -3.
Please be aware non-Ripken/BR leagues create their own bat rules (and confusion) and mandate drop requirements for some age groups (primarily U13 and older.) In general, these leagues tend to be more strict than Ripken/BR regarding drop weights on USA bats for U13+. But some tournaments go in the other direction and allow big barrel 2-3/4” bats which are clearly illegal even under the old Ripken/BR bat rules. Our travel program primarily participates in the USABL and NPGL. The links to their respective bat rules are below. KNOW WHAT LEAGUE YOU ARE PARTICIPATING IN AND MAKE SURE YOUR BAT COMPLIES.
If there are any questions, ask a coach.
Here are current USABL rules which mandate -5 USA or -3 BBCOR only for 13U. For 14U USABL decided that only -3 BBCOR will be allowed.
https://www.usabl.com/rules
Meanwhile over at NPGL, they decided that -8 or -5 USA or -3 BBCOR are ok for 13U, and 14U must have -5 USA and -3 BBCOR.
http://npgl17.website.siplay.com/Site/Manager/Rules/2018-Bat-Standards
