What are the 2018 USA Baseball Youth Bat Standards?
Effective January 1st, 2018 USA Baseball will be implementing a bat rule change that will effective its associates. USA Baseball was
started in 1978, and is the principal organization for amateur baseball in the United States of America.
List of USA Baseball
member organizations:
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)
American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC)
American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)
American Legion Baseball
Babe Ruth Baseball
Baseball Players Association (BPA)
Dixie Baseball
Little League Baseball
National
Amateur Baseball Federation
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
National
Assoc. of Police Athletic Leagues
National Baseball Congress (NBC)
National Club Baseball Association
(NCBA)
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
National Federation of State High School
Associations (NFHS)
National High School Baseball Coaches Assoc.
National Junior College Athletic
Association (NJCAA)
PONY Baseball
T-BALL USA
United States Specialty Sports
Association (USSSA)
World Baseball Classic (WBC)
YMCAs of the USA
How exactly does the rule
effect baseball bats?
The purpose was to make little league bats perform as a wood bat would perform. The exit velocity of the ball
will be decreased significantly with this new standard. In a laymen’s terms, bats will be manufactured “less hot”.
Does this
change effect all divisions of Little League Baseball?
It will not effect all of Little League. Tee Ball, Minor Division, Major
Division, Intermediate (50/70) Baseball, and the Junior Baseball across the country will apply the 2018 USA Bat Standard. The Senior
League Baseball Division in all regions and countries will continue to be governed by the BBCOR bat standard.
Will there be a
new USA Bat standard for softball bats?
No, only baseball bats will be effected.
How will you know if a bat is legal for play
in 2018?
The bats will display the USA Baseball logo pictured below.
Will this standard effect Little League T-Ball?
Yes, All bats must be stamped with the USA Baseball stamp for use on January 1st,2018 and beyond.
Although, there will be a USA Baseball Tee Ball sticker program for all bats that are non USA Baseball stamped bats. Here is the information on the Tee Ball sticker program.
What are the key parts of the 2018 Baseball Bat Standard?
-Goes into effective January
1st, 2018
- Every association in USA Baseball is adopting the USA Bat Standard. However, the USSSA will still allow 1.15bpf bats in
league and tournament play along with USA Baseball stamped bats.
-The bat will need to have a USA Baseball stamp in order to be legal
for play. Pictured below
- The barrel size of the new USA Bat Standard will be 2 1/4 and 2 5/8 ? contrary to rumors
of moving to big barrel bats only.
-New stamped bats will be available for sale by September 1st, 2017.
2018 USA Baseball Bat Standard LOGO
