USA Baseball Bat Standard FAQs

Updated as of Feb. 14, 2019

Testing and evaluating of youth baseball bats has evolved into a science. So much so that the standard has also evolved to where USA Baseball, the national governing body for the sport of baseball in the United States, adopted a new method for measuring bat performance in the testing of youth bats that went into effect on January 1, 2018. The new USA Baseball bat standard (USABat), was developed by a USA Baseball committee of scientific experts.

Effective on January 1, 2018, Little League Baseball® complied with the new USABat standard. No bats previously approved for use in Little League play (Junior League Baseball and below) is permitted to be used in any Little League game or practice, or other Little League function, event, or activity. As of January 1, 2018, USABat Standard bats must be used in the Little League Major Baseball Division and below. Either USABat Standard bats or BBCOR bats must be used at the Intermediate (50/70) Baseball and Junior League Baseball Divisions. At the Senior League Baseball Division, all bats must meet the BBCOR standard. For more information on the USABat standard and a complete list of bats approved through the USABat Standard, visit usabat.com. To view bats that have been decertified for use by USA Baseball, visit usabat.com/decertified-bats.

Be aware that the USABat standard affects Little League Baseball only. There are no changes to the 1.20 Bat Performance Factor bat standard, or related regulations for Little League Softball®.

Learn More About Bats

Largely, this depends on your player’s skill-level and the division of play your Little Leaguer® is participating in.

Players in Tee Ball, Minor Division, and Major Division must use a bat approved through the USABat Standard.
At the Intermediate (50/70) Baseball Division and the Junior League Baseball Division, players may use either USABat Standard bats or BBCOR bats.
Senior League Baseball Division players must use a BBCOR bat.

BBCOR is the standard used at the high school and collegiate level.

Several national member organizations asked USA Baseball, as the national governing body, to take the lead in this process to establish a new standard. Many other national governing bodies set and enforce standards for the equipment in their respective sports. To that end, USA Baseball established a Bat Study Committee of leading scientists and conducted theoretical modeling, field testing, and lab testing. The committee shared its findings with the national member organizations, who then endorsed the new USABat standard.

All bats that bear the USABat licensing mark will be permissible for play in the leagues and tournaments of the participating youth baseball organizations. In Little League, the USABat bats will be used in the Tee Ball, Minor, Major, Intermediate (50/70), and Junior League Baseball Divisions. For more information on the USABat standard and a complete list of bats approved through the USABat Standard, visit usabat.com.

USA Baseball’s national member organizations believe that a wood-like performance standard will best provide for the long-term integrity of the game. However, wood is a scarce resource. The new bats will be designed to perform much like wood, where its performance will be limited to the highest performing wood.

The USABat Standard gives our young baseball players the benefits of using non-wood bats that have a better weight-balance, are easier for younger players to handle, and are more durable, while providing the response to many who believe the game should be played with wood bats. The new USABat standard is a performance standard only.

No. The Bat Performance Factor (BPF) will no longer be in effect. Starting in 2018, all Little League Baseball® divisions, excluding Senior League baseball, will operate using the USABat standard. Either USABat Standard bats or BBCOR bats must be used at the Intermediate (50/70) Baseball and Junior League Baseball Divisions. The Senior League baseball division will continue using the BBCOR standard.

No. Youth baseball continues to be one of the safest of all sports for youth participants.

Little League International adopted the USABat Baseball Bat Standard because it is a positive development for Little League and all of youth baseball. Over the years, Little League and other amateur baseball programs have been asked by constituents, parents, coaches, and even public officials: “why not just go back to using wood bats?” Many claiming, “that’s the way the game is supposed to be played.” In response to this, USA Baseball formulated a committee of highly respected physicists and impact research professionals to determine if a non-wood bat performance standard could be developed and meet this expressed preference, while allowing the benefits non-wood bats provide young children.

Yes. Regulation 1.10 states that the bat must be a baseball bat which meets Little League® specifications and standards as noted in this rule. (See complete explanation in the current year’s Little League Baseball® Official Regulations, Playing Rules, and Policies). It shall be a smooth, round stick, and made of wood, or of material and color tested, and proved acceptable to Little League standards.

Solid, one-piece wood bats that adhere to Little League’s regulations will be allowed for play with or without the USA Baseball mark. Multi-piece wood bats must have the USA Baseball mark to be approved for play. This includes two-piece wood bats, composite wood bats, laminated wood bats, bonded wood bats, bamboo bats, and any wood bat that could be defined as an ‘experimental’ design.

Largely, this depends on your player’s skill-level and the division of play your Little Leaguer® is participating in.

Players in Tee Ball, Minor Division, and Major Division must use a bat approved through the USABat Standard.
At the Intermediate (50/70) Baseball Division and the Junior League Baseball Division, players may use either USABat Standard bats or BBCOR bats.
Senior League Baseball Division players must use a BBCOR bat.

BBCOR is the standard used at the high school and collegiate level.

In late January 2018, USA Baseball informed its member organizations, including Little League International, that they had received questions from baseball organizations, parents, and players on the differences and similarities between BBCOR and USABat. Additionally, USA Baseball indicated that they saw “no reason why BBCOR and USA Baseball’s bats could not be combined in play for leagues choosing this option.” With this guidance from USA Baseball, Little League International thoroughly reviewed this information and decided to allow BBCOR and USABat Standard bats for the Intermediate (50/70) Baseball Division and Junior League Baseball Division, effective as of February 15, 2018.