DRAFT & TRY-OUT FAQS
What time are tryouts?
• Please see tryouts dates and times posted on the league website.
Does my child need to try-out?
Yes, all players are encouraged to try-out. All returning Majors players (from the prior Spring season) are not required to try out but are strongly encouraged to do so. All other players wishing to be included in the Majors & AAA Drafts are required to try out.
What should my child bring? Players should bring:
• Baseball glove
• Batting helmet
• Bats will be provided; however, players are welcome to bring their own Little League approved bat [http://www.littleleague.org/Little_League_Online.htm] if they would like. While we encourage players to bring their own bats, they must be checked prior to batting.
• If the tryout is held indoors, wear gym shoes. No cleats will be allowed.
• Players should wear baseball pants or comfortable clothes.
• Please be sure to collect all of your belongings when the tryouts end.
How can I prepare my child for tryouts?
Please encourage your child to try his or her best at the tryouts, but in the end, this is supposed to be FUN! We want the kids to relax and take a deep breath - everyone of league age is going to get on a team!
Based on the player’s performance during the tryouts, he or she may be drafted by a manager to play at the higher level of their eligibility. Participating at the tryouts does not guarantee the player will be drafted to the higher Division, but a player must participate in tryouts to be eligible to play at the higher level.
What if my child can't make the tryout dates?
Majors and AAA players who do not attend the tryouts, and did not reschedule a time with the Player Agent to try out, will not be included in the Draft Pool and will be assigned to teams by "Hat Pick". See "Hat Picks" below, under "How are players assigned to teams"
What if a registered player can’t participate in the tryouts due to an injury?
A registered and paid player who is physically unable to participate in the tryouts due to
a temporary injury (e.g., broken arm, sprained ankle, etc.) should notify the Player Agent of their injury and recuperative status and then still attend a tryout session. They will be excused after tryout registration.
What if I want my child to remain in Minors (A-AAA divisions)?
Occasionally, in the interest of a player’s safety or development, parents may prefer that the player not play at his or her highest level of eligibility. Sometimes playing a level below the minimum for his or her age group is indicated. For example, Little League International requires that all 12 year-olds, regardless of their experience level, be assigned to a Majors Division team. This might present a physical or emotional risk for the player. When it is in the best interest of the player, his parents can request a waiver of this rule to keep the player at the appropriate level.
Parents wishing to exercise this option must notify the Player Agent in writing.
What happens at tryouts?
Mason District Little League uses a player tryout process to determine eligibility and skill level.
When the player arrives at the tryouts, they will be directed to the registration table. Only players who are paid registrants will be allowed to participate in the tryouts. The players will all be given an identification number to attach to the front of their shirt, a picture is taken, and then directed to the warm-up area.
In the warm-up area, the players should stretch and pick a partner to throw a ball with and loosen their arms. When the managers and coaches are ready, they will be instructed on where to wait for their turn.
Each player will in turn be evaluated on the following:
1. Running
2. Catching fly balls
3. Long throw after catching the fly balls
4. Fielding ground balls
5. Batting
Each player rotates through positions 1) through 5) above until all players have had their opportunity.
During each activity the managers and coaches from each division evaluate the players. Each manager and coach has his own style and preference, but they are all evaluating skill, results, and effort.
For example, the player who catches every ball, hits the target on every throw, and smashes his batting practice may score low if he also pushes the other players, doesn’t follow instructions, and displays a bad attitude. Conversely, the player who drops every ball, but chases them down like the game depends on it, will likely score higher than you might think.
After the tryouts have been completed, the managers and coaches will apply their own ‘science’ to ranking the players and develop a list of players they would like to draft for their teams.
I volunteered to manage a team. Does my child need to attend tryouts?
Yes, before and possibly during the draft, managers’ children are discussed in terms of placement in the draft so attendance at tryouts helps to make the placement equitable to all involved.
How are players assigned to teams? Majors:
• MDLL has a complete redraft approach to Majors for the Spring Season.
• All league age 12 players will be drafted, unless a waiver to stay in AAA has been requested and approved.
• Coaches/assistants are assigned following the draft; a Manager wishing a specific coach must select or trade for that player.
• Little League rules establish the round in the draft the manager’s players are ‘drafted’. No other players can be ‘reserved’.
• The Majors managers (no coaches or assistants allowed) will meet at the conclusion of tryouts – around the end of February or early March – to draft eligible players to complete their rosters.
• Majors managers and coaches are forbidden by Little League International regulations to discuss any aspects of the draft process outside of the meeting. Please do not ask, “Who was drafted first” or “What round was my child drafted in”, etc.
AAA:
The selection process for AAA is similar to Majors:
• As with Majors teams, above, AAA teams are reformed each year from the pool of all eligible players.
How are Brothers/Sisters Allocated in the Draft?
Per the 2014 Little League Operating Manual rules governing the drafting of siblings, a Manager who drafts the first brother/sister automatically has the option of drafting the
other brother/sister on their next turn. The MDLL will encourage Managers to exercise this option, unless the Player’s Parents indicate they will allow their children to play on different teams.
How are Manager’s Children Allocated in the Draft?
If a Manager has children in the draft and wishes to draft them, they must indicate that they are exercising that option prior to the start of the draft. Pursuant to the 2014 Little League Operating Manual, a Managers in the Majors draft must select their children by the specific round specified for their League Age.
| Draft Round | League Age |
| 5 | 9-10 |
| 4 | 11 |
| 3 | 12 |
For the AAA Draft, the Player Agent, after consulting with the Managers participating in that Division, will assign Manager’s children to a Round.
“Hat Picks” Majors
After all eligible 12 year-olds have been drafted, the registered and paid 12 year-olds who did not tryout but must play in the Majors are assigned teams. This is completed by use of “Hat Picks.” As the name implies, each of the remaining 12 year-olds’ names are placed in a hat, and continuing in the same draft order each manager picks a player until all players have been assigned a team. (Recall that injured players who attended tryouts but could not physically tryout are part of the group eligible to be drafted and are not part of the Hat Pick group.)
AAA
After all eligible 9-12 year-olds have been drafted, the registered and paid players who did not tryout but must play in the Minors are assigned teams. This is completed by use of “Hat Picks.” As the name implies, each of the remaining 9-12 year-olds’ names are placed in a hat, and continuing in the same draft order each manager picks a player until all players have been assigned a team. (Recall that injured players who attended tryouts but could not physically tryout are part of the group eligible to be drafted and are not part of the Hat Pick group.)
What is a “Call-up”?
Little League regulations require Majors Division teams to play with the same number of players on each roster. This means that if any Majors team loses a player during the season for any reason the local Little League must have a process in place to replace that player in a timely manner. The Player Call-up Process will be used.
What are a player’s choices if he or she is “Called Up?”
Mason District Little League considers a “Call Up” an extremely positive experience. The player is acknowledged for a skill level considered appropriate for the next higher division. Players are typically only eligible for a Call Up if the Managers in their current Division have judged them capable of the physical and mental demands of playing at a higher level. In every way possible, managers, coaches and parents should promote this to players, especially the younger players who may be uncomfortable at the thought of moving to a new team and playing, developing a new set of friends.
You may elect before the draft to restrict upward movement for your player, but this must be done before teams are selected. If you have any concerns about the Call Up Process, please contact the Player Agent at: [email protected].
I’m not happy with my child’s team assignment. What can I do?
Once the teams have been assigned, there are no opportunities for movement of players. Little League does not allow ‘trades’ between teams once rosters are established. If there are extenuating circumstances before the teams are formed, contact the Player Agent with the details and we will consider them.