WHAT ARE THE KEY TAKEAWAYS REGARDING THESE NEW YOUTH BASEBALL BAT RULES?
- In order to maintain the integrity of youth baseball, the USABat Standard will create wood-like performance in youth bats while allowing younger players to use light-weight bats that could not be achieved with wood bats.
- AABC, Babe Ruth / Cal Ripken, Dixie, Little League, and PONY will all be affected by the USABat rule change.
- AAU has decided not to adopt the rule change.
- USABat will not have a drop weight limit.
- USA Baseball will allow the use of 2 5/8" big barrel bats for all age levels.
WHAT WILL THE USABAT STANDARD CHANGE AND WHY?
Similar to the NCAA and NFHS BBCOR Standard that was implemented in 2011, the new USABat Standard will create wood-like performance in youth baseball bats. Or, as USA Baseball's Executive Director / CEO Paul Seiler stated, help "take another step forward in making our game more uniform at the youth level and ensuring the long-term integrity of the game."
Like the NCAA bat performance tests, the USABat Standard is based on the coefficient of restitution from a bat-ball impact. But in order to address the varying levels of play between youth and high school / collegiate players, the USABat test will use different test balls and test speeds to scale the results.
The BBCOR regulation limits bats to a maximum value of .50 in the NFHS / NCAA test. Currently, the maximum value that these new youth bats will be allowed to acheive, or how that value would exactly compare to the trampoline effect achievable with a BBCOR / current youth baseball bat / wood bat, is not known.
But, unlike the -3 length-to-weight ratio restriction that is required for BBCOR bats, USABat will not have a drop weight limit. Instead of requiring the use of wood bats, which are often found with a -8 length-to-weight ratio at the lightest, younger players will still be able to use bats made from light-weight, highly engineered materials.
With the creation of the new standard, players within the affected organizations will also now be allowed to use bats with either a 2 1/4 inch or 2 5/8 inch barrel diameter, as long as they carry the new USABat stamp.
WHAT IS THE BBCOR CERTIFICATION?
BBCOR or Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution is the standard currently governing adult baseball bats used in High School and Collegiate play. Rather than measuring the ratio of the ball exit speed to pitch and bat speeds, BBCOR measures the trampoline effect of the bat. In the past, when a pitched ball made contact with an alloy or composite bat, the barrel would flex inward ever so slightly, and the ball would retain some of its energy resulting in further hits. Wood baseball bats don't have as much "give" to them, and the ball loses much of its energy upon impact. The BBCOR standard ensures that non-wood bats perform more comparably to wood bats in an attempt to level the playing field and improve player safety.
All BBCOR baseball bats will carry the "BBCOR Certified .50" mark somewhere on their barrel or taper. Additional requirements for a bat to become BBCOR Certified include a length to weight ratio that is no greater than -3 and a barrel diameter that does not exceed 2 5/8 inches.
WHAT ABOUT TEE BALL BATS?
Unlike standard youth baseball bats, tee ball bats (lengths 26" and shorter) are not required to undergo lab testing to receive approval under the USABat Program. However, to be approved for play within the participating National Member Organizations, tee ball bats must feature the USA Baseball mark and accompanying text that reads Only For Use With Approved Tee Balls.
- Approved tee ball bats (26" and shorter) under USABat will feature the USA Baseball mark.
- USA Baseball will make a sticker program available that will allow individuals to purchase stickers to mark personal tee ball bats that were purchased prior to the implementation of the USABat Standard.