2025 Majors Re-Draft

In an effort to help promote competitive play SLL will redraft for the 2025 spring season.  This allows the league to better balance skill level levels across the teams, positioning for a fun and competitive 2025 season.  This also will create better age distribution across the teams preventing the need for another redraft in the coming years. Ideally the next redraft will occur when our majors program expands to 4 teams. 

Due to the redraft, all players interested in the Majors for 2025 (ages 9-12) must participate in the draft. If your player is on the fence between leagues, we recommend attending the draft so they can be properly placed on a team. A skills exhibition and the draft will be held on March 1st from 7-10am at the New England Sports Hub Indoor Sports Dome in Somersworth (more info to come).

Big vs Little Minors

As the SLL program continues to expand, we are excited to announce the integration of our Little Minors league. This league will act as a stepping stone for players between tee ball and minors (now Big minors).  Please see each programs main focus below, including some of the major differences between leagues.

The Little minors program will provide:

• Fun atmosphere where players can develop with low competitive stress 
• Strengthening fundamental skills 
• Pitching machine, 5 pitches max per at bat. No strikeouts.
• No stealing

The Big minors program will provide: 

• Competitive atmosphere to help players prepare for the Majors
• Introduction of more advanced skills
• Kids pitch, coaches take over during an at bat after 4 balls.
• Stealing is allowed

Rules proposal for Little/Big minors

Little Minors Division Rules: (6,7)

• Bat entire roster
• No new inning started after 90 minutes from start time.
• Coach pitch.  5-7 pitches. Goal of 5 good pitches to hit. A tee is used to finish an at bat as needed.
• Free substitutions
• Defensively,  coaches are allowed on the field during play (coaching).
• The defensive coach should call outs in the field.  The team still bats the entire roster in the inning but if a play is made and the batter is out the batter needs to return to the dugout
• running on an overthrow is not permitted.
• No bunting
• No Stealing.  
• Home team gets the field ready for the game. Visiting team rakes and drags field after the game.

Big Minors Division Rules: (8,9,10 down)

• Free substitutions
• Must flip flop infield and outfield every inning during the regular season. Not in playoffs
• After 4 balls the offensive teams coach comes in to pitch. (Coach must pitch from the pitching rubber. The coach needs to pitch standing up, not from a knee)
• Max of 5 runs per inning except for 6th inning.
• 10 run rule after 3 ½ innings.
• No new inning started after 90 minutes from start time.
• A pitcher may hit a maximum of  4 batters before they  need to be replaced with a new pitcher.
• No bunting
• Stealing: Maximum of 2 steals per inning.  **CAN NOT STEAL HOME **A player can only steal if the catcher catches the ball or knocks it down in the immediate area (reaching distance).   
• running on an overthrow is not permitted.
• A base hit on the ground in the infield is a maximum of a double.
• A batted ball that lands in the outfield grass is allowed unlimited bases until fielded by an outfielder. No running during the throw in or on overthrows.
• Home team gets the field ready for the game. Visiting team rakes and drags field after the game.