The Little League organization sets forth rules on the size and types of bats players are allowed to use. There is some leeway in the rules as far as bat weight and length. Using the right bat can help a player considerably. A lighter bat is much easier for a hitter to control, for example, and allows the player to swing faster than a heavier bat, advises Ned McIntosh in "Managing Little League Baseball."
Length
Little League bats can be up to 32 inches long. Adult bats can be up to 34 inches. However, McIntosh advises that few Little League players need a bat longer than 28 inches.
Diameter
The allowed bat barrel in Little League is 2¼ inches. This differs from an adult bat barrel diameter, which is 2 5/8 inches, according to Daniel Russell of Kettering University.
Weight
A bat for Little League usually weighs 14 to 27 oz. However, according to Little League there is no rule about a minimum or maximum weight for bats. Composite and aluminum bats are lighter than wood bats. Little League first allowed nonwood bats in 1971. These have mostly replaced wood bats in Little League play, according to the organization, whereas wood bats are mainly used these days in professional baseball.
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