The Specifications Of A Little League Junior Bat

Little League has been administering organized baseball for players from the ages of 4 through 18 since 1939. In an effort to keep the game as safe as possible, the Little League junior division requires baseball bats to meet specifications in terms of length, barrel size and materials used to construct the bat. This will help protect pitchers, who are in a vulnerable position after they release the ball.

Junior Division

The junior division of Little League Baseball is for 13- and 14-year-old players. The players compete on full-size fields with 90 feet between the bases and a distance of 60 feet, 6 inches from the pitching rubber to the back point of home plate. The Little League junior division conducts regional and national championships on an annual basis.

Junior League Size Regulations

According to the Little League organization, bats used by junior league players cannot be more than 34 inches in length and they may not have a barrel with a diameter of more than 2 5/8 inches. Bats must be at least 15/16ths of an inch in diameter at its narrowest point. If the bat is 30 inches or less, it must be at least 7/8ths of an inch in diameter. The minimum diameters at the bat's narrowest point prevent the bat from becoming top heavy and giving it the ability to launch the ball at dangerous speeds that could leave the pitcher at greater risk to serious injury.

Composite Materials

Bats may be made from wood, metal or composite materials. Wood and metal bats are approved by the Little League junior division. However, a moratorium on composite bats with widths of 2 5/8 inches was imposed in 2010. This was done to protect pitchers from injuries.

Bat Performance Factor

Little League bat researchers have determined that a batted ball should not rebound off the bat at a speed that places opposing players, especially pitchers, at great risk of getting injured. The measurement used by Little League is called the bat performance factor. At the junior level, the bats used by players may not have a BPF of greater than 1.15.