Guidance on Bats
OBA Bat Guidance
Navigating the youth baseball world can be complex. Rules for allowable bats vary by league, tournament organization and age group. Essentially, there are three standards for bats; USABaseball (or USABat), USSSA BPF 1.15 and BBCOR. USABat and USSSA 1.15 bats are used for 13u and under age groups, while BBCOR is used for only 14u and older.
Note that USSSA 1.15 bats are considered to have more “pop” than the USABat models. As players enter Mustang and older age groups, USSSA 1.15 bats are much more popular.
Both the length and the weight of the bat are important in determining which bat is appropriate for different ages. The difference in the length of the bat (in inches) and the weight of the bat (in ounces) is referred to as the “drop”. Thus a 29” bat that weighs 19 ounces would be considered a “drop -10”.
THE OFFICIAL BAT. The bat shall be a smooth cylinder with a knob. Only bats that pass through a 2-1/4-inch (5.7150 cm) diameter bat ring are legal. Each bat shall be no more than 2-1/4 inches (5.7150 cm) in diameter at its thickest part, no more than 34 inches (86.360 cm) in length, and not exceed 38 ounces (1077.30 g) in weight. There shall be no devices, attachments, or wrappings that cause the handle to become flush with the knob. All bats shall meet the USA/ASA bat performance standard. Laser etching, other than on the barrel is permissible.
All bats must bear the USA/ASA approved certification mark and must not be listed on an USA/ASA Banned Bat list unless it bears the USA/ASA approved recertification mark; or
Must be included on a list of approved bat models published by USA/ASA; or
Must be in the sole opinion and discretion of the umpire, have been manufactured prior to 2000 and, if tested, would comply with the USA/ASA bat performance standards then in effect.
Safety grip or cork, tape (no smooth plastic tape) or composition material may not exceed two layers of tape and must be a continuous spiral. Any resin or pine tar is permissible on this part of the bat. Tape must be at least 10 inches long and not more than 15 inches.
The bat’s knob may be solid or hollowed out to house an embedded metric sensor. If a sensor is used, it shall
Not affect performance
Be secured by a locking mechanism and a back-up mechanism to keep it in place.
Have a distinguishing “offline” mode to prevent data from being accessed during a game.
OBA bat rules are as follows:
Pinto
Bats marked with the USABaseball (or USABat) stamp are allowed. USSSA 1.15 stamped bats are NOT allowed. No length or drop restrictions. Most players will use a 27”- 28” bat with a drop between -10 and -12.
Mustang
USABat or USSSA 1.15 stamped bats are allowed. No length or drop restrictions. Most players will use a 28”- 29” bat with a drop of -10 to -12.
Bronco
USABat or USSSA 1.15 stamped bats are allowed. No length or drop restrictions. Most players will use a 29”- 30” bat with a drop of -10.
Pony
All bats MUST have the USSSA 1.15 stamp OR be BBCOR. Bats must be either a drop -5 or drop -3 bat. Barrel sizes can be no bigger than 2 5/8 diameter. ALL WOOD BATS ARE ALLOWED.
Pony 680
Per 680 Diablo League rules, all bats MUST have the USSSA 1.15 stamp on them OR be BBCOR. ALL WOOD BATS ARE ALLOWED.
- 13U – Must be a drop -5 or drop -3 bat. Both 2 ⅝” and 2 ¾” barrel diameter bats are allowed.
- 14U – Must be a drop -3 bat and have a BBCOR stamp. Barrel diameter is limited to a 2 ⅝” maximum.
