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”.
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.
