What are the current rules and regulations regarding Adult baseball bats?

Adult baseball bats must have a -3 length to weight ratio and 2” barrel. In high school and collegiate sanctioned leagues, bats must be 31"-34" long to be legal.

 

What is BBCOR?

BBCOR stands for Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution and is something you've probably heard a lot about recently. In late 2010, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) announced their intention to ban composite-barreled baseball bats and move from a BESR standard to a BBCOR standard for baseball bats. Please see below for the current rules and regulations regarding the use of adult baseball  bats. For an explanation of what each of these standards means, click here.

NCAA Baseball Bat Rules

As of January 1, 2011, all non-wood baseball bats must be BBCOR certified to be used in NCAA and collegiate play.

 

NFHS Baseball Bat Rules

Outside of California, all BESR certified baseball bats with alloy barrels remained legal until January 1, 2012. Beginning January 1, 2012, all non-wood baseball bats used in high school play must be BBCOR Certified.

 

CIF Baseball Bat Rules

Starting Jan 1, 2011, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) requires that all non-wood baseball bats must be BBCOR Certified or on the BESR-ABI approved list. Even BESR Certified baseball bats with alloy barrels are not legal for play in California in 2011 unless they have received the ABI waiver.

 

Other Organizations Baseball Bat Rules

Many unsanctioned high school baseball organizations have followed suit in implementing the NFHS standards for composite baseball bats. Check with your organization before purchasing a composite-barreled baseball bat.

 

BESR/BESR-ABI Baseball Bat Rules

Ball Exit Speed Ratio (BESR) was the former standard that governed adult baseball bats. After composite-barreled adult baseball bats were banned by the NFHS and NCAA in 2010, baseball bat manufacturers were allowed to apply for a waiver for certain baseball bats. In order to receive this waiver, their baseball bats had to undergo Accelerated Break-In (ABI) testing. This procedure tested composite baseball bats after they had been broken-in to ensure they were not too hot for play. Bats that received the waiver were able to be used in high school play across the country (including California) in 2011.

 

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