This is a reminder that Little League baseball, as well as other major youth baseball organizations, will be adopting the USA Baseball bat guidelines beginning January of 2018.
All bats with the Little League script logo, the BPF 1.15 label, will no longer be legal as of the end of the 2017 calendar year. All legal bats for the 2018 season will carry the USA Baseball logo pictures to the right. The other modifications will be that bats can now have a maximum barrel of 2-5/8".
These changes are similar to the BBCOR standard set forth in High School and Collegiate baseball which brings metal baseball bats closer to the performance profile of wooden bats.
These new standards were developed by a scientific panel organized by USA Baseball and approved in 2015. The past 3 years have given manufacturers time to modify their bats for the 2018 implementation date. Parents and players should expect the new bats to be available in retail locations by the end of September 2017.
For NOKLL parents, please keep in mind, any bat purchased for the Fall season with the script Little League logo will not be legal after this season. Unless a new bat is a necessity for this Fall, your family should consider delaying a new bat purchase until the release of the USA Baseball approved bats are released this Fall.
For a full read up from Little League Baseball and USA Baseball, please visit these resources for more information.
LITTLE LEAGUE® TO ADOPT NEW USA BASEBALL BAT STANDARD STARTING WITH 2018 SEASON
Little League Baseball Bat Info
USA Baseball, member organizations announce new youth bat performance testing program
*** North Orlando Kiwanis Little League is a non-profit youth organization serving the Baldwin Park, Audubon Park, Colonialtown, Pine Loch, College Park, and Winter Park communities since 1953.
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