What size bat does my kid need?
Length and weight are what parents ask about. The certification stamp is what gets a bat pulled out of a game — and the standards don't overlap. Answer six questions and we'll give you both.
Where do they play?
This decides which stamp the bat legally needs.
Age this season
Height
Build
Which hitter are they more like?
Contact hitters want bat speed; power hitters want mass.
How serious is it?
Answer the questions above and we'll work out the length, weight and — most importantly — which certification stamp the bat needs.
The mistake that costs the most
The stamps are not interchangeable. A USSSA bat will be pulled from a Little League game and a USA bat is not legal in a USSSA event. If your child plays both, a solid wood bat is legal everywhere and costs a fraction of a second aluminium one. More on playing both.
The three stamps, plainly
- USABat
- Little League, Cal Ripken and most town leagues. Max 33", barrel up to 2⅝".
- USSSA 1.15 BPF
- USSSA tournaments and much of travel ball. Barrels up to 2¾" are permitted, which is why these bats feel bigger.
- BBCOR .50
- Babe Ruth 13–15, high school, and 14U and up in travel ball. Always drop 3.
Related
- Which age division is my child in? — every sanctioning body at once.
- What travel baseball actually costs — the bat is rarely the biggest line.