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Bat Information

Approved Bat List


Important: Easton Ghost X 30/20 5/8 Decertified for Use by USA Baseball

On Thursday, May 3, USA Baseball informed youth organizations, including Little League, that effective immediately, the bat identified as the Easton Ghost X YBB18GX10 30/20 2 5/8" (or the "Easton Ghost X 30/20 5/8" at retail) has been decertified by USA Baseball and is no longer an approved bat under the USABat Standard. This applies to the 30-inch drop 10 variation of the Easton Ghost X only. Pursuant to Rule 1.10, this is now an illegal bat. At the time of this decertification notice, all other lengths and drops of the Easton Ghost X bat remain approved for play.

All parents, coaches, and umpires must check their bats and remove these bats from play if they are in possession of these bats.

Any questions regarding returns, refunds, or warranty claims for the Easton Ghost X 30/20 should be directed to Easton at ghostreturn@easton.com.

Please visit USABat.com/Decertified-Bats for more information.


Bat Decertification: What You Need to Know

Dear Little League Parents and Volunteers,

Receiving a notice that a bat has been decertified, especially in the middle of the season, is challenging, inconvenient, and disappointing for everyone. On Thursday, May 3, USA Baseball informed Little League and other youth organizations about the decertification of the Easton Ghost X 30/20 5/8. We are committed to sharing that information with all of you as soon as we received it. According to the official notice from USA Baseball, "official compliance testing determined that the Ghost X 30/20 exceeds the performance limit set by the USABat Standard. Per the USA Baseball Youth Bat Performance Test Protocol as well as (USA Baseball's) contracts with Easton, these results constitute a non-compliant bat that must be decertified."

For any family or league that is impacted by USA Baseball's decertification of the Easton Ghost X 30/20 5/8, we strongly urge you to read Easton's release, which includes information about how to return your bat to receive a $500 voucher for Easton.com.

How Certification and Decertification Works

For the USABat Standard, bat manufacturers are required by USA Baseball to have their bats certified by following the protocols set out by the standard. Once a bat is certified, additional compliance testing is done to make sure that the bats remain complaint with that standard. Little League® International has no role in bat testing or compliance testing.

Once a bat that is currently in the marketplace and available for purchase fails to meet the performance standard, it is decertified, and pursuant to Rule 1.10, is an illegal bat.

What Little League® Parents and Volunteers Need to Know

Little League does not decide whether a bat meets, doesn't meet, or no longer meets the performance standard. Bats used for Little League play in all divisions must remain compliant to the applicable bat standards, as explained in the current year's rulebook (Rule 1.10).

Through LittleLeague.org/BatInfo, as well as Little League's social media and email efforts, we are committed to sharing any information about the decertification of bats as soon as possible, so that all our families and volunteers know which bats are permitted and which bats that may have already been sold are no longer approved for play.

What are the Standards?

There are three bat performance standards that Little League International uses for its various divisions of play:

BASEBALL:

USABat: Overseen by USA Baseball and used by most youth baseball organizations, USABat Standard bats must be used at the Little League Baseball® Tee Ball, Coach/Machine Pitch, Minor League, and Major League (Little League) divisions. USABat Standard or BBCOR bats must be used at the Little League Intermediate (50/70) Baseball Division and Junior League Baseball Division. USA Baseball reserves the right to select any USABat product for compliance testing. At that time, the bat is sent to Washington State University for additional testing. If the bat is found to be out of compliance with the standards set forth in the USA Baseball Performance Test Protocol, the bat becomes decertified.

Again, we apologize for any inconvenience, and we strongly encourage you to visit LittleLeague.org/BatInfo for complete information about how bat standards impact all divisions of Little League and resources on which bats are approved for Little League use. For all information pertaining to the USABat Standard, visit USABat.com.

For those parents and leagues who purchased the Easton Ghost X, 30" -10 USA Baseball bat (model #'s YBB18GX10 30/20 & LL18GHX 30/20 Japan model), we, again, encourage you to read Easton's release and contact them as soon as possible at 1-844-531-7079, or ghostreturn@easton.com, to return your bat and receive your $500 electronic voucher.

Sincerely,

Patrick Wilson

Patrick W. Wilson
Senior Vice President, Little League Baseball and Softball


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LITTLE LEAGUE® TO ADOPT NEW USA BASEBALL BAT STANDARD STARTING WITH 2018 SEASON

We want to make everyone aware that the baseball bat standards have changed beginning with the 2018 season.

http://www.littleleague.org/media/llnewsarchive/2015/May-August/Little-League-USA-Baseball-Bat-Standard-2018.htm


Little League Baseball Bat Information

Before purchasing a new bat, be sure to understand the bat rules so that the bat you purchase is legal for use in 2018.

More info here:
http://www.littleleague.org/learn/equipment/baseballbatinfo.htm
http://www.littleleague.org/learn/equipment/baseballbatinfo/batrules.htm

 

Rule 1.10 - Baseball

The bat must be a baseball bat which meets the USA Baseball Bat standard (USABat) as adopted by Little League. It shall be a smooth, rounded stick, and made of wood or of material and color tested and proved acceptable to the USA Baseball Bat standard (USABat).

Beginning with the 2018 season, non-wood and laminated bats used in the Little League (Majors) and below, Intermediate (50-70) Division, and Junior League divisions shall bear the USA Baseball logo signifying that the bat meets the USABat – USA Baseball’s Youth Bat Performance Standard. All BPF – 1.15 bats will be prohibited beginning with the 2018 season. Additionally, starting in 2018, the bat diameter shall not exceed 2⅝ inches for these divisions of play. Additional information is available at LittleLeague.org/batinfo.

Tee Ball:

Under the USABat standard, certified Tee Ball bats (26" and shorter) will feature the USA Baseball mark and text which reads ONLY FOR USE WITH APPROVED TEE BALLS. All Tee Ball bats must feature the USA Baseball mark and accompanying text. Tee Ball bats that were produced and/or purchased prior to the implementation of the new standard can be certified using an Approved Tee Ball Sticker via the USA Baseball Tee Ball Sticker Program (USABaseballShop.com) beginning September 1, 2017.

Minor/Major Divisions:

It shall not be more than 33 inches in length; nor more than 2⅝ inches in diameter, and if wood, not less than fifteen-sixteenths (15/16) inches in diameter (7/8 inch for bats less than 30") at its smallest part. Wood bats taped or fitted with a sleeve may not exceed sixteen (16) inches from the small end.

NOTE: Solid one-piece wood barrel bats do not require a USA Baseball logo.