Composite Bat Rule for Little League a Safety Issue

Effective for the 2011 Season Little League Baseball Inc. has placed a moratorium on the use of most composite bats.

The moratorium was initially announced in September 2010 as the result of research from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. It was expanded to include more bat models in December.

Composite bats are made with metal alloy barrels to decrease weight and increase strength and power, similar to metal alloys used to improve the performance of golf clubs and lacrosse sticks. Composite bats have gained popularity over their aluminum-barrel counterparts as being the lightest bat with the most power. Bat manufacturers scrambled to meet the growing demand, but the power of the composite bats can cause safety issues, especially among younger players attempting to field baseballs hit farther and faster than is indicative of their age and skill level.

“The moratorium is not the result of Little League changing its bat standards, nor was it influenced by any relationships with bat manufacturers,” Patrick W. Wilson, Vice President of Operations at Little League International, said after the first moratorium update this past December. “The decision to place the moratorium on composite bats in Little League’s baseball divisions is based solely on the fact that scientific research showed that composite-barreled bats may exceed the performance standard that is printed on the bats, after the bats had been broken in."

Locally, Day Street Sports is aware of this moratorium and will assist parents in purchasing a new bat that may be used. To check if a bat is covered in the moratorium check the lists available here.