Opening Day Countdown

Tee Ball Baseball is for boys and girls 4-5 years old (with a local option for 6- and/or 7-year-olds) who want to learn the fundamentals of hitting and fielding.

In Tee Ball, players hit a ball off a batting tee. Rules of the game may be varied to accommodate the need for teaching.

The primary goals of Tee Ball are to instruct children in the fundamentals of baseball and to allow them to experience the value of teamwork.

Tee Ball rosters may be composed of between 12 and 20 players, but most leagues have rosters in the 12-15 range. No live pitching is permitted in this division. Generally, the diamond used is a 60-foot diamond, but the league has the option to use a 50-foot diamond.

Minor League Baseball programs for boys and girls may be operated within each division for younger players with less experience. The minor league may be players ages 7-8.

Divisions may be established within the Minor League for "machine pitch," "coach-pitch" or "player-pitch." By local option, a player who is league-age 6 (by April 30) for the current season and has played a year in Tee Ball may be "moved up" to a coach-pitch division.

A local league might have its 7-8-year-olds in the Minor League Coach Pitch Division, while its 9-10-year-olds are in the Minor League Player-Pitch Division. However, by local option, some of the 9-year-olds could "play down" in the coach-pitch division, and some of the 8-year-olds could "play up." This is entirely the choice of the local league board of directors.

Rosters may be composed of between 12 and 20 players, but most leagues have rosters in the 12-15 range. The diamond used is a 60-foot diamond and the pitching distance is 46 feet.

The 9-10 Year Old Baseball Division for boys and girls was established as a tournament program in 1994.

It gives children of this age the opportunity to experience tournament competition, up to state level.

Players on these teams can be chosen from among Major Division and/or Minor Division teams. The diamond used is a 60-foot diamond and the pitching distance is 46 feet.

The Little League Baseball Division (also known as the Major Division) is for boys and girls ages 9-12.

A local league may choose to limit its Major Division to 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds, or 11-12-year-olds. The diamond used is a 60-foot diamond and the pitching distance is 46 feet.

The local league has an option to choose a Tournament Team (or "All Stars") of 11-12-year-olds from within this division, and the team may enter the International Tournament.

The division, which is new division of Little League Baseball in 2013 for players league-age 11-13 with postseason tournament opportunities, including a World Series, offers a transition for players between the standard Little League field size (46-foot pitching distance and 60-foot base paths) and the Junior/Senior/Big League field size (60-foot, 6-inch pitching distance and 90-foot base paths).

Many of the Junior League rules will be used such as runners being permitted to lead off bases, runners may attempt to steal at any time, and allowing an on-deck batter.

The Junior League Baseball Division is a program for boys and girls ages 13-14, using a conventional 90-foot diamond with a pitching distance of 60 feet, 6 inches. Modified diamond dimensions may be used during the regular season.

The Senior League Baseball Division is for boys and girls 15-16 years old, using a conventional 90-foot diamond with a pitching distance of 60 feet, 6 inches.

The local league has an option to choose a Tournament Team (or "All Stars") of 13-16-year-olds from within this division (and/or from within the Junior League or Big League divisions), and the team may enter the International Tournament.

The Big League Baseball Division is for boys and girls ages 17-18, using a conventional 90-foot diamond with a pitching distance of 60 feet, 6 inches.

The local league has an option to choose a Tournament Team (or "All Stars") of 15-18-year-olds from within this division (and/or from within the Senior League Division), and the team may enter the International Tournament.