Baseball/Softball Bat Guidelines

Suggested Guidelines for choosing a Child's Bat

When trying to determine if the bat is too heavy, have the child hold the bat out to their side,
at shoulder level height, for 20 seconds.  If they are unable to hold the bat out for 20 seconds,
the bat is too heavy.

Refer to the following charts when trying to determine which bat size is correct.

 Bat Selection by Age

Age Minimum
Bat Weight
Maximum
Bat Weight
Minimum
Bat Length
Maximum
Bat Length
Bat
Barrel Size
6-7 17 oz 19 oz 24 in 28 in 2 ¼ in
8 19 oz 21 oz 27 in 30 in 2 ¼ in
9 20 oz 23 oz 28 in 30 in 2 ¼ in
10 20 oz 23 oz 28 in 31 in 2 ¼ in
11 21 oz 24 oz 29 in 31 in 2 ¼ in
12 23 oz 25 oz 30 in 33 in 2 ¼ in
13-14 23 oz 28 oz 30 in 33 in 2 ¼ - 2¾ in
15-16 24 oz 30 oz 30 in 34 in 2¾ in


Popular Bat Length Selection by Age

Age 5-7 8-9 10 11-12 13-14 15-16
Length 24-28 in 27-28 in 28-30 in 30-31 in 31-32 in 32-33 in


Popular Bat Selection by Player Size

Weight Height                  
  >40" 41-44" 45-48" 49-52" 53-56" 57-62" 63-66" 67-70" 71-72" 73"+
0-60 26" 26" 28" 29" 29"          
61-70 27" 27" 28" 29" 30" 30"        
71-80   28" 28" 29" 30" 30" 31"      
81-90   28" 29" 29" 30" 30" 31" 32"    
91-100   28" 29" 30" 30" 31" 31" 32"    
101-110   29" 29" 30" 30" 31" 31" 32"    
111-120   29" 29" 30" 30" 31" 31" 32"    
121-130   29" 30" 30" 30" 31" 32" 33" 33"  
131-140   29" 30" 30" 31" 31" 32" 33" 33"  
141-150     30" 30" 31" 31" 32" 33" 33"  
151-160     30" 31" 31" 32" 32" 33" 33" 33"
161-170       31" 31" 32" 32" 33" 33" 34"
171-180           32" 33" 33" 34" 34"
181+             33" 33" 34" 34"

Last Updated: Monday, December 04, 2006