USA, USSSA or BBCOR: which bat does my kid need?
It depends on the league, not the player. Check the stamp your league requires before you buy.
The league decides, not the player. Every youth bat carries a stamp, and the stamp has to match what your league or tournament allows. Buying the wrong one is the most common (and most expensive) mistake parents make.
The three stamps
- USA Baseball: used by Little League and most recreational leagues. These bats perform closer to wood.
- USSSA (1.15 BPF): used in most travel baseball tournaments. These bats are allowed to be livelier than USA bats.
- BBCOR (.50): required in high school and college. These are -3 bats (length minus weight equals 3).
Before you buy
- Ask the coach or check the league rulebook for the required stamp. A player on a rec team and a travel team may need two bats.
- Pick a length the player can control. A bat that’s too long or heavy slows the swing down, and a slower swing makes weaker contact.
- Swing it before you buy it if you can. If the barrel drops or the player can’t hold it straight out to the side for a few seconds, it’s too heavy.
In a session, bat speed is measured with a Blast sensor, so it’s easy to compare two bats and see which one the player actually swings faster.