USA Baseball Bat Standard

In conjunction with USA Baseball and its other participating national member organizations, PONY Baseball has adopted the new USA Baseball bat standard (USABat).

"Equipment, 8 (c) Wooden, metal, graphite or ceramic bats manufactured for baseball play, which are round and not more than two and five eighths inches in diameter (for Shetland, Pinto and Mustang effective in 2011 and Bronco, Pony, Colt and Palomino in 2012) at the thickest part, not more than 42 inches in length, are acceptable. Bats manufactured specifically for use in tee-ball play, shall not be used when the ball is pitched by a player, coach or pitching machine. Coach pitch bats will only be used in coach pitch using a safety ball."

Effective January 1, 2018, with the exception of -3 (BBCOR certified), all other 2 5/8" minus factor bats (-5, -7, -9, etc.), must be USABat certified with the USABat licensing stamp on the bat in order to be used for league and tournament play. All 2 5/8" minus factor bats -5, -7, -9, etc. used in 2017 will be illegal to use in 2018. 

The new USABat certified bats bearing the USABat licensing mark are expected to be offered in retail stores September 1, 2017.

To find out more about the USABat standard click here.

To find PONY's official approved bat list, which is in accordance with USABat, click  here.