New Bat Rules for High School
Beginning Spring Season 2028
High school baseball will see a change in bat specifications starting in the 2028 season. Currently bats need to meet the following:
BBCOR-certified bats
Maximum 2⅝-inch barrel
-3 drop weight only (e.g., a 33-inch bat must weigh at least 30 ounces)
These requirements remain the same through the 2027 season, and can still be used going forward.
Beginning in the 2028 season, the players may use:
Traditional USA BBCOR (-3) bats (Older non-branded bats can be used indefinitely)
USA-certified -4 bats
USA-certified -5 bats
USA-certified -6 bats
The new bats will need to have the USA certified branding to be legal.
Advantages
The newer lighter bats will allow younger smaller players to transition more easily from youth baseball bats to the heavier -3 high school bat. The lighter bats will improve bat speed, and some think this is a safety risk for players. Currently manufacturers are claiming that the reduced mass will not result in significant increased exit velocity. I’m not crazy about the wording, but it I believe they mean that with players swinging an appropriate weight for their size.
Risks
I believe that for varsity, they should keep to the -3 weight, and allow the other weights for middle school and JV (including Freshman ball where appropriate.) One study shows that for every ounce drop in weight, bat speed increases by 1-2 MPH. So if bat speed with a -3 is 80 MPH, then at -6, the bat speed would be 85-86 MPH. That’s a pretty significant increase. If you have a larger junior or senior already swinging upper 80s, then I think the exit velocity could increase significantly. The loss of mass would be negligible compared to the increase in swing speed. That’s why the lighter bats should remain outside of varsity. Players looking to play in college will need to be swinging the heavier -3 anyway to prepare for college.
Let me know what you think . . . good rule or no?
Thanks for reading! If you have any other topics you’d like to hear about, just drop me a comment.