Tournament Playįor all levels of play except for Senior League Baseball and Senior League Softball, if a tournament team has 13 or more eligible players in uniform at a game, every player on the roster must participate in each game for a minimum of one at-bat. For the Tee Ball and Minor League Divisions, if a league uses 15-20 player rosters, they may reduce the Mandatory Play Rule to three defensive outs and one at-bat per game. In the Minor League Division, if a half-inning ends because of the imposition of the five-run limit, and a player on defense has played for the entire half-inning, that player will be considered to have participated in three defensive outs. There is no exception to this rule unless the game is shortened for any reason, at which time the local league may elect not to impose a penalty on the manager/coach. First infraction is a warning, followed by more serious penalties if infractions continue.

Managers are penalized for not meeting playing time requirements. If, within a game, a player does not meet those requirements, he/she will start the next scheduled game, play any previous requirement not completed in the prior game, as well as the requirement for the current game before being removed. Six defensive outs is defined as “A player enters the field in one of the nine defensive positions when his/her team is on defense and occupies that position while six outs are made.” Bat at least one time is defined as “A player enters the batter’s box with no count and completes that time at bat by being retired or by reaching base safely.” Regular SeasonĪt levels of play, every rostered player present at the start of a game must participate in each game for a minimum of six defensive outs and bat at least once. It’s important for parents to understand the specifics of Mandatory Play for both the regular season and tournament play. To encourage participation, Little League’s Mandatory Play regulation assures all players get their time on the field. Every Little Leaguer should have the opportunity to experience new challenges on the baseball and softball field, and parents are encouraged to work with their children and their children’s coaches about trying new positions, growing skill sets, and ensuring all players on the roster are having a fun, meaningful experience at their Little League games. The more time players are on the field, the better. We pride ourselves in, and are committed to providing fair playing time to all Little Leaguers®. Little League® is not a win-at-all-cost organization.

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