THE PITCH COUNT REGULATION
The following is the text of the new regular season Pitch Count Regulation for all levels of Little League Baseball.
(The rule for use in the International Tournament is similar, and also is printed below.)
REGULAR SEASON – BASEBALL ONLY
REGULATION VI – PITCHERS:
(a) Any player on a regular season team may pitch. (NOTE: There is no limit to the number of pitchers a team may
use in a game.)
(b) Players once removed from the mound may not return as pitchers. Junior, Senior, and Big League Divisions
only: A pitcher remaining in the game, but moving to a different position, can return as a pitcher anytime in the
remainder of the game, but only once per game.
(c) The manager must remove the pitcher when said pitcher reaches the limit for his/her age group as noted below,
but the pitcher may remain in the game at another position:
League Age
17-18 105 pitches per day
13-16 95 pitches per day
11-12 85 pitches per day
9-10 75 pitches per day
7-8 50 pitches per day
Exception: Exception: If a pitcher reaches the limit imposed in Regulation VI (c) for his/her league age while
facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the following conditions occurs: 1. That batter
reaches base; 2. That batter is put out; 3. The third out is made to complete the half-inning. Note 1: A pitcher
who delivers one or more pitches in a game cannot play the position of catcher for the remainder of
that day.
(d) Pitchers league age 16 and under must adhere to the following rest requirements:
• If a player pitches 61 or more pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest and a game (see e. below) must
be observed.
• If a player pitches 41 - 60 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest and a game (see e. below) must be
observed.
• If a player pitches 21 - 40 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 1-20 pitches in a day, no (0) calendar day of rest must be observed.
Pitchers league age 17-18 must adhere to the following rest requirements:
• If a player pitches 76 or more pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest and a game (see e. below) must
be observed.
• If a player pitches 51 - 75 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest and a game (see e. below) must be
observed.
• If a player pitches 26 - 50 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar days of rest must be observed.
• If a player pitches 1-25 pitches in a day, no (0) calendar day of rest must be observed.
(e) A player may not pitch in consecutive games. Exception – League Age 16 and under - A player may pitch in
consecutive games if 40 or less pitches were delivered in the previous game. League Age 17-18 - A player may
pitch in consecutive games if 50 or less pitches were delivered in the previous game.
(f) Each league must designate the scorekeeper or another game offi cial as the offi cial pitch count recorder.
(g) The pitch count recorder must provide the current pitch count for any pitcher when requested by either
manager or any umpire. However, the manager is responsible for knowing when his/her pitcher must be
removed.
(h) The offi cial pitch count recorder should inform the umpire-in-chief when a pitcher has delivered his/her
maximum limit of pitches for the game, as noted in Regulation VI (c). The umpire-in-chief will inform the
pitcher’s manager that the pitcher must be removed in accordance with Regulation VI (c). However, the failure
by the pitch count recorder to notify the umpire-in-chief, and/or the failure of the umpire-in-chief to notify t
manager, does not relieve the manager of his/her responsibility to remove a pitcher when that pitcher is no
longer eligible.
(i) Violation of any section of this regulation can result in protest of the game in which it occurs. Protest shall be
made in accordance with Playing Rule 4.19.
(j) A player who has attained the league age of twelve (12) is not eligible to pitch in the Minor League. (See
Regulation V – Selection of Players)
(k) A player may not pitch in more than one game in a day. (Exception: In the Big League Division, a player may be
used as a pitcher in up to two games in a day.)
NOTES:
1. The withdrawal of an ineligible pitcher after that pitcher is announced, or after a warm-up pitch is
delivered, but before that player has pitched a ball to a batter, shall not be considered a violation. Little
League offi cials are urged to take precautions to prevent protests. When a protest situation is imminent, the
potential offender should be notifi ed immediately.
2. Pitches delivered in games declared “Regulation Tie Games” or “Suspended Games” shall be charged against
pitcher’s eligibility.
3. In suspended games resumed on another day, the pitchers of record at the time the game was halted
may continue to pitch to the extent of their eligibility for that day, provided said pitcher has observed the
required days of rest.
Example 1: A league age 12 pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended.
The game resumes on the following Thursday. The pitcher is not eligible to pitch in the resumption of the game
because he/she has not observed the required three days of rest.
Example 2: A league age 12 pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The
game resumes on Saturday. The pitcher is eligible to pitch up to 85 more pitches in the resumption of the game
because he/she has observed the required three days of rest.
Example 3: A league age 12 pitcher delivers 70 pitches in a game on Monday when the game is suspended. The
game resumes two weeks later. The pitcher is eligible to pitch up to 85 more pitches in the resumption of the
game, provided he/she is eligible based on his/her pitching record during the previous three days.
Note: The use of this regulation negates the concept of the “calendar week” with regard to pitching eligibility.
For the complete information you can download the PDF version here.