11U baseball is a youth league where kids 11 years old and younger can play baseball. 11U baseball is governed through the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), which is a separate organization from other youth baseball leagues, like Little League.
11U Division
Players who turn 12 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 5th grade. Also, any player turning 13 prior to August 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 11u are eligible for this division regardless of their grade.
colspan=“2”>Baseball Age Chart |
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4U (2018 birthday) |
5U (2017 birthday) |
6U (2016 birthday) |
7U (2015 birthday) |
11U/12U pitch at 46 feet and the bases are at 60 feet. At Walker, it’s the closest base pegs (of three) and the closest pitching rubber. (Please note there is sometimes a third pitching rubber that is temporary for AA games in which case 46 feet would be the middle rubber).
In general, an ERA in the range of 4.00 – 5.00 is considered a good career ERA, with the best pitchers being below 2.00.
Ages 11-12 – 85 pitches per day. Ages 9-10 – 75 pitches per day. Ages 7-8 – 50 pitches per day.
Major Baseball Level - 12U (Ages 12 & under)
20122022 - 2023 Season
Playing Age | Birth Year |
---|---|
U13 | 2010 |
U12 | 2011 |
U11 | 2012 |
U10 | 2013 |
A player can play in the U12 category until 31st Dec of the year that they turn 12 years of age. A player can play in the U12 category until 31st Dec of the year that they turn 12 years of age. A player can play in the U12 category until 31st Dec of the year that they turn 12 years of age.
(Typically 46-50’ Pitching Distance)
Age | Daily Max (Pitches in Game) | 4 Days Rest |
---|---|---|
9-10 | 75 | 66+ |
11-12 | 85 | 66+ |
All bases will be considered open. Base runners may lead-off from all bases and advance in accordance with the rules of baseball. Only 9 defensive players are allowed on the field at one time.
The right baseball bat size for 11 year olds is, on average, the 30/20. Based on our research and survey data with over 200 respondents, almost 30% of 11 year old baseball player use a 30/20. The next three sizes, which make up 60% of the respondents, are the 31/21, 29/19 and 30/22.
11 and 12 Year Olds
The average fastball is between 50-60 mph. However, at this age the players may start to hit puberty, therefore it is not uncommon to see a pitcher throwing near 70 mph. The changeup velocity at this age is typically between 40-50 mph.
Pitching velocity by age in the U.S.
Age | Average Velocity¹ | Your Goal² |
---|---|---|
11 | 52 MPH | 55 MPH |
12 | 55 MPH | 60 MPH |
13 | 62 MPH | 65 MPH |
14 | 68 MPH | 70 MPH |
Balls hit over 50 mph, which for decent 10u kids is pretty easy, should be hit up at about a 20-degree angle. This gets the ball out of the infield and into the outfield every time. Now a good 10-year-old is going to push the 60 or 65 miles per hour mark in exit velocity.
Ages 12 through 13 (7th grade)
Players in this age bracket start out playing at 12u in spring and transition into 13u in fall (if fall baseball is available).
12U Guideline
The Field Size for 12U games is 70-80 yards long and 44-55 yards wide.
The average age of players in Triple-A last year was 28, and the vast majority of players in Triple-A are older than their Major League Rookie counterparts.Minor League Leaderboard Context.
Level | Average Age |
---|---|
AAA | 28.2 |
AA | 23.8 |
A+ | 22.4 |
A | 21.2 |
Considering BBCOR bats are right around the corner, we’d suggest most 12-year-olds look for a drop 8 bat as the right drop. In terms of length, most drop 8 bats go as low as a 30 through a 32. We think the ideal bat for the average 12-year-old is a 31-inch drop 8 bat (which would make it 23 ounces).
And, 60% strike percentage is a very reasonable goal for a 12YO.
While Little League has a mandated pitch counts (50 pitches for 7 and 8-year-olds; 75 pitches for 9 and 10-year-olds; 85 for 11 and 12-year olds) Kremchek, however, thinks parents should keep count themselves because coaches often don’t enforce them.
12U Division
Players who turn 13 prior to May 1 of the current season are not eligible unless they are in the 6th grade. Also, any player turning 14 prior to August 1 will not be eligible. Players who are 12u are eligible for this division regardless of their grade.
For example, a 5th grade AAU team (11U) can only pick players who are no older than 11 years old on August 31, 2019. Thus, any player with a birthday before that date has to try out for the 6th grade team (12U) even though he is in 5th grade.
2022 AGE-BASED DIVISIONS:
Division | Ages | Inclusive Birthdays |
---|---|---|
(10U) | 8-9-10 | 8/1/2011 - 7/31/2014 |
(11U) | 9-10-11 | 8/1/2010 – 7/31/2013 |
(12U) | 10-11-12 | 8/1/2009 - 7/31/2012 |
(13U) | 11-12-13 | 8/1/2008 – 7/31/2011 |