Spring Season (March to mid-June)

Coaches Corner

 

Kicking off our 2024 Spring Season - Manager's Meeting Information

Majors
Majors Athletics
AAA
AAA White Sox
AA
2023 AA Champions - Tigers

Baseball Age and Division Recommendations

The following information provides a general idea of what division most players at each age are playing. Note “age” refers to BASEBALL AGE for the current year. The Spring age charts can be found on the Forms & Documents page under the League Information tab on the ULLL web site (http://www.ulll.org). Please review this information, along with the team structure descriptions to determine what level you believe your player should most appropriately be playing.

Please note: The ultimate responsibility for assignment of players to a division rests with the ULLL President (president@ulll.org) and the ULLL Player Agent (playeragent@ulll.org). Information and preferences supplied by parents is considered, but placement in the division recommended by a parent/guardian during registration is NOT guaranteed.

  • Baseball Age 5 — All new players must play T-Ball. (Players who played T-Ball during the previous Fall Season may request placement in Coach Pitch).
  • Baseball Age 6 — All new players must play T-Ball. (Players who played T-Ball during the previous Spring Season may request placement in Coach Pitch).
  • Baseball Age 7 — Typically Coach Pitch
  • Baseball Age 8 — Typically play Coach Pitch; eligible to assess for AA Minors with previous player pitch experience
  • Baseball Age 9 — Typically Coach Pitch or AA Minors; AA Minors/ AAA Minors
  • Baseball Age 10 — Typically AA Minors or AAA minors; eligible for AA Minors/AAA Minors/Majors
  • Baseball Age 11 — Typically AAA Minors or Majors; eligible for AA Minors/AAA Minors/Majors
  • Baseball Age 12 — Majors; eligible for AAA minors with opt-out waiver approval

Division Team Structure

The following information is provided to give a general idea of how games are played at each level... in the event of a conflict between these descriptions and the rules for Little League baseball, the rules for Little League baseball apply.

Note:  For the ULLL's Spring Season Rules, please go to the "Forms, Documents, and Rules" page.

T-Ball — Baseball Ages 5-6Designed as an introduction to the game. Players hit the ball which is placed on a tee. All players bat each inning with a maximum of three (3) innings played. Runs and outs are not counted. No records or standings are kept. This level of play is mandatory for any player up through Baseball Age 6 who has not participated in a spring or fall season of T-ball. ULLL attempts to form teams by keeping players within their home area (Hamilton / Purcellville North, Lovettsville, Purcellville South, or Round Hill).

Coach Pitch Minors — Typically Baseball Ages 6,7&8 — Designed for skill development and learning the game. Players are given the opportunity to hit pitches that are delivered by a manager/coach from their own team. Defensive players rotate among all positions on the field throughout the season. The volunteer umpire does not call balls and strikes. When a player hits the ball, he/she will run the bases along with any runners that are on the bases. At the same time, the defending team will attempt to get the runners out. Stealing bases is not permitted. Games will end after six (6) innings or one and a half (1.5) hours, whichever occurs first. Each team's "at bat" ends when they score five (5) runs or when the other team records three (3) outs. Final scores are not recorded, and no standings are maintained. ULLL attempts to form teams by keeping players within their home area (Hamilton / Purcellville North, Lovettsville, Purcellville South, or Round Hill).

AA Minors — Typically Baseball Ages 9-11(Exceptions for 8yr old based on experience and assessment)Designed for transition to a complete game without direct coach involvement with a primary emphasis on player development. Players pitch to the opposing team and an umpire calls balls and strikes where batters can strike out. Each team's "at bat" ends when they score five (5) runs or when the other team records three (3) outs. Games will end after six (6) innings or if the game has been played for 1 hour and 45 minutes, any inning which has been started prior to the time limit expiring will be completed. No new inning will begin once the time limit has expired. There is a hard stop for every game at two (2) hours. Note: Games will be conceded when the game reaches regulation and a team is trailing by fifteen (15) or more runs after three (3) innings or ten (10) or more runs after four (4) innings. Final scores are not recorded, and no standings are maintained to prioritize player development over winning games. An end of season tournament is held with matchups determined by random draw. ULLL attempts to form teams by keeping players within their home area (Hamilton / Purcellville North, Lovettsville, Purcellville South, or Round Hill).

AAA Minors — Typically Baseball Ages 10-12 — Designed to separate older players in the minors divisions and provide a higher level of competition. AAA is often a transition area between AA and Majors, but that transition is not mandatory. This division balances playing time and positioning with trying to win games. All players bat throughout the game, and all players must play in the infield and outfield. Baseball 12 year old players may only participate at this level if they OPT OUT from the Majors division, subject to approval. A Baseball 12 year old may not pitch in the minors division. Games will end after six (6) innings or if the game has been played for 1 hour and 45 minutes, any inning which has been started prior to the time limit expiring will be completed. No new inning will begin once the time limit has expired. There is a hard stop for every game at two (2) hours. Note: Games will be conceded when the game reaches regulation and a team is trailing by fifteen (15) or more runs after three (3) innings or ten (10) or more runs after four (4) innings. Final scores are recorded, and standings are maintained. End of season playoffs are conducted with teams seeded based on regular season standings. ULLL attempts to form teams by keeping players within their home area; however, teams are formed with players in their home league (National — Hamilton / Purcellville North, Lovettsville; or American — Purcellville South, Round Hill) but not necessarily in their home area.

Majors (aka Little League)Ages 9-12 — The highest level of competition for this age group. This division represents what the general public knows as Little League baseball. Teams play six (6) inning games, with no time limits. There is no five (5) run limit for a team's at bat... the opposing team must record three (3) outs for the inning to end. Note: Games will be conceded when the game reaches regulation and a team is trailing by fifteen (15) or more runs after three (3) innings or ten (10) or more runs after four (4) innings. During the regular season, a continuous batting order (CBO) will be used, but during the playoffs, a nine (9) player batting order is used with substitutions during the game. Throughout the season, mandatory minimum play consists of six (6) consecutive defensive outs (2 innings) and one (1) at bat (waived for a shortened game). Typically, Baseball 9 year olds and Baseball 10 year olds do not play Majors. All 12 year olds must play in the Majors unless they OPT OUT. Final scores are recorded, and standings are maintained. End of season playoffs are conducted with teams seeded based on regular season standings. Typically, the ULLL Majors Championship concludes our spring season. Teams are formed with players in their home league (National — Hamilton / Purcellville North, Lovettsville; or American — Purcellville South, Round Hill) but not necessarily in their home area.

Differences between Spring Minors and Majors Division (Updated: Spring 2021)

Every year, ULLL receives a number of questions regarding the differences between ULLL's AAA (Minors) and Spring Majors divisions.  As a result, to assist families in deciding which level is right for your player (esp. players who are baseball age 12 yr olds, who did not play in the ULLL’s Spring Majors Division as a baseball age 11 yr old), the following information (both rules and format of ULLL’s AAA and Spring Majors Divisions) should be considered in understanding and deciding which level is right for your player.

First, Baseball age 12 yr old players can "opt out" of the Majors Division to be drafted to a Spring AAA team as a baseball age 12 yr old player with the approval of the ULLL President (president@ulll.org).

Differences between ULLL's AAA and Spring Majors Division:

AAA – All players on a team are in the batting order (Continuous batting order) and must play at least every other inning on defense. Additionally, players must play at least one inning on defense in the infield, and players cannot sit out more than two (2) defensive innings in any game. Innings change when the team in the field makes three outs /or/ the team at bat scores five runs. (Note: 12 yr old players may not play the position of pitcher at the Spring AAA level per Little League International Rules.) Games are played for six (6) innings or two (2) hours, whichever comes first.

Spring Majors – Majors is the highest level of Little League play. There are 11 players per Majors team in the Spring.

  • During the regular season, teams will be using a Continuous Batting Order (similar to AAA), though the mandatory minimum play rules are such that every rostered player present at the start of a game will participate in each game for a minimum of six (6) defensive outs and bat at least one (1) time.
  • During the end-of season tournament, only nine (9) players are in the line-up at any time – leaving three (3) substitutes.

The minimum playing requirement in Spring Majors is that every player has one (1) plate appearance and plays six (6) consecutive outs on defense – for example, two (2) consecutive innings on defense and one (1) at-bat.

Additionally, there are no run limits placed on an inning in Spring Majors. Three (3) outs must be made by the defense for the ½ inning to change over. However, in a shortened game (e.g., run rule, weather, darkness), the minimum playing time for each player does not apply; meaning some substitutes may not play the required minimum. There are no time limits on games and extra innings may be played if the game is tied after six (6) innings.

 

In summary, here are some of the differences between the ULLL’s AAA and Spring Majors Divisions:

AAA Division

  • Batting Order: Regular Season and Playoffs -- Continuous Batting Order – All players are included in the batting order
  • Fielding: Regular Season and Playoffs: All players must play at least every other inning. Each player must play 1 inning in the infield. No player can sit out more than 2 innings.
  • Run Limit: 5 runs or 3 outs (whichever occurs first)
  • Pitching: Baseball age 12 yr olds not allowed to pitch

Majors Division

  • Batting Order: Regular Season: All players are included in the batting order Playoffs: 9 Players & 2 Substitutes – Every player must have at least one plate appearance
  • Fielding: Regular Season: All players must play a minimum of six (6) defensive outs Playoffs: 9 Players & 2 Substitutes – Every player must play at least six consecutive outs
  • Run Limit: No limit. Defense must make 3 outs for an inning to end
  • Pitching: Baseball age 12 yr olds are allowed to pitch

When making the choice for your player, please know that not all Managers choose to manage the same way, but they are required to follow the rules about minimum playing time at both levels.

If you have any questions about which level is best for your player, please contact:

ULLL Player Agent (playeragent@ulll.org)

ULLL President (president@ulll.org)

ULLL Information Officer (information@ulll.org)