18U

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AGE REQUIREMENTS

For 18U the player must be turning 16, 17 or 18 in the calendar year of play. View Player Eligibility for overage players here.

GENERAL RULES & REGULATIONS

League Overview

18U BAEL & AAA

Baseball Alberta League specific rules for the 18U 'BAEL' & 'AAA' play category.

ROSTER SUBMISSION

All roster submission dates can be found here. Initial rosters must be completed via the Spordle platform. All changes and adjustments are to be made by each association that has entered teams into Baseball Alberta specific leagues. 


BASEBALL ALBERTA ELITE LEAGUE presented by Rawlings & 18U AAA LEAGUE STRUCTURE

League Play - Total Points

*NEW FOR 2024*

Standings for the Baseball Alberta Elite League presented by Rawlings and the 18U AAA League will be determined by the following:


Baseball Alberta Elite League presented by Rawlings Provincial Championship

The Baseball Alberta Elite League presented by Rawlings Provincial Championship will be held as a ten (10) team tournament with two pools of five using Baseball Alberta's Ten Team Provincial Championship Schedule. 

Pool A = BAEL 1st Place, BAEL 4th Place, BAEL 5th Place, BAEL 8th Place, 18U AAA Provincial Champion

Pool B = BAEL 2nd Place, BAEL 3rd Place, BAEL 6th Place, BAEL 7th Place, 18U AAA Regular Season Champion


18U AAA Provincial Championship 

The Baseball Alberta 18U AAA League Provincial Championship will be held as a maximum ten (10) team tournament with two pools of four using Baseball Alberta's Ten Team Provincial Championship Schedule. 

Pool A = 18U AAA 1st Place, 18U AAA First Place, 18U AAA 5th Place, 18U AAA 8th Place, 18U AAA 10th Place

Pool B = 18U AAA 2nd Place, 18U AAA 3rd Place, 18U AAA 6th Place, 18U AAA 7th Place, 18U AAA 9th Place

The 18U AAA Regular Season Champion will participate in the 18U AAA Provincial Championship. 

The 18U AAA Regular Season Champion, regardless of finish at the 18U AAA Provincial Championship, and the 18U AAA Provincial Champion will advance to play in the Baseball Alberta Elite League Provincial Championship as the ninth (9th) and tenth (10th) seeds respectfully. In the event that the 18U AAA Regular Season Champion and the 18U AAA Provincial Champion are the same team, the 18U AAA Provincial Finalist will advance to the Baseball Alberta Elite League Provincial Championship as the tenth (10th) seed. 


Post Provincial Championship

BAEL & 18U AAA RELEGATION/PROMOTION GUIDELINES

In an effort to protect the competitiveness of the Baseball Alberta Elite League and the 18U AAA League, Baseball Alberta developed the following guidelines for relegation and promotion between categories beginning with the 2023 season.


Relegation from BAEL to 18U AAA


Promotion from 18U AAA to BAEL - in the event that BAEL requires more than one team to be promoted for the following season, the appropriate number of teams from the 18U AAA League based on the regular season standings will be promoted. 


Relegation from 18U AAA to 18U AA

BAEL SPECIFIC RULES

The regular season shall consist of an approximate 36-game schedule for each member team based on geography and the number of teams.

Teams can play unlimited innings to break any ties. In the event of the game having to be stopped due to darkness, weather, curfew, and/or mechanical failure, the game will be reverted back to the last completed inning and will be recorded as a suspended game. In the event that the suspended game cannot be played at a later time, the game will go as unplayed in the standings.

The HOST team will be responsible for providing sufficient Official Baseball Alberta approved baseballs for every game to umpires or to the starting pitchers and umpires, as the case may be. Failure to do so will result in a penalty imposed by Baseball Alberta.


Eligibility Rule

Eligibility for the Provincial Championship tournament will be determined by making at least 5 separate league game appearances from June 1st until the end of the league season. Should a player be on a team’s roster and is injured or further circumstances exist, the five-game requirements may be waived upon approval by the Baseball Alberta Executive Director.


Game Appearances shall be defined as:


Coaches are responsible for verification of participation for each team at the end of each game. Coaches are encouraged to keep their lineup cards after each game.


All teams are required to keep score for their host games using GameChanger unless they are not participating in the game. In this case, the home team is responsible for scoring on GameChanger.


The Host Team (or Home team, if Host is not playing) MUST have a trained GameChanger volunteer. This may be a parent but CANNOT be a player in or out of the dugout. Failure to do so will result in a $500 fine per infraction or a penalty imposed by Baseball Alberta.

BAEL & 18U AAA RULES - APRIL & MAY GAMES

Baseball Canada rules (including DH) except for:


Limited Substitution Rule is optional (if agreed to by both coaches), including the ability to re-enter the last player substituted for in case of injury/ejection with no substitutes still available; a pitcher who is removed from the game shall not be allowed to pitch or catch again that game.


Designated Hitter/Limited Re-entry - Regarding the use of the Designated Hitter with limited re-entry rules, the termination of the Designated Hitter in the game also eliminates the re-entry for the starting Designated Hitter.

Mercy Rule is in effect (10 run differential when the losing team has completed their 5th offensive inning).

*NEW FOR 2024* 

Courtesy Runner for Catcher and/or Pitcher - A courtesy runner will be permitted to replace the catcher and/or pitcher on any base provided that there are two outs in the inning. The catcher and pitcher will be defined as the players who finished the previous defensive inning in those positions. 


*NEW FOR 2024* 

Enforcement of 90 Seconds Between Innings - The between innings clock will be set at ninety (90) seconds. The umpire will keep time with a stopwatch. The clock will be in effect for the entire game, including any extra innings. It will be activated once the last out of the inning has been recorded. The pitcher must complete and may not exceed 8 warm up pitches within the time. The catcher will be instructed to throw to second base with 30 seconds left on the clock. The batter must be entering the batter's box as time expires or when instructed by the Home Plate Umpire. The umpire will use discretion when the catcher or pitcher is a runner or batter/hitter when the half inning ends. 


BAEL & 18U AAA RULES - JUNE & JULY GAMES

Baseball Canada Official Rules of Baseball (including DH) except for:


Mercy Rule is in effect (10 run differential when the losing team has completed their 5th offensive inning).


*NEW FOR 2024* 

Courtesy Runner for Catcher and/or Pitcher - A courtesy runner will be permitted to replace the catcher and/or pitcher on any base provided that there are two outs in the inning. The catcher and pitcher will be defined as the players who finished the previous defensive inning in those positions. 


*NEW FOR 2024* 

Enforcement of 90 Seconds Between Innings - The between innings clock will be set at ninety (90) seconds. The umpire will keep time with a stopwatch. The clock will be in effect for the entire game, including any extra innings. It will be activated once the last out of the inning has been recorded. The pitcher must complete and may not exceed 8 warm up pitches within the time. The catcher will be instructed to throw to second base with 30 seconds left on the clock. The batter must be entering the batter's box as time expires or when instructed by the Home Plate Umpire. The umpire will use discretion when the catcher or pitcher is a runner or batter/hitter when the half inning ends. 

18U AA

Baseball Alberta League specific rules for the 18U 'AA' play category.

ROSTER SUBMISSION

Initial rosters must be completed via the Spordle platform. All changes and adjustments are to be made by each association that has entered teams into Baseball Alberta specific leagues. 


LEAGUE STRUCTURE

Round 1: 

Regional seeding round; each region will play a round-robin within their region to determine Division I and Division II (North/South) qualification for play in June. Playing rules will allow teams to focus on development as well as competition.


Round 2: 

Division I/II (North/South) seeding round; each Division will play either a single or double round-robin (depending on the number of teams) in June to determine qualification for Tiers I, II, III, and IV. Division I teams will be tiered into either Tier I, II, or III, and Division II teams will be tiered into the remaining Tiers at the age category (see Team Movement for exceptions).


Round 3: 

Provincial round to be played in Tiers; depending on the number of teams in each tier, Provincial Championships will consist of either 4, 5, 6, or 8 teams.


ALL TIERS - ROUNDS 1 AND 2 RULES

Baseball Canada rules (including DH) except for:


Game Time Limit 

*NEW FOR 2024* 

No new inning to start after 2 hours and 15 minutes of play, unless the game is tied. The start of the game begins when the first pitch is thrown. 


Limited Substitution (Re-Entry) Rule, including the ability to re-enter the last player substituted for in case of injury/ejection when no substitutes are still available; a pitcher who leaves the mound or the game may not pitch again in that game or catch in the same game (Please see Limited Substitution examples in general rules).


If both coaches agree in Rounds 1 and 2, teams may play utilizing the Unlimited Substitution Rule to enhance player development (all players bat and free defensive movement in/out except that once a pitcher leaves the mound defensively, that pitcher may not pitch again in that game).


Mercy Rule in Effect (10 run differential when the losing team has completed their 5th offensive inning/at bat).


Designated Hitter/Limited Re-entry - Regarding the use of the Designated Hitter with limited re-entry rules, the termination of the Designated Hitter in the game also eliminates the re-entry for the starting Designated Hitter.


TIER 2+ ROUND 3 AND PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

Baseball Canada Official Rules of Baseball except for:


Game Time Limit 

*NEW FOR 2024* 

No new inning to start after 2 hours and 15 minutes of play, unless the game is tied. The start of the game begins when the first pitch is thrown. For Tier 1, the Game Time Limit rule will extend into Round 3, however AA Tier 1 Provincial Championships will operate with no game time limits. Tier 2+ will have a Game Time Limit of 2 hours and 15 minutes for Round 3 and Provincial Championships. 


Limited Substitution (Re-Entry) Rule, including the ability to re-enter the last player substituted for in case of injury/ejection when no substitutes are still available; a pitcher who leaves the mound or the game may not pitch again in that game or catch in the same game (Please see Limited Substitution examples on page 26).


Mercy Rule in Effect (10 run differential when the losing team has completed their 5th offensive inning/at bat).


Designated Hitter/Limited Re-entry - Regarding the use of the Designated Hitter with limited re-entry rules, the termination of the Designated Hitter in the game also eliminates the re-entry for the starting Designated Hitter.


TIER 1 ROUND 3 AND PROVICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

Baseball Canada Official Rules of Baseball except for:


Game Time Limit 

*NEW FOR 2024* 

No new inning to start after 2 hours and 15 minutes of play, unless the game is tied. The start of the game begins when the first pitch is thrown. For Tier 1, the Game Time Limit rule will extend into Round 3, however AA Tier 1 Provincial Championships will operate with no game time limits. 


Mercy Rule in Effect (10 run differential when the losing team has completed their 5th offensive inning/at bat).


Any game where fewer than 9 players are at the diamond within 15 minutes past the designated start of the game will result in a 7-0 forfeit (unless determined to be a scheduling error or team has communicated an acceptable situation to the host/home team); if 7 or 8 players are present (except for Provincial Championship weekend), the game will still be played (pitch counts will still count in daily/weekly total); the opposing coach will have the option to loan that team a player(s) to play the game, but that player(s) may not pitch.

18U A

Baseball Alberta League specific rules for the 18U 'A' play category.

ROSTER SUBMISSION 

All roster submission dates can be found here. Initial rosters must be completed via the Spordle platform. All changes and adjustments are to be made by each association that has entered teams into Baseball Alberta specific leagues. 


LEAGUE STRUCTURE

The Baseball Alberta Provincial 18U ‘A’ Baseball League will consist of three weekends:

Teams will be separated into regional areas (based on the number and location of teams) for League Play weekends. Every team will qualify for the Provincial Championships in an appropriate tier based on results during the first two weekends of play. Note: If there are too few teams registered to host the ‘A’ division of play, the teams entered will be given the opportunity/choice to compete in the lowest ‘AA’ Tier for play in July and will have an opportunity to qualify for that Tier’s Provincial ‘AA’ Championship.


18U A LEAGUE PLAY AND PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

Baseball Canada rules except where identified for the following:


Unlimited Substitution

Every player present will be placed on the line-up card in the batting order and will all bat in order; players are allowed to move in/out defensively without restrictions except that if the pitcher leaves the mound to play another defensive position, that pitcher may not return to the mound or catch in the same game; any player who becomes injured or must leave the game will be skipped in the batting line-up with no penalty. 


All players who are present for a game and in uniform (unless injured and unable to play or suspended for that game by the league or team) must be listed on the batting order/line-up card -- any coach who sits a player to gain a competitive advantage will be subject to discipline by Baseball Alberta.


Participation Rule

A player may not sit more than 2 consecutive defensive innings (one pitch constitutes an inning sat)


Mercy Rule: 

*NEW FOR 2024*

In effect -- 10 run differential when the losing team has completed their 5th offensive inning/at bat


Maximum 7 Run / Half Inning Rule 

*NEW FOR 2024* 

For 18U A once the 7th run of a half inning is scored the inning automatically stops no matter how many outs there are and that half inning is over. This rule will apply to 18U A League Play and Provincial Championship play. 


Game Time Limit 

*NEW FOR 2024* 

No new inning to start after 2 hours and 15 minutes of play, unless the game is tied. The start of the game begins when the first pitch is thrown.


Number of Innings

All games are of seven innings to be completed, if time and weather permits. However, four and a half (4-1/2) innings constitute a regulation game if the home team has more runs than the visiting team.


Games cannot end in a tie 

Games will need to go into extra innings to finish the game. The extra inning at 18U is played with each team beginning the extra inning (and any subsequent necessary extra innings) with a base runner on first and second, no outs. The batting order of the extra inning or any subsequent innings will be determined by how the previous inning ended. See examples found in the General Rules of Play for more clarification. 


Completion of Games

All games must be completed, even if the run differential exceeds the Maximum 7 Run / Half Inning Rule.