Equipment Guide
What does my ballplayer need?
Is your ballplayer new to BBSC, or perhaps moving up into a new age division, and you're not quite sure what equipment they'll need?
Here's a quick and easy guide that covers the basics.
Tball
The Basics
Fielding Glove
Batting Helmet
Baseball Pants (Light gray-colored)
Optional Items
T-Ball Bat
Baseball Cleats
Bat Bag
Provided Uniform Items
Jersey
Socks
Hat
Notes from Coach:
Vinyl (non-leather) fielding gloves may be a more inexpensive option for our youngest players, but they are not recommended for play outside of the T-Ball division. If you want a glove that will last a few seasons, opt for a leather glove. You'll find many quality options in the $25-40 range.
Cleats are nice to have, but are unnecessary for anything performance-related in T-Ball. They achieve two goals here: They'll make your ballplayer look like a ballplayer and they'll help to keep baseball dirt out of your house!
Any T-Ball bat will do. These are the smallest, lightest bats on the shelves. Whether you spend $2 at a rummage sale or $100 at the store, these bats will all perform the same for this age. Don't let your player fool you, they may try to convince you that the bats with cool dinosaurs on them make the ball go farther. They don't, but... bats with dinosaurs on them are admittedly pretty cool and worth considering.
LABEL EVERYTHING! Hats, bats, helmets, water bottles. If it's got space to write your player's last name on it, you should.
Baseball
The Basics
Fielding Glove (additional information below)
Batting Helmet
Baseball Cleats
Baseball Pants (Light gray-colored)
Recommended Items
Bat Bag
Baseball Bat (regulations below)
Provided Uniform Items
Jersey
Socks
Hat
Belt
Notes from Coach:
Time to toss the vinyl fielders glove left over from T-ball. They don't offer the same padding & protection that a leather glove does. Players that use these gloves are often afraid to catch the ball because it physically HURTS to catch them.
Likewise, T-Ball bats should no longer be used. Should your player use a T-Ball bat to hit hardballs, you'll soon notice dents in the bat. It's time to stow it away in the garage for your family's next ballplayer or donate it to the neighbor kid that needs one.
A set of catcher's gear is provided, however, if you have a ballplayer that has taken a special liking to the position, it's not entirely uncommon for players to purchase their own set.
It's wise to invest in a few pairs of pants so you're not throwing one pair in the laundry 3 times each week, after each practice and game. And yes... most every coach wants your player to wear baseball pants to practice.
Batting gloves are a personal preference. Many players prefer to use them, several prefer not to use them. As you can imagine, blisters can and do happen by repeatedly practicing your swing. But beware, these are the most frequently misplaced personal items.
Water bottles. Speaking of misplaced items... at the end of the season, the trunk of my car is filled with about 10 of them that were left behind in the dugouts. Label them so when the inevitable happens, I can get them back to your ballplayer.
Softball
The Basics
Fielding Glove (additional information below)
Softball Pants (graphite-colored)
Batting Helmet with Facemask (Required)
Softball Cleats (less important for 6U)
Recommended Items
Bat Bag
Softball Bat (regulations below)
Protective Fielder's Facemask
Visors are available ala carte via online sales (optional)
Provided Uniform Items
Jersey
Socks
Belt
Notes from Coach:
While not required in rec-level competition, many coaches will recommend a protective fielder's facemask. It simply offers an additional line of personal protection for players, primarily while playing infield positions. From distances of 60' (or less), hard-hit softballs can reach the closest infielders in a hurry.
It's wise to invest in a few pairs of pants so you're not throwing one pair in the laundry 3 times each week, after each practice and game. And yes... most every coach wants your player to wear softball pants to practice.
A set of catcher's gear is provided, however, if you have a ballplayer that has taken a special liking to the position, it's not entirely uncommon for players to purchase their own set.
Batting gloves are a personal preference. Many players prefer to use them, several prefer not to use them. As you can imagine, blisters can and do happen by repeatedly practicing your swing. But beware, these are the most frequently misplaced personal items.
Water bottles. Speaking of misplaced items... at the end of the season, the trunk of my car is filled with about 10 of them that were left behind in the dugouts. Label them so when the inevitable happens, I can get them back to your ballplayer.
Bat Regulations
Baseball & T-Ball
There are no specific regulations for T-Ball bats.
USA Baseball bats (stamp pictured) are required in all rec baseball age divisions between 7U(Rookies) and 15U (Babe Ruth).
BBCOR bats (stamp pictured) are optional for 15U (Babe Ruth) rec baseball. If not BBCOR, players are required to use USA Baseball stamped bats.
BBCOR bats are required for all 18U (Colt) rec baseball players.
Softball
USA and/or ASA bats (stamps pictured) should be used in all rec softball divisions 6U through 18U.
Appropriate Bat Sizes
(click image to view full size)
Glove Selection
The wall of gloves at the nearest sporting goods store can be intimidating. Here's what you're looking at:
Utility Gloves. Designed for players that will play multiple positions. They're on the larger end of the infield glove spectrum, and smaller end of the outfield glove range. Will often feature closed-webbing for players who also pitch. They range in size from 11”-12” for youth and 11.75”-12.5” for adults. Softball utility gloves typically range from 11.5”-12.5”. If your player is just picking up the sport, this is the perfect glove for them.
Infielder Gloves. Smallest gloves on the field. Shallow pockets to help with quick transitions in and out of the glove. For youth baseball players, infield gloves range in length from 10.75”-11.75”. For high school through adult baseball gloves range from 11.25” to 12.25”. Softball infield gloves range from 11” to 12”.
Outfielder Gloves. Larger glove with deeper pockets that are designed to secure ball after a catch. For youth players, outfield gloves range from 10.75”-12.5”. For high school through adults, 12.5”-12.75”. Softball outfield gloves tend to range from 12”-13”
Pitcher's Gloves. Closely resemble an infielder glove, but likely features closed-webbing to conceal a pitcher's grip on the ball. They range in size from 10.75”-12.5” for youth, and 11.5”-12.5” for adult baseball and softball players.
1st Baseman's Mitts. Larger-sized gloves that feature additional padding and protection. These look like a hybrid between an outfielder's glove and a catcher's mitt. These should be used only when playing 1st base.
Catcher's Mitts. Lots and lots of padding. These are measured by their circumference. Players ages 12 and under will need a mitt around 32.5″ and players 13 and older need catcher's mitts around 33″ or 34″
Bonus: Baseball/Softball Parents Gear
Collapsible Chair. The single-most important item in the baseball mom/dad inventory is a comfortable sideline chair. This is not the time to skimp and pull something off the clearance rack. Your hind quarters will be firmly intrenched in this thing for hours on end this season. Treat Yo' Self! Cup holders, snack trays, sun shades, built in battery-operated fans, hydraulic rocking mechanisms. Treat. Yo'. Self.
Ridiculous looking, but incredibly warm clothing and blankets. Early spring and late fall games will be anything but warm. Be prepared. This is not a fashion show, it's a ballgame (no idea why that model is in heels). The paparazzi will not be posted at Belvedere Park for your kid's 9am game to take your photo. You will not end up on the cover of the tabloids. You will be warm, and that's all that matters. Bonus points if your oversized blanket/hoodie/fuzzy poncho is large enough to include a friend that is not as well-prepared as you.
USB Battery Backup. We're not here to judge, so we'll just assume your phone died because you were keeping the official scorebook on Game Changer. Definitely NOT from scrolling Facebook or filming TikTok videos of yourself dancing on the sidelines. Again, no judgment. Your phone battery, or far worse, little brother/sister's tablet battery, is inevitably going to die halfway through the game. They need Roblox. And let's face it, YOU need Roblox.
The Mom Bag. Simply, you've just got to have a place to keep the... sunscreen, bug spray, band aids, sunglasses, snacks, hand sanitizer, tissues, wipes, tablet, backup tablet, ridiculous looking but incredibly warm clothing and blankets, battery backups, and if you want to move your kid up in the batting order, extra mechanical pencils for when coach loses his. Trust me, this all fits. I've seen it.