Pitching Rules/Regulations

Little League Baseball has established strict rules regarding the number of pitches a player can throw in a game as well as the amount of rest that must observed.  It is extremely important to follow these rules to protect the health of our players.  Use good judgement with your pitchers.

If they look tired or are complaining of arm soreness, reduce their pitching load and/or give them more rest than the mandated time. 

If it's early in the season and their arms are not stretched out yet, or the have never pitched before, reduce their pitching load and/or give them more rest than the mandated time. 

The pitch limits and rest requirements assume your players only play on your Little League team.  You will have players that play on other teams, whether that is travel, high school, or in another league.  Talk to their other coaches and talk to their parents to understand if they are pitching outside Little League and how much.  If they are, reduce their pitching load and/or give them more rest than the mandated time. 


As a coach, your first responsibility is to protect your players and guard against overuse injuries, NOT win games.  It is never worth sacrificing the health of a player in order to win a Little League game.

Complete detail on pitching rules can be found on Little League's website, including guidelines on pitching and catching in the same game.

Managers are required to report pitch counts for every player that pitched, after each game.  When a game ends, both managers should get together to sign off on pitch counts for their players so they can be accurately reported.  You can report pitch counts here.

For more information on safely managing your pitchers, please review the Pitch Smart program provided by USA Baseball by clicking here.