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Age Appropriate Types of Baseballs and Softballs

Now that you know more about baseballs than just about anyone else on your child’s team, let’s dive into age-appropriate baseballs for RECREATIONAL youth baseball that are available on the market.

Baseballs for Recreational Leagues

Baseballs for Tournament / School Baseball

Practice Baseballs

  • Practice baseballs for youth leagues
  • Practice baseballs for competitive leagues
  • Blem baseballs

Baseballs for 1st graders

Players in this age bracket (6 to 7 years old) are placed into Farm A (Cal Ripken), Minor (Little League), AA (Dixie) or Shetland (Pony) division.

Baseballs are usually RIF Level 5 safety baseballs but they look very much like a “regular baseball”.

All these Level 5 baseballs are good my preference is the MacGregor model because the leather feels really nice and comes with raised seams.

For the latest prices and availabilities, click on the link – first grade rec baseballs

Baseballs for 2nd graders

7 and 8 year old players are placed into Farm AA (Cal Ripken), Minor (Little League), AA (Dixie) or Mustangs (Pony) division.

Baseballs at this begins to resemble a professional-grade baseball without the same performance characteristics.

Also keep in mind that two different models from Rawlings is purely cosmetic (brand stamping).

For the latest prices and availabilities, click on the link – second grade rec baseballs

Baseballs for 3rd graders

Players in this age bracket (8 to 9 year old players) are placed into Minors 46/60 League (Cal Ripken), Minor/Major (Little League), AAA Minors (Dixie) or Broncos (Pony).

For the latest prices and availabilities, click on the link – third grade rec baseballs

Baseballs for 4th graders

Players aged 9 to 10 are placed into Majors 50/70 (Cal Ripken), Major (Little League), AAA Minors (Dixie), or Broncos (Pony) divisions.

Most often, the baseballs used in third grade are also used in fourth grade.

For the latest prices and availabilities, click on the link – fourth grade rec baseballs

Baseballs for 5th graders

Players aged 10 through 11 are placed into Majors 50/70 (Cal Ripken), Major (Little League), AAA Minors or Majors (Dixie), or Pony (Pony).

Baseballs used by these players are similar to those used for fourth graders.

For the latest prices and availabilities, click on the link – fifth grade rec baseballs

Baseballs for 6th graders

Players aged 10 through 12 are placed into Majors 50/70 (Cal Ripken), Intermediate 50/70 (Little League), Majors (Dixie), or Pony (Pony).

Baseballs used by these players are similar to those used for fifth graders.

For the latest prices and availabilities, click on the link – sixth grade rec baseballs

Baseballs for 7th graders

Players in this age group (12 through 13 years) begin playing in the 12u division in spring and transition as a rising 13u in fall (if fall baseball is available).

As players reach the age of 13, most leagues start transitioning them onto “big” fields, also known as 60/90 or MLB regulation-sized fields. Players in this age group are classified as Pony (Cal Ripken), Junior (Little League), Majors (Dixie), or Pony (Pony).

For the latest prices and availabilities, click on the link – seventh grade rec baseballs

Baseballs for 8th graders

Players in this age bracket (13 through 14 years) are assigned to the Pony or Seniors League(Cal Ripken; most rec leagues do not have enough kids so they merge), Junior (Little League), Colts (Pony) or Junior (American Legion).

For the latest prices and availabilities, click on the link – eighth grade rec baseballs

Baseballs for 9th graders

Players in this age bracket (14 through 15 years) are assigned to the Seniors league (Cal Ripken), Junior (Little League), Colts or Palominos (Pony) , or Junior League (American Legion).

For the latest prices and availabilities, click on the link – ninth grade rec baseballs

Baseballs for 10th graders

Players in this age bracket(15 through 16) are assigned to Seniors or babe Ruth league (Cal Ripken), Junior or Senior (Little League), or Palominos division (Pony).

Normally, most leagues in this age group start to use the same baseballs used by middle school and high schools.

For the latest prices and availabilities, click on the link – tenth grade rec baseballs

Baseballs for 11th/12th graders

Players in this age bracket (ages 16 through 18) are assigned to Babe Ruth (Cal Ripken), Senior (Little League), Palomino (Pony), or Junior league (American Legion).

Many teams at this level use baseballs made by Diamond, Rawlings or Wilson, all of which are known for their high quality leather and accurately shaped baseballs.

For the latest prices and availabilities, click on the link – eleventh and twelfth grade rec baseballs

Takeaways

If you have any questions about a particular tee ball, please leave a comment below.

Please don’t forget to visit Buying Baseballs – Reference Articles page to read other fascinating information about baseballs!

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