TPC – USA Baseball, the national governing body for the sport of baseball in the United States, is adopting a new method for measuring bat performance in the testing of youth bats. The new USA Baseball bat standard (USABat), was developed by a USA Baseball committee of scientific experts. Little League Baseball® will adhere to the new bat standard, effective on January 1, 2018. You can purchase a new bat for next 2017, because Little League-approved bats can be used through December 31, 2017, and our current bat regulations remain in effect until then. But, after 2017 the bat you purchase cannot be used in 2018.