2025 WYBSA Baseball Farm

Division Guidelines

Objectives

• WYBSA Farm is recreational and intended for the players to learn baseball and have fun.
• The goal is to teach fielding, hitting, throwing, pitching, and base running fundamentals in conjunction with good sportsmanship and team work.
• Players at this level should be taught the following concepts
  • Outs at bases other than first
  • Force outs vs. tag outs
  • Fielders covering their bases
  • Outfielders backing up infielders
  • Outfielders throwing to 2nd
  • Runners rounding first on a single and advancing to the next base
  • Recognizing strikes vs. balls
  • Pitching Mechanics

Team Expectations

• All teams will have (1) head coach and, ideally, at least one assistant coach for official roster purposes.
  • Coaches are encouraged to engage parents for help on the bench and with other activities needing supervision by an adult.
  • Parents involved on a routine basis should have a CORI on file.
• During the game, a defensive coach will back-up the catcher.
  • Their role is to collect the balls in a bucket while the pitcher uses a bucket of balls already on the mound
  • It is at coach/catcher discretion whether to throw the balls back or bring them back to the pitcher once the bucket fills
• While on offense, the offensive team should have adult coaches available to pitch as well as at first base, third base, and helping with the bench
• The home team is responsible for delivering the game balls and base placement for each game
• Field lining is performed by Junior Umpires
• The home team is responsible for returning game equipment (bases, etc.) to the lock box and/or equipment trailer
• Both teams are responsible for trash removal and dugout cleaning for their respective sides
• Both teams are responsible for field maintenance as required (field repair, mound/plate maintenance, etc.)
• Grievances are to be directed to the League Commissioner by the official coaching staff only.

Farm League Games

• Game length is 90 minutes
• Game format 6 innings. No new innings should start after 75 minutes.
• No tees are used during hitting
• Each half inning will end after the earlier of 3 outs or 7 batters
• No standings or scores are kept
• Infield dimensions
  • 42' Pitching Distance
  • 60' Base Distance

Offense

• When a ball is hit in play, the batter is to run the bases as they would in "normal" game conditions
• The batter may take more than one base only if the ball is struck well into the outfield
• Base runners are allowed to advance a single base on an overthrown ball to first base only on a ball hit in play.
  • Advancing a base or bases on any other overthrown ball is allowed until the ball is "mounded"
  • For balls hit to the outfield, the runners and batter may continue to advance base to base until the ball is "mounded"
• All base runners are in play and may be tagged or forced out
• There is no leading, advancement on passed balls, or stealing.
  • Advancing to the next base only results from a hit or overthrow as detailed above
• All batters and runners are required to wear an appropriate helmet, including the one on deck.
• Feet first slides are permitted. No head first sliding.
  • Players need to slide to avoid a tag at home plate. No running into the catcher.
• A base runner called out is the leave the field of play and return to the bench
• All available players must be in the batting order. Everybody hits even if not playing the field.
• The inning will end after 7 players get at-bats or 3 outs, whichever is first.
  • The last inning, as agreed upon by the coaches, will be unlimited runs until 3 outs or through the batting order once
• No bunting or slashing (i.e. presenting to bunt and then pulling back to swing)
• No sacrifice fly balls allowed and the infield fly rule will not apply
• There is no swinging of bats in or near the dugout/bench area. Only the batter at the plate and the on-deck batter (standing outside the dugout) can swing a bat

Defense

• Each player plays in the field each inning.
• Each player must play infield for at least 2 innings and outfield for at least 1 inning per game
• There are 6 dedicated infield positions with all other players occupying the outfield
  • Extra infielders are not permitted
• Infield Positions
  • Pitcher
  • Catcher
  • First Base
  • Second Base
  • Third Base
  • Shortstop
• Outfield Positions
  • Left Field
  • Center Field
  • Right Field
  • R/L Center Field
  • Any additional outfields should be evenly distributed
• Catchers will wear full protective gear provided by the league.
  • Please help catchers get ready in between innings to keep the game moving.
• Catching gear provided by the league
  • Helmet/Face Mask
  • Chest Protector
  • Shin Pads
  • Catcher's Mitt
• An athletic supporter is recommended for any fielding position and required for catchers
• It is recommended for 2 coaches to be in the field coaching their team playing defense
• Outs are determined by the Junior Umpire
• Teams require a minimum of 7 players.
• Teams can field up to 6 outfielders.
• Coaches must try to rotate players throughout all positions during the season.
  • No single player should be playing a specific position regularly
  • Coaches will use their own discretion regarding the safety of players at pitcher, catcher, and first base
  • It is recommended that a player should not play as catcher for more than 3 innings per game

Pitching

• For the first part of the season, every inning will be a combination of player and coach pitch
  • A player starts pitching to every batter and pitches until the batter strikes out, hits a ball in play, or draws a fourth ball.
  • On a fourth ball for a hitter, the count is reset and a coach pitches for (4) pitches only.
    • If the player hits the ball in play, play resumes.
    • If the player does not hit the ball in 4 pitches, it will be counted as a strike out.
      • For Wildcat division ONLY, batters will be permitted to take first base after a strike out and it will not count as an out for the first half of the season. In the second half of the season, it will be treated as a strike out.
• Coaches should use common sense with this pitching approach (i.e. giving extra pitches if appropriate)
• All players who can reasonably reach the plate should have the opportunity to pitch
• Pitching distance should be 42'
  • It should be no closer than 38' feet (for safety) if a pitcher is having trouble reaching the plate
• Pitchers are limited to 1 inning per game.
  • A pitcher's pitch count should not exceed 50 pitches per game
  • Please keep player's health in mind when managing pitchers
• Pitchers are limited to 2 innings per week maximum.
• If a pitcher hits 2 batters in an inning, the pitcher MUST be removed from pitching in that game.
• If a pitcher has trouble throwing strikes and the coach has stepped in four batters in a row, the coach may take over pitching the remainder of the inning.
  • This is at the coach's discretion
• Pitchers require 1 full day of rest between appearances
• Pitching week runs Sunday - Saturday
• Pitchers removed cannot return to pitch in the same game
• A Junior Umpire will call balls/strikes
• By coaches mutual agreement, any of these rules can be modified on a game-to-game basis.
  • Coaches should use common sense and ensure instruction for all involved is provided

Sportsmanship

• All coaches, parents and players are required to demonstrate proper respect towards opponents, teammates, equipment and umpires.
  • Disrespecting opponents, teammates, equipment or umpires is subject to disciplinary action.
  • Coaches, Players and Parents should all be familiar with the Code of Conduct/Zero Tolerance policy.

Please direct all questions to the League Commissioner