Little League Baseball pitching rules
These are the Little League Baseball limits as I read them out of Little League Regulation VI, checked on September 4, 2026. I coach youth baseball and I bought the books, because every summary I could find online disagreed with at least one other summary. Where a figure comes from the rulebook itself, I say so. Where it does not, I say that too.
Quick answers
How many innings is a Little League game?
6 innings for League Age 6–8, 9–10 and 11–12; 7 innings for League Age 13–14 and 15–16.
How many pitches can a Little League pitcher throw?
League Age 6–8: 50 pitches a day; League Age 9–10: 75 pitches a day; League Age 11–12: 85 pitches a day; League Age 13–14: 95 pitches a day; League Age 15–16: 95 pitches a day. A pitcher who reaches the limit mid-batter may finish that batter.
How many days of rest does a pitcher need?
It depends on how many pitches they threw that day, counted in calendar days. League Age 6–8 to League Age 13–14: 0–20 pitches, no rest; 21–35, 1 day; 36–50, 2 days; 51–65, 3 days; 66 or more, 4 days. League Age 15–16: 0–30 pitches, no rest; 31–45, 1 day; 46–60, 2 days; 61–75, 3 days; 76 or more, 4 days. Also, a pitcher may not pitch on 3 consecutive days — 2 days in a row is the most allowed.
Can a catcher pitch, or a pitcher catch, in the same day?
A player who has caught 4 or more innings in a game may not pitch that day. A pitcher who throws 41 or more pitches may not catch afterwards that day. A player who caught 3 innings or fewer, then moved to pitcher and threw 21 or more pitches, may not return to catcher that day. League Age 15–16: 31.
Does every player have to play?
Mandatory play in the regular season: every player present plays 6 defensive outs and bats at least once.
Each answer is read from the tables and rules below.
| Applies to | Limit | Games per day | Game length |
|---|---|---|---|
| League Age 6–8 | 50 pitches a day | 1 | 6 innings |
| League Age 9–10 | 75 pitches a day | 1 | 6 innings |
| League Age 11–12 | 85 pitches a day | 1 | 6 innings |
| League Age 13–14 | 95 pitches a day | — | 7 innings |
| Intermediate permits one game a day; Junior and Senior permit two. Depends on your division. | |||
| League Age 15–16 | 95 pitches a day | — | 7 innings |
| Pitches thrown | Calendar days of rest |
|---|---|
| 0–20 | none |
| 21–35 | 1 |
| 36–50 | 2 |
| 51–65 | 3 |
| 66 or more | 4 |
| Pitches thrown | Calendar days of rest |
|---|---|
| 0–30 | none |
| 31–45 | 1 |
| 46–60 | 2 |
| 61–75 | 3 |
| 76 or more | 4 |
Rules coaches often miss
- Mandatory play in the regular season: every player present plays 6 defensive outs and bats at least once.
- A pitcher may not pitch on 3 consecutive days — 2 days in a row is the most allowed.
- Once removed from the mound, a pitcher may not return to pitch in the same game. Intermediate (50-70), Junior and Senior only: a pitcher who stays in the game at another position may return to the mound once per game.
- A player who has caught 4 or more innings in a game may not pitch that day.
- A pitcher who throws 41 or more pitches may not catch afterwards that day.
- A player who caught 3 innings or fewer, then moved to pitcher and threw 21 or more pitches, may not return to catcher that day. League Age 15–16: 31.
- Little League Regulation VI(j): a player who has attained league age 12 is not eligible to pitch in the Minor League.
- A pitcher who reaches the limit mid-batter may finish that batter.
- One pitch received in the 4th inning counts as having caught four innings.
Where these numbers come from
Source: Little League Regulation VI, checked September 4, 2026.
Published at: https://www.littleleague.org/playing-rules/pitch-count/
Tournament and All-Star play is governed by a different document, and this page cites it separately rather than letting one date stand for both: Little League Tournament Rule 9 (revised 2023), checked August 15, 2026. https://www.littleleague.org/university/articles/mandatory-play-little-league-international-tournament-rule-9/
Little League also runs another program
Little League's rules are not the same across its programs. If you coach more than one, check each. See Little League Softball.
Your league may be stricter
Local boards can and do add restrictions on top of the national rule — inning caps, tighter daily limits, time limits. What they cannot do is go the other way. If your league runs tighter than the table above, your league wins.
Even Innings is a planning aid, not a compliance system. It cannot know what happened in a game, and it does not replace your rulebook or your league's own bylaws. Always confirm current-year specifics with your own league.