Little League Baseball® is adopting a new bat standard that will take effect on January 1, 2018. All national members of USA Baseball, including Little League®, are being encouraged to adopt this new standard, which was developed by a USA Baseball committee of scientific experts. Little League-approved bats can be used through December 31, 2017, but will not be permitted for any Little League practices or games beginning January 1, 2018, and the current bat regulations will be in effect until then. That includes the moratorium prohibiting the use of all 2 ¼ inch barrel baseball bats constructed with composite material in the barrel, unless approved.