Little League continuous batting order

In a continuous batting order, the lineup is the roster. Every player who is at the game when it starts goes into the order and bats in turn, all game, whether they are playing in the field that inning or not. Defense is separate: players move in and out of the field freely, and none of those moves changes the order.

Little League made it the rule for tournament play in 2023, in place of the old tournament mandatory play rule. All-star and tournament teams from the Major Division through Junior League use it; Senior League does not. A tournament player must bat in their spot, but there is no minimum of innings in the field.

In the regular season it is a local choice. Many leagues use it in Tee Ball and the Minor Division so every child gets the same number of at-bats, and Major Division leagues can pick it or bat nine. A league that bats nine still has the mandatory play rule: six defensive outs and an at-bat for every player.

The order has to be right before the first pitch, because it can't be patched later the way a nine-man order can with a substitute. Coaches who write it on a lineup card with every player listed, and the defense for each inning beside it, have the whole game in one place for the scorekeeper and the umpire.

How it plays out in a game

• A team of 13 bats all 13 in order, though only nine play the field each inning.
• A player sits on defense in the fourth inning but still bats in their spot in the fifth.
• A Major Division league that bats nine in the regular season switches to a continuous order for its all-star team.

Put it on a card: Lineup cards.

Set up for this rule

The free lineup card generator prints a card with room for your whole roster, so every player in a continuous batting order has a line.

Frequently Asked Questions

More in the glossary

• Little League mandatory play rule
• Little League bat rules
• Little League league age
• All glossary pages