Glossary
Little League league age
A player's Little League league age is their age on August 31 of the season's year for baseball, and on December 31 of the year before for softball; it decides the division they play in and their pitch count.
- League
- Little League
- Sport
- Baseball and softball
- Ages
- Every baseball and softball division
- Rule year
- 2026
- Source
- Little League Regulation IV and the league age charts
- Last checked
- November 6, 2026
Leagues can set their own limits. Check your league's rules before the season.
Little League does not go by birthday age. Each player has a league age, fixed for the whole season, and it decides which divisions they may play in, which age group of pitch counts applies, and which all-star teams they can be picked for.
For baseball, the league age is the player's age on August 31 of the season's year. A player who turns 12 on May 10 is league age 12 for that season, and so is one who turns 12 on August 31. A player who turns 12 on September 1 is still league age 11, which is why September birthdays play a year longer in each division.
Softball uses a different date: the player's age on December 31 of the year before the season. A softball player who turns 12 in March of the season's year is league age 11. A family with a son in baseball and a daughter in softball can find their children a year apart on paper even when they are close in age.
League age sets the ranges, not the team. The Major Division is for league ages 9 to 12, for example, and the local league places players within it. The rule also matters for pitchers: the pitch count limits are set by league age, so a pitcher's daily limit does not change on a birthday in June.
| Program | League age is the age on | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | August 31 of the season's year | Born Sept 1: one year younger than a player born Aug 31 |
| Softball | December 31 of the year before the season | Born in January: one year younger than a player born Dec 31 |
How it plays out in a game
- Born June 2, 2014, playing baseball in 2026: league age 12.
- Born September 5, 2014, playing baseball in 2026: league age 11, so another year in the Minor or Major Division.
- Born March 1, 2014, playing softball in 2026: league age 11 (age on December 31, 2025).
Put it on a card: Depth charts.
Set up for this rule
The free league age calculator works out a player's baseball league age from their birth date and the season, with Little League's August 31 date already chosen.
Work out a league ageFrequently Asked Questions
What is the cutoff date for Little League baseball?
August 31. A player's league age is their age on August 31 of the season's year.
Why is Little League softball's age different?
Softball uses the player's age on December 31 of the year before the season, a date set to line up with other softball organizations' age groups.
Does league age change during the season?
No. It is fixed for the whole season, all-star play included.
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