At McCabe Park Little League, we want your child to have fun playing baseball at the appropriate level for them. MPLL follows the age guidelines set forth by Little League International and will make every effort to keep players in the appropriate age division unless skill level and or maturity dictate otherwise.
Have questions about which division is the right one for your child? Check out the table below. You can also ask a previous coach for an honest recommendation or email us at mccabeinfo@gmail.com. Not sure whether to move your child up to the next division? Check out our FAQ.
Tee Ball (Development program)
League Age* 4, 5 or 6 with no previous experience
*League Age is different than actual age. Please see the chart above.
This is a fun drill-and-repetition-focused program to introduce your child to the game of baseball. Teams of 12 will play 6 vs. 6, while the other players take turns rotating to outfield stations with various drills.
- Players will:
- hit off the tee only
- be introduced to the positions of the game
- learn the bases and how to run them
- learn how to work together as a team
Commitment
Games are 45 minutes and each team will play an 8-game schedule. Games will be played on Saturdays at either McCabe Little Field or another field within our league's boundary. Teams will also practice 1 time per week.
Equipment
At minimum, each player needs a baseball glove and helmet. Personal bats and cleats are not required but recommended.
Lower Coach Pitch
League Age* 5 or 6 (with T-Ball experience), or 7 (with one or fewer seasons of Lower Coach Pitch ex
*League Age is different than actual age. Please see the chart above.
Lower Coach Pitch players should:
- be aware of how to protect themselves properly from the ball
- be able to make some type of contact with a pitched ball
- be able to stop a thrown ball consistently and catch it in glove 50% of the time
- be able to throw the ball in the air or with a bounce to a nearby base after fielding it
- be able to field a ground ball when the ball is hit directly to him/her
- have basic knowledge. of positions, bases and the rules of baseball
- have a positive attitude towards teammates, coaches, practice and games
- expect to be challenged during practices and games
Players learn the basics of baseball and will be introduced to and play all positions. The game is played like a typical baseball game with 10 defensive positions and a continuous batting order. Coaches toss up to five pitches. If batters don’t hit a ball into play after five pitches, they hit off the tee. There are no strikeouts. While outs will be called on the base paths, teams only switch sides after hitting through their lineup.
What's the difference between Lower and Upper coach Pitch?
The primary difference between Lower Coach Pitch and Upper Coach Pitch is the level of competitiveness. Lower Coach Pitch is a recreational league in which the teams don't keep score and the primary focus is on developing baseball skills and a love of the game. Upper Coach Pitch is a competitive baseball league intended for ballplayers with a few seasons of experience and a desire to develop more advanced baseball skills.
- Offensively, Upper Coach Pitch ballplayers need to be able to make contact most of the time (>50%) with balls pitched from a distance of 40 feet (i.e., two steps in front of the "kid pitch" pitching rubber).
- Defensively, Upper Coach Pitch ballplayers need a higher degree of situational awareness (i.e., "I know where I'm throwing the ball when it comes to me.") and skills (i.e., "I can field the ball and throw it to my target relatively consistently.").
If these are not true for a ballplayer, it will be more fun and developmentally appropriate for them to work on their skills and play another season in Lower Coach Pitch.
Successful Lower Coach Pitch ballplayers demonstrate a growing interest in baseball, including the rules of the game, and will enjoy watching or attending baseball games and playing with wiffle balls or hitting off the tee outside of practice and games.
Successful Upper Coach Pitch ballplayers demonstrate intrinsic motivation to become better baseball players and will often ask their parents or siblings to play catch or practice hitting in the yard or at the park.
UPPER Coach Pitch
League Age* 7 (with two seasons of Lower Coach Pitch experience) or 8
*League Age is different than actual age. Please see the chart above.
Our Upper Coach Pitch division format will change slightly for Fall 2024 with a regular season for weeks 1-6 and Fall Classic games for weeks 7-8, plus weekly showcases throughout the season for more competition and skill development.
Upper Coach Pitch is a competitive division. Competitive baseball is most developmentally appropriate for League Age 8 ballplayers (birthday Sept. 2016-Aug. 2017).
Typically, during the fall season, approximately 20% of League Age 7 ballplayers (birthday Sept. 2017-Aug. 2018) have elected to play Upper Coach Pitch, while the majority of League Age 7 ballplayers (80%) have elected to play Lower Coach Pitch.
To play Upper Coach Pitch this fall, 7U ballplayers should have played at least two seasons of Lower Coach Pitch. This is a non-draft division: Players can request a coach, coaches can request players and players can also request a teammate. We do our best to accommodate requests whenever possible and cap our teams at 12 so each player gets adequate playing time and attention. If you have questions about Upper Coach Pitch, contact UCP division co-heads Michael Morosi (mjmorosi@gmail.com) and Mark Mosley (markwmosley@gmail.com).
Upper Coach Pitch players should:
- be aware of how to protect themselves properly from balls hit and thrown with increasing velocity
- be able to play catch with their teammates with a league-appropriate ball without fear of injury
- stay focused on game play and the role they play in the game
- be able to hit a pitched ball 50% of the time
- be able to catch a thrown ball in glove more consistently (i.e., ~75% of the time)
- be able to directionally throw the ball in the air or with a bounce towards all bases
- be able to field ground balls and pop ups cleanly most of the time when the ball is hit directly at him / her
- demonstrate situational awareness of a baseball game, as a batter base runner and fielder
- have a positive attitude towards teammates, coaches, practice and games
- expect to be challenged during practices and games to help him/her rise to their full potential
Coaches pitch to hitters on their team from a distance of 40’. Batters get a maximum of five pitches. Umpires do not call balls and strikes: A strikeout is a combination of foul balls and/or swinging strikes. There are no walks.
There are 10 defensive positions. Players will be moved around during each game throughout the season. Teams swap sides after scoring five runs or getting three outs, whichever happens first.
This level incorporates more advanced baseball rules. For example, there is a catcher and outs can be made at home plate.
Minors - draft only
League Age* 9-11
*League Age is different than actual age. Please see the chart above.
For Fall 2024, our Lower Minors and Upper Minors divisions will combine into one Minors division and use a different format. We will hold 2-3 practices per week, open to everyone in the division and featuring multiple coaches from the division. Instead of weekly games, we will hold four weekend tournaments over the course of the season, with games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Coaches will draft new teams for each weekend tournament: This allows the kids to play with many others in the division, growing our sense of a McCabe community and leading to a lot of competitive games. This format allows us to be more inclusive, especially for players who play other sports in the fall, and it enables those who come to practice regularly to grow their game faster and receive more in-depth coaching. We expect to return to a weekly game format in Spring 2025.
In Minors, teams are selected by a draft - no coach or teammate requests can be made during registration or otherwise.
Minors is:
- designed for players with previous kid-pitch experience
- for players who have developed strategies to overcome any fear of the baseball (in all aspects: fielding, catching and hitting)
- for players know how to practice (kids are kids, but the player can consistently listen to coaches, follow instruction, etc.)
- for players who strive to compete, get better and be a good teammate
- Players can:
- catch 6-7 out of 10 fly balls
- hit 50% of pitches at speeds of 30 to 35 mph
- field and accurately throw 6-7 out of 10 ground balls from 2nd base to 1st base
- show situational awareness as well as focus and anticipation between pitches
Minors is a competitive division and will follow typical baseball rules. Umpires call balls and strikes and players may steal bases (no leading off). Teams are selected by a draft (no coach or teammate requests during registration).
There are 10 defensive positions. Players will be moved around during each game throughout the season. Teams swap sides after scoring five runs or getting three outs, whichever happens first.
Majors (Kid Pitch - draft only)
League Age* 10-12
*League Age is different than actual age. Please see the chart above.
Our Fall 2024 Majors format will be the same successful approach we adopted for this division last fall. We will hold 2-3 practices per week, open to everyone in the division and featuring multiple coaches from the division. Instead of weekly games, we will hold four weekend tournaments over the course of the season, with games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Coaches will draft new teams for each weekend tournament: This allows the kids to play with many others in the division, growing our sense of a McCabe community and leading to a lot of competitive games. This format allows us to be more inclusive, especially for players who play other sports in the fall, and it enables those who come to practice regularly to grow their game faster and receive more in-depth coaching. We expect to return to a weekly game format in Spring 2025.
In Majors, teams are selected by a draft - no coach or teammate requests can be made during registration or otherwise.
Who's eligible?
The McCabe Majors division is open to all League Age 12 players, any 10-11 League Age players from the Majors 2023 fall season and others who showcase an advanced skillset. Please email mccabeinfo@gmail.com for more information if you believe the Spring 2024 Majors Division is right for your child.
Playing time
Majors is a competitive division and will follow typical baseball rules. Umpires call balls and strikes and players may steal bases (no leading off). Balks will be called and will be considered a ball.
There are 9 defensive positions. All players in the Majors are guaranteed 1 at bat per game and 2 defensive innings at minimum.
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The game schedule is live!
Each division has a separate tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet. There are matchups for Tee Ball, Lower and Upper Coach Pitch. Minors and Majors division leads will be in touch with families with specifics closer to their tournament dates.