Tee Ball Rules

In T-Ball rules, there is usually no pitcher; except perhaps for defensive purposes. The ball is placed on an adjustable tee atop the home plate at a suitable height for the batter to strike. (In some clubs, adult coaches give the batter an opportunity to try and hit a few pitched balls before going to the tee in the hope that this will further develop batting skills.) Most of the other rules are similar or identical to those of baseball, though the game is played on a smaller field. Balls typically appear identical to baseballs but are slightly softer to reduce injuries. In many organizations, score is not kept and rules are designed to maximize participation: an inning is completed once each child has had a turn at bat and all extra players of the defensive team play in the outfield every inning. To encourage the defensive team to try to make plays, there are typically no extra bases on overthrows and runners may not advance after the ball is in possession of an infielder.

T-Ball allows male and female players too young to participate in baseball to enjoy a game posing many of the same challenges, and to develop skills that will later be useful in playing baseball. It has become an important part of many baseball clubs, particularly in countries where there is no strong tradition of a sporting draft and where it is therefore more important for clubs to develop junior players.