2026 MSBL National Tournament Rules

1 Uniforms

January–September Tournaments

(Holiday Classic, Sunshine Classic, Desert Classic, Kickoff Classic, Las Vegas Open, Stars & Stripes)

• No mandatory requirement for matching uniform tops and hats
• Teams are encouraged to match as closely as possible
• Uniform numbers are mandatory on the back of shirts
• Each player must have a unique number

World Series and Fall Classic

• Matching uniforms and hats are mandatory
• Players may be denied participation without compliant uniforms or proper numbers

All Tournaments

• Base coaches must wear full uniform
• Rosters must be exchanged before each game showing all players' names and uniform numbers
• Must include the entire tournament-approved roster, not just game participants
• Failure to present rosters is protestable and may result in forfeit

2 Helmets

Batters & Runners

• Must wear a helmet with at least one earflap
• The MSBL/MABL strongly urges that all helmets are double ear-flapped, but at a minimum, the batter's ear that faces the pitcher must be covered

Catchers

• Must wear a protective helmet while playing defense

Base Coaches

• Must wear protective headgear while on the field
• Must be in full uniform

3 Alcoholic Beverages

• No alcoholic beverages permitted on the field or in the dugout during games
• Consumption is limited to areas away from the field and dugouts
• Alcohol is prohibited in parking lots of tournament fields
• Participants found drinking during games will be ejected
• Subject to expulsion from the tournament

4 Equipment

• All divisions use wood bat only
• Upon protest, the penalty for illegal bat use is an out for the violating player

5 Number of Players

• Minimum eight (8) players required to play an official game
• Teams may borrow one player from the opposing team with manager consent
• May borrow from a third team if both the opposing and lending team managers consent
• Forfeit if a team cannot field eight players within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time
• If a team bats nine players only, the opposing team has the option to bat nine as well

6 Courtesy Runners

Eligibility & Notification

• Manager must notify the opposing manager and home plate umpire at the pre-game meeting; otherwise, the opposing manager may refuse the courtesy runner
• Maximum two (2) players per game allowed as courtesy runners

Execution

• Designated player calls time upon reaching base
• Replaced by the last batted out
• If the last batted out also needs a courtesy runner, the second-to-last batted out runs
• If no outs have been recorded when the designated player reaches base, the last batter in the lineup acts as the last batted out

Injury Rules

• If a player becomes injured and the maximum (2) courtesy runners have already been designated, a pinch runner must be used; no additional courtesy runner is allowed for injury

Violations

• If the wrong courtesy runner is used and the opposing team protests before the next pitch: the original runner must run; right to use a courtesy runner is forfeited for that batter for the remainder of the game
• If the original runner inadvertently runs for himself and the opposing team protests after the first pitch: right forfeited for that batter for the remainder of the game

A/B Batting Position

• For an A/B position batter needing a courtesy runner, the other position batter serves as the courtesy runner instead of the last batted out

55+/60+/65+/70+/73+/75+/80+ and Father/Son Divisions

• Two players share one batting position
• Manager decides who bats each time the position comes up
• The other player may run as courtesy runner
• When a player is used as a base runner in the Shared Position, they must bat the next time the position comes to the plate
• After that, either Shared Runner may bat
• No limit to the number of shared lineup positions
• A player sharing a position is locked in that position for the duration of the game and cannot be used in any other batting order position
• This rule replaces both A/B and courtesy runners

7 Lineup

General Requirements

• Complete team roster including last names and uniform numbers must be exchanged before game start — not just the starting lineup; entire roster required

Offensively — Initial Lineup

• Manager may bat as many players as desired, minimum ten (10) hitters
• May add players to the bottom of the lineup (positions 11, 12, 13, 14, etc.) at any time during the game
• Must notify the opposing team manager of lineup changes; failure to notify = automatic out upon proper protest
• Pinch hitter cannot re-enter as a hitter; may stay defensively
• Batters cannot be deleted or skipped regardless of position or when added
• If lineup is expanded to 15 hitters, must maintain 15 hitters throughout

Nine-Player Batting with Larger Rosters

• Teams with 9+ players batting only 9 are assessed an out each time the 10th position is skipped
• The opposing team must alert the home plate umpire and other team at each instance
• Cannot be protested after the game; must be protested at the time of the instance

Exception for Injured / Ejected Players

• If a player is forced to leave due to injury or ejection, a reserve not previously entered must bat in the replaced spot
• If no reserves are available, the spot is skipped; hitters below move up
• First time the vacated spot comes up: out assessed; after the first time, no out is recorded for the skipped spot

A/B Batting System

• A team may declare at lineup exchange that a batting order position is occupied by two (2) players (e.g., 3A/3B)
• The first time position 3 bats: 3A hits; the next time: 3B hits — alternates throughout the game
• Once declared, must continue for the remainder of the game
• An A/B position may be added to the bottom of the lineup anytime during the game
• Cannot add a "B" batter to an existing lineup spot once the game begins

Illegal Players

• A player not designated on the roster is illegal upon proper protest — declared out after one pitch thrown
• The opposing team must protest at the time of the offense; penalties are not retroactive
• Wrong numbers on lineup = corrected with no penalty

Batting Out of Turn

• Penalty is an out if protested before the first pitch

Defensively — Substitutions

• All players may be substituted at any time except pitcher
• Defensive players need not be in the batting order
• If a pitcher is removed from the mound, they may re-enter as pitcher only once per game; must wait until the start of the next inning before resuming pitching
• Pitcher re-entry is allowed regardless of whether they stay in the game in another position
• Can only be done once per game, irrespective of pitcher number

8 Age Requirements

Documentation

• All players and managers must carry a photo ID (government or state issued) showing date of birth and keep it with them during all games
• A manager has the right to question opposing team members' ages

Protest Procedure

• If a manager believes a player is underage: play the game under protest, notify the home plate umpire and opposing manager, then file a protest in person at National Tournament Headquarters
• If the player is found ineligible: the offending team forfeits that game and any others the ineligible player participated in

Age Requirements by Division

• Minimum age is 18 years old by the first game of the respective division
• No upward age limit for the MABL Division (anyone 18+ eligible)
• Father/Son Division: sons must be a minimum of 16 years old
• Players in 18+, 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, 73+, 75+, 80+ divisions must turn that age during the calendar year — if a player turns the division age by December 31, 2026, they are eligible without exemption

Exemptions

• The MSBL Tournament Staff reserves the right to grant an age exemption when proper reasons allow
• Exemption requests must be submitted in writing to the national office

9 Game Length, Ties & Stopping Play

Game Length

• All National Tournament games are scheduled for 9 innings (exception: some playoffs or weather)
• No inning may start after 3:00 of actual start time (not scheduled start time)
• For January–September tournaments: may be changed to 2:30 or 2:45
• The official clock starts with the first pitch
• All innings starting before the 3-hour point must be played to completion
• If the home team is leading when time expires during their at-bat, the game stops at the 3-hour limit
• Once the third out is recorded in an inning, a new inning immediately begins

Run Rule

• Some tournaments may institute a Run Rule — refer to individual tournament "Rule Highlights"

Arbitrary Stopping

• Teams cannot arbitrarily stop or quit if the score is lopsided
• If a team "quits" before the time limit or 9 innings: the final score is increased by 10 additional runs × number of unplayed innings
• This rule applies only if the game has been played a minimum of 5 innings or 2 hours
• No team can arbitrarily forfeit if it will "benefit" them by not playing; a team purposefully forfeiting becomes ineligible for playoffs

Ties

• Games can end in a tie
• Standings are determined by points: 2 points per win, 1 point per tie, 0 points per loss
• The team with the most points wins their respective division and advances to playoffs

10 Collisions, Decoys & Slide Rule

Collision Rule

The rules committee is concerned about possible unnecessary and violent collisions at home plate and all bases. The intent is to encourage base runners and defensive players to avoid such collisions whenever possible.

• Umpire judges whether the collision was avoidable or unavoidable, and whether the runner was attempting to reach base or attempting to dislodge the ball
• Avoidable collision or dislodging attempt: runner declared out even if the fielder loses possession; ball is dead; all other base runners return to the last base touched at the time of interference
• Flagrant runner collision: runner declared out and ejected; ball dead
• If a defensive player blocks the base or baseline without possession: obstruction called; runner safe; immediate dead ball
• If a base runner collides flagrantly during obstruction: runner is declared safe but ejected; ball dead

Decoy Rule

• Any fielder may use a decoy only if it serves a strategic purpose
• If a fielder fakes a tag when there is no strategic purpose or apparent play: runner ruled safe; all runners advance one base
• This is entirely an umpire judgment decision and is not a rule that may be protested

Force Play Slide Rule

The intent is to ensure the safety of the defensive player. This is both a safety and an interference rule. Whether the defense could have completed the double play has no bearing on the applicability of this rule.

• On any force play, the runner must slide on the ground and in a direct line between the two bases
• "On the ground" means a head-first slide or a slide with one leg and buttock on the ground
• A runner need not slide directly into a base as long as they slide or run in a direction away from the fielder to avoid making contact

Illegal Actions (interference called)

• Slides or runs out of the base line toward the fielder
• Uses a rolling, cross-body, or pop-up slide making contact with or altering the play of the fielder
• Raised leg contact higher than the fielder's knee when the fielder is standing
• Goes beyond the base making contact with or altering the play of the fielder
• Slashes or kicks the fielder with either leg
• Illegally slides toward or contacts the fielder even if the fielder makes no throw attempt

Penalties

• Less than two outs: both the batter-runner and interfering runner are declared out; no other runners advance
• Two outs: interfering runner declared out; no other runners advance
• Flagrant slide/collision: runner ejected
• Bases loaded, no outs, double-play attempt, interference: all runners return to original bases

11 Intentional Walks & Hit Batsmen

Intentional Walks

• Each team is allowed one (1) intentional walk per game
• The team in the field notifies the home plate umpire of the intention
• The batter is automatically awarded first base; no pitches are thrown

Hit Batsmen

• If a pitcher hits four (4) batters in one game, the pitcher must be removed

12 Protests & Makeups

Protest Procedures

• All protests must be lodged with the Tournament Director within a reasonable timeframe after game completion
• All protests are decided by the Rules Committee
• Eligibility protests must be made before the game or as soon as the player enters the game (offensively or defensively) or directly after the game

Rained-Out Games

• Every effort will be made to make up canceled contest(s)
• Makeups are not guaranteed

13 Player & Team Participation Requirements

General Eligibility

Determination of eligibility to participate in MSBL/MABL National Tournaments will be based solely on the decision of the National Tournaments Rules Committee.

Playoff / Championship Participation

To participate in playoffs and championships, a player must, within the preliminary round robin:

• Have at least one plate appearance in 2 round robin games, OR
• Pitched 3 outs in each of 2 round robin games, OR
• Combination: pitch 3 outs in one game and 1 plate appearance in another
• Must be documented in the scorebook and opponent's scorebook; undocumented players are deemed ineligible

League Membership

• Player must be a member of a team from an MSBL/MABL league's regular season roster submitted to MSBL/MABL National
• Must fulfill all financial responsibilities to their local league and MSBL/MABL National
• OR be an approved pool player

Team Switching Restrictions

• No player may play for any team in the World Series or Fall Classic except their registered team on rosters submitted to MSBL/MABL National
• Player attempting to switch: removed from tournament
• Team using a switched player: forced to forfeit all accumulated wins in the tournament (including pre-switch wins)
• No player can play on two different teams within the same week

Pool Players

Players who are members of a local league not entered in the tournament may become "free agents" and join a team from another league entering the tournament. This program is intended to foster participation for all leagues and their members, not to assemble "national all-star teams."

Ex-Professional Players

• Must be out of professional baseball (A, AA, AAA, Major League) three complete seasons before eligibility
• For 2026: players receiving compensation and participating with a pro team during 2024 or more recently are ineligible unless special permission is granted
• Exception: Played in Rookie League, Independent League, or was invited to MLB Spring Training then released without a minor league affiliate: not subject to the above requirements (except Central and Cactus Divisions)
• Foreign Professional League players: must be out minimum 3 complete seasons
• Age 70+ exception: Any player at least 70 years old AND out of professional baseball a minimum of 35 years is welcome in any Competitive Division
• The fact that a player has played professional baseball at any level must be disclosed on the roster submitted to MSBL tournament organizers; failure to disclose may result in disqualification and forfeiture

Division Guidelines for Ex-Pros

Central & Cactus Division — 14-Batter Rule

Applies to 25+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+ Central and Cactus divisions. Equality is the key word.

• At least 14 uniformed players must have at least one plate appearance during scheduled 9-inning round robin games
• Only in the case of the 14th batter: a plate appearance is satisfied if the 14th batter is announced (steps into the batter's box) and the 3rd out occurs before he completes his at-bat. No other exceptions.
• The rule is in effect regardless of whether the game is a completed 9 innings or shortened by time
• If a team has 15+ uniformed players, they may elect to bat only 14 (minimum one plate appearance for 14)
• If a team has 13 or fewer uniformed players, the opposing team has the option to bat the same number
• If a game ends with unbatted players, the violating team forfeits any win under proper protest

Division Selection

While most teams can determine which division they play in, that decision is not solely theirs if the MSBL/MABL National Tournament Rules Committee determines that the team's past records and talent level conflict with their chosen division.