The National Federation of State High School Associations has approved new rule changes for high school baseball and softball, including expanded use of one-way electronic communication in both sports.
In baseball, teams will be given the option of using either an 18-inch first base or a double first base beginning with the upcoming school year. The larger first base is being offered as an alternative to the double first base, which is scheduled to go into effect in 2027.
The larger base option was one of seven rule changes recommended by the NFHS Baseball Rules Committee during its meeting last month in Indianapolis and later approved by the NFHS Rules Review Committee and NFHS Board of Directors.
NFHS officials said the larger first base and double first base are both designed to reduce collisions and improve player safety.
“The NFHS Baseball Rules Committee believes that providing schools with the option of using either an 18-inch first base or a double first base gives administrators the flexibility to enhance player safety while recognizing the varying needs and resources of member schools,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Baseball Rules Committee. “Both options are designed to reduce the potential for collisions at first base and support a reduced risk playing environment without changing the fundamental nature of the game.”
Baseball will also allow one-way electronic communication from a coach to the pitcher and/or catcher for the purpose of calling pitches. Previously, only the catcher was allowed to receive communication from the coach. The coach must remain in the dugout or bench area.
A similar communication change was approved for softball. Beginning with the 2027 season, pitchers will join catchers as the only players in high school softball permitted to receive one-way electronic communication from the dugout.
That change was one of four recommendations made by the NFHS Softball Rules Committee during its June 14-16 meeting in Indianapolis. The recommendations were later approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
“Deliberations by the NFHS Softball Rules Committee were spirited and robust,” said Sandy Searcy, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Softball Rules Committee. “Approval of these four rules proposals was the result of data collected from the membership, and specifically state association administrators.”
In softball, the use of other electronic devices to transmit or record information remains prohibited on the field of play. Players are also still prohibited from transmitting or recording audio or video from the playing surface.
Baseball rule changes also address bat certification. Beginning in 2028, an additional class of permitted non-wood bats will be allowed. Bats not made of a single piece of wood must meet either the USA Baseball Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution standard of .50 or the USA Baseball Bat Performance Standard for drop-4, drop-5 or drop-6 bats. Bats must include a permanent certification mark.
Other baseball changes include requiring eye shade to be a solid stroke with no words, numbers, logos or symbols; prohibiting most electronic communication devices by players on the field; allowing coaches to use handheld electronic scoring devices or other scoring materials while in the coach’s box; and creating an option for tiebreaker procedures to begin each half-inning with a runner on second base.
In softball, the NFHS also simplified language involving courtesy runners and whether a pitcher and catcher must face the first batter on defense. The committee said the change eliminates the misconception that the pitcher and catcher listed on the starting lineup card must face the first batter.
Additional softball changes allow state associations to determine umpire uniforms and clarify the definition of an initial play to better align with other areas of the rules book.
“The committee was intentional in adopting changes that solve real issues encountered on high school softball fields,” said Andi Osters, chair of the NFHS Softball Rules Committee and assistant director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association. “Whether it’s improving communication between coaches and players, clarifying how interference should be judged after a deflected batted ball, streamlining the courtesy runner rule, or allowing states greater flexibility with umpire uniforms, each change reflects feedback from the coaches and officials who administer our game every day.”
According to the 2024-25 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, baseball is the fifth-most popular boys sport with 472,598 participants at 16,110 schools. The survey also showed 1,381 girls played high school baseball.
Fast-pitch softball is the fifth-most popular girls sport, with 338,315 participants at 15,726 schools across the country.