Parent's Guide to Baseball Canada 11U Baseball 2026

Baseball Canada's 11U guidelines set:

• Distance between all bases: 60 feet.
• Home plate to the front of the pitcher's plate: 44 feet.
• Pitcher's mound: raised to a gradual slope, 6 inches above the base paths. Optional for league play but mandatory for all inter-provincial play.
• Batter's box: 6 ft by 3 ft, extending 3 ft to the front and 3 ft to the rear of the centre of home plate, with the inside line 4 inches from the plate.
• Coaches' box: 8 ft by 12 ft, not closer than 10 ft to the base path.
• Backstop: no less than 25 ft and no more than 40 ft from home plate.
• Recommended outfield fence distances: left and right field foul lines 180 ft minimum (200 ft suggested), centre field 200 ft minimum (225 ft suggested).

Source: Baseball Canada 11U Reference Rules (item 1).

Under Baseball Canada's 11U guidelines, games are six innings if time and weather permit. Three and a half innings make a regulation game if the home team has more runs than the visitors.

An offensive inning ends when three outs are recorded or when the offensive team scores five runs. If a home run goes outside the playing field limits (over the fence), the team is awarded all runs even if the total goes over the inning limit. There is no run limit in the last inning.

Source: Baseball Canada 11U Reference Rules (items 5 and 6).

Under Baseball Canada's 11U guidelines:

• Batting: all players are registered on the offensive line-up and each one hits at his turn. A player who arrives during the game is inserted last in the batting order. A player who leaves is removed from the order, with no automatic out. If a player cannot complete a turn at bat, the next batter takes over with the same count, and the replaced player can be reinserted.
• Runners: if a player cannot complete his time on the bases, he is replaced by the last recorded out, and can be reinserted.
• Re-entry: a player can be replaced defensively and return at any time to any position, except pitcher if he has already pitched.
• Playing equity: a player must be on the starting defensive line-up at least one game out of two when present. An equitable use of players is recommended, for example a minimum of 6 innings over two games in which the team plays 12 innings on defence.

Source: Baseball Canada 11U Reference Rules (item 5).

Baseball Canada's 11U guidelines point to the pitch count rules in its Rules & Regulations for Championships. The 2026 edition sets these 11U daily rest requirements:

Any rest required starts immediately and the pitcher is ineligible for the rest of that calendar day. Each required rest day runs from 12:01 am to 11:59 pm of the next calendar day. Pitches thrown after midnight in a game that continues past 12:01 am count as if thrown before midnight. Any player on the team is eligible to pitch, and there is no limit on the number of pitchers a team may use in a game.

Source: Baseball Canada 2026 Rules & Regulations for Baseball Canada Championships, Section 4.4(a) and (b).

Baseball Canada's 2026 championship pitch count rules give these 11U limits:

• Any two-day period: a maximum of 75 pitches.
• Three consecutive days: a pitcher may pitch on a third consecutive day only if the combined pitches on the first two days do not exceed 25. On that third day the pitcher is limited so that the three-day combined total is at most 75. For example, an 11U pitcher who throws 15 pitches on Thursday and 20 in a first game on Friday cannot pitch a second game on Friday or pitch on Saturday.
• Four consecutive days: a pitcher cannot pitch on four consecutive days.
• Any four consecutive day period: a maximum of 105 pitches.

Any rest required under these rules is immediate.

Source: Baseball Canada 2026 Rules & Regulations for Baseball Canada Championships, Section 4.4(d) to (g).

These rules come from Baseball Canada's pitch count rules for championships, which the 11U guidelines point to for 11U pitching.

• Finishing a batter: a pitcher who reaches the maximum pitches for a rest threshold may exceed it to complete the at-bat. If the coach tells the umpire it is the last batter, the pitch count recorded reverts to the threshold. If the coach does not, the actual number of pitches is recorded. If the pitcher then throws to a new batter after exceeding a threshold without that signal, it is a pitch count violation. Once the coach declares it is the last batter, the pitcher must be removed after the at-bat.
• Twice in a day: a pitcher may have two appearances on the same calendar day if the first did not exceed the minimum rest threshold (25 pitches at 11U). The combined pitches decide the rest days. A pitcher cannot pitch in three games on the same calendar day.
• Pitching and catching: once a player assumes the position of pitcher, they cannot catch for the rest of that day.
• Balks: if a pitcher balks, continues the delivery and the pitch crosses the foul line, it counts against the pitch count.

Source: Baseball Canada 2026 Rules & Regulations for Baseball Canada Championships, Section 4.4 (also in the 2025 Pitch Count Rules and Examples).

Baseball Canada's 11U guidelines set lead-off rules for all 11U play and extra restrictions for the low tier division.

All 11U: when the pitcher is in contact with the rubber with the ball and the catcher is in the catcher's box ready to receive the pitch, runners must not leave their bases until the pitched ball has reached the batter. If a runner leaves early and the batter does not hit the ball, the runner may continue. If tagged out the out stands. If he reaches a base safely, time is called and he returns to his original base with no out. When a team leads by five or more runs, its runners may advance to the next base only if the ball is hit or they are forced.

Low tier division only:

• No runner may leave a base before the ball crosses home plate or is hit. Stealing is not allowed.
• A runner on third may score only if the ball is hit or the runner is forced.
• No bunts. A bunt is a dead ball and a strike on the batter (on a bunt attempt on a third strike the batter continues the at-bat).
• No base on balls. After four balls, an offensive team coach takes position on the mound and pitches from above the shoulder, for a maximum of three additional pitches. The batter is out if he swings at a third strike or after those pitches. A foul ball cannot make the batter out.

Source: Baseball Canada 11U Reference Rules (items 9 and 9.1).

Under Baseball Canada's 11U guidelines:

• Dropped third strike: the batter cannot become a runner when the catcher misses the third strike. The third strike, called or swinging, does not have to be caught. The batter is automatically retired, but the ball is alive and in play.
• Designated hitter: not permitted in this age category.

Source: Baseball Canada 11U Reference Rules (items 7 and 8).

Baseball Canada's safety rules require all players to wear a double ear-flap helmet in the on-deck circle, at bat and on the base paths in all age categories. This applies in practices as well as games, and includes the batting cages. Any player acting as a base coach must also wear one.

Baseball Canada recognizes NOCSAE as its standard for baseball helmets. It recommends no modifications beyond what the manufacturer does or directs. Batting helmets do not require facemasks, chin straps or chin extensions, but this does not prohibit their use.

Source: Baseball Canada 2026 Rules & Regulations for Baseball Canada Championships, Section 4.1.

In a game, any player acting as catcher must wear a complete set of catcher's gear: a helmet, a mask with a throat protector, a chest protector, a jockstrap with a cup (men) or a Jill strap (women), shin guards and a catcher's glove (Baseball Canada Rules & Regulations for Championships 2026, Section 4.2, which applies to all age categories).

In bullpen and warm-up situations the full set is recommended. At a minimum, a catcher must wear a mask with a throat protector when squatting or when a pitcher is throwing off the mound. This applies to anyone acting as a catcher, including a position player or coach. Extension masks are acceptable as throat protection if the throat area is adequately covered together with the chest protector.

Source: Baseball Canada 2026 Rules & Regulations for Baseball Canada Championships, Section 4.2.

Under Baseball Canada's 11U guidelines, shoes with metal cleats or "spikes" are prohibited. Rubber moulded cleats on running shoes are permitted.

Religious headgear that is consistent with Baseball Canada's safety and recognized uniform code requirements is permitted.

Source: Baseball Canada 11U Reference Rules (items 3 and 4).