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What is a Pitch Count in Baseball?

A pitch count is the total number of pitches a pitcher throws in a single game. In youth baseball, every major governing body limits how many pitches a player can throw per game based on their age, and requires mandatory rest days based on the number of pitches thrown. Pitch count rules exist to protect young arms from overuse injuries.

How Pitch Count Limits Work

Each league sets maximum pitches per day by age. For example, in Little League:

Age	Daily Max
7-8	50 pitches
9-10	75 pitches
11-12	85 pitches
13-16	95 pitches

After reaching certain thresholds, pitchers must rest for 1-4 calendar days before pitching again. The more pitches thrown, the more rest required.

Why Pitch Counts Matter

Youth arms are still developing. Overuse — throwing too many pitches in a game or too many games without rest — is the leading preventable cause of arm injuries in youth baseball. Pitch count rules are the primary mechanism for preventing overuse.

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How to Track Pitch Counts

During a game, someone on your coaching staff should count every pitch. Rizzler's pitch counting feature runs on your phone — tap once per pitch and the app tracks the count, calculates rest day impact in real time, and alerts you before your pitcher hits the limit. Rule compliance is checked automatically.

In tournaments, pitch counts cascade across games. A pitcher who throws 55 pitches on Saturday morning might be unavailable until Sunday afternoon. Rizzler's tournament planner tracks this across all games automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if a pitcher exceeds the pitch count limit?

In most leagues, the opposing team can file a protest and the game may be forfeited. The pitcher may also face additional restrictions. Rizzler alerts you before the limit is reached to prevent this.

Do warm-up pitches count?

No. Only pitches delivered to batters during live play count toward the limit. Warm-up pitches between innings are not counted.

Do all leagues use pitch counts?

Most youth leagues use pitch counts. Some older or high school leagues use innings limits instead. Rizzler supports both. Full pitch count stat page →

Pitch Count Stats → · Pitch Counting Feature → · Tournament Pitching →