Rules
Babe Ruth / Cal Ripken Age Chart (2026)
Babe Ruth League, which includes Cal Ripken Baseball as its youth division, determines age by the player's age on May 1 of the season year. For Spring 2026, May 1, 2026 is the deciding date: a player still 12 on April 30 plays Cal Ripken as a 12-year-old all season. The structure is three programs under one league: Cal Ripken (roughly ages 4-12), Babe Ruth 13-15, and Babe Ruth 16-18.
Babe Ruth / Cal Ripken Birth Chart (Spring 2026)
| Program / league age | Born between |
|---|---|
| Cal Ripken, age 8 | May 1, 2017 – Apr 30, 2018 |
| Cal Ripken, age 9 | May 1, 2016 – Apr 30, 2017 |
| Cal Ripken, age 10 | May 1, 2015 – Apr 30, 2016 |
| Cal Ripken, age 11 | May 1, 2014 – Apr 30, 2015 |
| Cal Ripken, age 12 | May 1, 2013 – Apr 30, 2014 |
| Babe Ruth 13-15 | May 1, 2010 – Apr 30, 2013 |
| Babe Ruth 16-18 | May 1, 2007 – Apr 30, 2010 |
Per the official 2026 birth chart, players born on or after May 1, 2013 (and before May 1, 2022) are Cal Ripken eligible. Local leagues subdivide Cal Ripken into the familiar Rookie/Minor/Major structures; those splits are local decisions layered on the league ages above.
The Fall Season Wrinkle
Babe Ruth publishes a separate fall birth chart. Fall ball is typically played at the age the player will be the following spring, so a spring-12 Cal Ripken player moves to Babe Ruth 13-15 for fall. If you're registering for fall, use the fall chart on baberuthleague.org, not the spring one.
How Babe Ruth Compares
Babe Ruth's May 1 date matches USSSA, PONY, and Perfect Game, so a Cal Ripken 12 is a 12U everywhere in travel ball. The comparison that matters is with Little League (August 31): summer-birthday players are one age apart between the two rec programs, which occasionally decides which program a family registers with. Babe Ruth's diamond transition is also different: Cal Ripken plays the 60-foot field through 12, then Babe Ruth 13-15 moves straight to the full 90-foot diamond, without PONY's intermediate steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Babe Ruth age cutoff for 2026?
May 1, 2026. A player's league age is their age on that date, for both Cal Ripken and the Babe Ruth 13-15 and 16-18 divisions.
What ages does Cal Ripken baseball cover?
League ages 4 through 12 (born on or after May 1, 2013 and before May 1, 2022 for Spring 2026). At 13, players move to Babe Ruth 13-15.
Is the cutoff the same as Little League's?
No. Little League baseball uses August 31; Babe Ruth uses May 1. A player born in June is a 12 in Babe Ruth and league age 13 in Little League during the same 2026 season.
Does Babe Ruth have pitch count rules?
Yes; Babe Ruth publishes pitch count and rest rules broadly similar to Little League's structure. Verify current-season values in the official rulebook, and see the pitch count comparison for how the leagues line up.
Track league ages and pitch limits for whichever league your team plays in.
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