Rules

Little League Minimum Play Rules — Every Player Must Play

Little League Minimum Play Rules

Every rostered player present at a Little League game must participate for a minimum of one at-bat (or plate appearance) and six consecutive defensive outs (two innings in the field). This is the mandatory minimum play rule, and it applies to every regular season game in Little League Majors and below.

The Rule, Broken Down

Requirement	Minimum
Batting	1 plate appearance (at-bat, walk, HBP, or sacrifice all count)
Fielding	6 consecutive defensive outs (equivalent to 2 full defensive innings)
Applies to	Every rostered player present at the game
Divisions	Majors and below (Tee Ball, Minor, Major)

"Six consecutive defensive outs" means the player must play the field for two complete half-innings without being substituted out in the middle. They don't need to be the same two innings — but the outs must be consecutive within each stint.

How to Manage Minimum Play

With 12-13 players on a typical LL roster and only 9 fielding positions per inning in a 6-inning game, the math works. But it requires planning.

In a 6-inning game with 12 players, every player needs to play at least 2 innings in the field. That's 12 × 2 = 24 player-innings of fielding to distribute across 9 × 6 = 54 available fielding slots. Plenty of room — if you plan ahead.

The problem is when coaches wait until the 5th inning to realize they haven't played their 12th kid. By then, there may not be enough outs left to give that player 6 consecutive defensive outs. Plan your fielding rotation before the game, and this never happens.

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Tracking Minimum Play with Rizzler

Rizzler's playing time tracking monitors every player's defensive innings and plate appearances in real time during in-game scoring. If a player hasn't met the minimum play requirement by the 4th inning, Rizzler flags it so you can adjust.

For league administrators, the organization dashboard shows playing time distribution across every team. If one coach is consistently skirting minimum play rules — giving the same five kids 90% of the innings — the data shows it.

Common Minimum Play Mistakes

Playing a kid for only one inning. Two innings (6 outs) is the minimum, not one. A coach who puts the 12th player in for the bottom of the 6th only has given them 3 defensive outs — that's a violation.

Forgetting about rain-shortened games. If a game is called after 4 innings due to weather, every player must still have met the minimum play requirement through those 4 innings. Plan accordingly.

Counting outs incorrectly. If a player enters the field in the middle of an inning (after one out has already been recorded), those remaining outs count. But the player still needs 6 consecutive outs total — so they'd need to play the rest of that inning plus another full inning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if a player arrives late to the game?

If a player arrives late, the minimum play rule still applies — they must bat at least once and play 6 consecutive defensive outs. If there aren't enough innings remaining, the coach should get them in as soon as possible.

Does the minimum play rule apply to tournament games?

The minimum play rule as described applies to regular season games. Tournament rules may differ slightly — check your district's tournament regulations.

Can a coach bench a player for disciplinary reasons?

Little League's minimum play rule does not include a disciplinary exception. A rostered player present at the game must play the minimum. Coaches with disciplinary concerns should handle them outside of game-day participation.

What if a player refuses to play a certain position?

The rule requires 6 consecutive defensive outs — it does not specify which position. The coach assigns positions. If a player is present, they must play.

How does Rizzler track this automatically?

During in-game scoring, Rizzler logs which players are in the field each inning. The playing time tracker calculates defensive outs in real time and flags any player who hasn't met the minimum.

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