Lower Merion Little League
Follow us on

Spring Baseball registration is now open!!

Below is a guide on what division to register for.

See the Little League Age Chart below to help determine the correct division to register for.

Want to play up or down a division?  Email Support@lmll.org for a separate registration link.

Shomer Shabbas Saturday restrictions?  Click HERE to register.

NOTE:  The registration fee is $195 this spring.  This can be fully or partially waived immediately upon request, email President@lmll.org.

NOTE too that we are adding a $35 fields fund surcharge this year, this can be automatically removed by entering the discount code WAIVELIGHTSFEE at payment.

Questions?  Email us at Support@LMLL.org.

Which Division?

LLI Age*
Spring 2024
DOB Range
         Register
4
Tee Ball
9/1/19-8/31/20

          HERE

5
Tee Ball
9/1/18-8/31/19

          HERE

6
Rookies
9/1/17-8/31/18

          HERE

7
Minors
9/1/16-8/31/17

          HERE

8
Single A
9/1/15 - 8/31/16

          HERE

9
AA
9/1/14 - 8/31/15

          HERE

10
AAA
9/1/13 - 8/31/14

          HERE

11
AAAA
9/1/12 - 8/31/13

          HERE

12
Intermediate
9/1/11 - 8/31/12

          HERE

13
Intermediate
9/1/10 - 8/31/11

          HERE

*Little League International (LLI) age are based on the date of birth range listed, it is often not your child's current age. They do not need to be in these exact ages to play, they just need to have a birthdate in the range. 

For general baseball questions and division specific information, please check out our Baseball page here!


​​​​​​​

LMLL Baseball Play-Up Guidance 

Our primary goal at LMLL is to create a safe, fun, inclusive, and competitive environment for players of all abilities. To  that end, our divisions are aligned by age in accordance with Little League International rules in an effort to provide  players with the opportunity to enjoy recreational level baseball with their friends, classmates, and other peers. We  understand that there are many variables that can come into play when choosing which division to register your player  for, specifically when it comes to the issue of whether to play up into a higher division. Our goal here is to provide some  perspective that will hopefully make your decision as straightforward as possible by laying out considerations at the  individual level, as well as at the scale of the league as a whole. 

In general, the league offers the flexibility to play up or down so that families can make the decision they feel is best for  their player/family. However, the league strongly encourages players to play within their age-appropriate division. As a  guideline, we believe that only a select group of the top few players at any age group should even be considering playing  up. Historically we have found that beyond that general talent level, players most often end up with notably different  roles on their respective teams at the higher level than they otherwise would have at their own age group. As such, they  can miss out on significant opportunities for overall skill development as well as opportunities to build confidence and  thrive in leadership roles. As an example, playing in their own age group would likely result in more opportunities to  develop as a pitcher through increased opportunities on the mound. Another area where they are likely to see  significantly increased opportunities and success is at the plate, generally having a higher spot in the batting order and  facing age-appropriate pitching, which in turn leads to more base running opportunities. 

The mental aspect of the game of baseball cannot be understated at any level. Recreational baseball competition is a  wonderful opportunity for your player to build confidence and potentially gain valuable experience as a leader amongst  their peers. We feel strongly that investing in this aspect of the game at the little league level is well worth any potential increase in competition you may feel would result from playing up at a higher division. And while there is a significant  difference in play between single A and Intermediate, the incremental steps along the way have been specifically  designed to give players the foundation needed to succeed in all aspects of the game as they get older. 

Zooming out, competitive balance is at the heart of what we attempt to achieve each year through redrafting each  division at AA and higher. Achieving some semblance of balance relies on equitable distribution of talent across teams,  but also across divisions. If large factions of top talent move outside of their age group, it creates notable talent voids  that lead to decreased competition levels that can impact entire divisions. This is especially true at the A and AA levels as  the players begin taking control of the game on the pitchers mound. 

As an additional consideration, regarding district play, our experiences have shown that the most cohesive and  successful district teams are those where the vast majority of players have competed with and against each other within  their appropriate age division, building camaraderie through shared experiences. Also notable is that the district  selection process runs through the age-appropriate division coaches, and in-season play is an important variable in final  team selection. If an eligible player is competing in a different division, those most directly responsible for selecting the  team will have significantly less exposure to the player than they would otherwise. 

Basic Guidelines: 

The league strongly encourages players to play within their own age-appropriate division by birthdate. 

Requests to play up at the younger division levels (A, AA) will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and will  generally require a player evaluation by a group of commissioners and/or league officials. 

Standard exceptions will generally be granted to accommodate playing with siblings. 

Only in extreme cases will players be allowed to play up more than one age level.