Conferences urged to conduct more frequent pregame bat tests in baseball

While not adopting a full rules proposal, the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee recommended that conferences consider expanding bat testing to each game day before the start of games for the 2024 season.

The committee, which met via videoconference this month, discussed the issue thoroughly, but with this not being a rules-change year for the sport, the group decided to make this suggestion.

Under the current rule, teams are required to have bats tested before the first game of a series, the first game of a tournament or before the start of single games or doubleheaders. Bats that pass the testing procedure have stickers placed on them to indicate to the umpire that they can be used in games.

Committee members will also seek feedback from the college baseball community while examining how often bat testing should occur in the future.

"The discussion we had centered on the integrity of the sport," said Doug Aiken, committee chair and associate director of athletics and compliance at Chapman. "We want to emphasize that conferences look at what is best when it comes to bat testing, and that it can be done more frequently than what is currently required."

Technology interpretation

All defensive players are eligible to listen to one-way audio communication devices, provided the message is prerecorded.

The catcher remains the only player permitted to hear communication direct from the dugout.