NFHS: Double first base coming to high school baseball in 2027

INDIANAPOLIS -- High school baseball players will see a change to the bases starting in 2027.




Officials with the National Federation of State High School Associations announced on Tuesday in a news release that a double first base will be required in high school baseball games starting in 2027 to "minimize the risk of collisions by runners and fielders."




The association, based in Indianapolis, is "responsible for making and maintaining the rules for high school sports in the United States," its website states. This particular rule revision was proposed during the most recent NFHS Baseball Rules Committee meeting in Indianapolis last month.

According to the release, the double first base is required to be white and a contrasting solid color. The white portion will be located in fair territory while the colored half will be located in foul territory.




"Adding the double first base is symbolic to the evolution of the sport. It will immediately address running lane violations, and it will further protect the players from the violent collisions that have occurred at first base," said Elliot Hopkins, the association's director of sports and liaison to the Baseball Rules Committee, in a news release. "By reducing collisions and enhancing safety, it preserves both the integrity of competition and the well-being of those who play."




The association made additional rule changes, helping outline how runners and fielders are expected to use the double first base, including:

• Once the batter reaches first, the batter must return to the white base when leading off, returning on a pick-off or tagging up on a fly ball.





• The batter can use either side of the base on a walk or on an extra-base hit to the outfield "when there is no chance of a play to be made at first base."





• Interference is to be called on a batter if they only touch the white portion of the base on a force play at first and collide with the fielder. Obstruction will be called if the defensive player only touches the colored portion of the base and collides with the runner.

The changes to the base will also clarify whether or not a batted ball is in play. The release said that the ball will be called fair if it hits or "bounds over" any part of the white portion of the base. If the ball hits or "bounds over" the colored portion of the base, it will be ruled as a foul ball.




Other rules changes by the NFHS include:

• Each team can not have more than one player-to-player meeting during an inning while on defense.





• Teams are now allowed to have a school's name, nickname, logo, mascot and/or player's name on a uniform top and/or pants starting in 2027





• Players are not allowed to wear any audio or video devices during the game, specifically microphones and cameras.

For a full list of baseball rule changes, click here.





via: https://fox59.com/indiana-news/nfhs-double-first-base-coming-to-high-school-baseball-in-2027/