If you're a baseball enthusiast concerned about the sport's rules evolving at a rapid pace, take heart. College baseball seems to be moving at a more measured pace for now. New standards for the 2025 season have been set, and college baseball operates in two-year cycles for alterations. The next major changes could potentially be seen in 2027. However, discussions about future tweaks are already underway, as shared by American Baseball Coaches Association executive director Craig Keilitz during next month's ABCA convention in Washington D.C.

Unveiling the Potential Shifts in College Baseball Rules

Expanding Usage Of The Runner’s Base

Last season in the Southeastern Conference tournament, hitters took a different path to first base. This was due to an experimental rule that placed a "runner's base" next to the traditional bag in foul territory. The green base was designed to reduce collisions between the defense and the runner, and it was a success. In 2025, this extra base will be available to teams in any game, including the NCAA Tournament. Discussions are now underway to make the double bag a permanent college fixture. Coaches and players alike love this rule as it brings more safety to first base. One anonymous prominent program heavily endorsed it, and Keilitz believes it will have a positive impact on the cleanliness of play by potentially phasing out certain runner interference calls. As a player and now as the executive director of the ABCA, he has always seen the current rule as flawed. The implementation of the runner's bag has gained increasing support.Another aspect to consider is the safety it provides to the first baseman and the batter coming to first base. There have been too many needless injuries at first base, and this rule seems to address that issue. It's not surprising that most teams already use it in training for injury prevention, and the NCAA wants to see it in games as well.

Checking For Foreign Substances

The NCAA has been firm in not adopting every change implemented by major league baseball but views some as crucial for the sport's continued growth. One such area is MLB's crackdown on foreign substances. College baseball doesn't have regular checks like MLB, but it does have a strict policy for players caught violating the rules. Starting in 2025, any offender and his team's head coach will be immediately ejected from the contest, and starting pitchers will face a four-game suspension while relievers will get a two-game suspension. There are also discussions about heightened sticky substance inspections, which Keilitz considers one of the more significant topics on his agenda. Maintaining the integrity of the sport is of utmost importance, and the foreign substance conversation will continue at the convention. Many coaches have expressed that stricter enforcement of the NCAA's zero-tolerance policy is long overdue. One coach shared that he witnessed numerous scenarios in 2024 where opposing pitchers seemed to gain velocity or break on pitches more than pregame data indicated.

A Runner At Second In Extras

The 2024 MLB season was one of the quickest in recent history, thanks in part to the implementation of a pitch clock. College baseball already had this in place and benefited from it. MLB's decision to use a designated runner on second base in extra innings also played a role, but college baseball stuck to traditional rules. With rosters set to be capped at 34 players starting in 2026 and a push for shorter game lengths, the NCAA is rethinking its stance. Dialogue about a required ghost runner in college baseball is once again open. Keilitz believes that having a runner at second base in extras could be a possible solution to prevent long, drawn-out games. While the talks are still in their preliminary stages, early feedback from coaches has been positive. Coaches understand that with smaller rosters, having a runner at second base could help manage the game better.

10-Run Mercy Rule

In college baseball, there is already a run rule that comes into effect if a team leads by 10 or more runs after the seventh inning. The NCAA could potentially expand this rule or make it mandatory. Similar to the ghost runner proposition, a quicker mercy rule is aimed at preventing overuse and shortening game lengths, especially with the upcoming reduction in roster sizes. It's too early to tell exactly how this will play out, but Keilitz is committed to bringing various options to the table for coaches to consider. Making good, sound decisions is the goal.

Tech In The Dugout

Pending approval from individual conferences, college players may soon have more access to information during games. In November, the NCAA approved experimental rules allowing teams to use tablets in the dugout during conference games in 2025. This provides "analytic information and scouting information" to the players. However, the policing of what information is made available is still a topic of debate, and finding a uniform system for all teams is a challenge. Keilitz believes it's a good idea but that more discussions are needed. He doesn't think it's a good idea to focus on missed strikes or balls by the umpires like in major league baseball. The NCAA also emphasized the developmental benefits of having more in-game data available to players. In the absence of such data, player development opportunities are incomplete. Capturing in-game data and comparing it with practice data can provide valuable insights for player development.