What size bat for a 12-year-old?
Quick answer
Most 12-year-olds use a 30"–31" fastpitch softball bat with a -11 or -10 drop.
For an average 12-year-old (about 5'0", 91 lb). Taller or heavier players go longer; smaller players go shorter.
Length: go by height and weight
Age is only a starting point. Bat makers size by height and weight. A quick check: stand the bat beside your player. The knob should reach the middle of their palm with their arm hanging down. If they can't hold the bat straight out to the side for about 10 seconds, it's too heavy.
| Player size | Length |
|---|---|
| Smaller than average | 29"–30" |
| Average | 30"–31" |
| Bigger than average | 31"–32" |
Get the exact length in the Bat Finder. It uses the full height-and-weight chart and checks your league's length limit.
Drop: -11 or -10
Drop is length minus weight in ounces: a 30" bat that weighs 20 oz is a -10. A bigger drop is lighter and easier to swing. Most 12-year-olds do best with -11 or -10.
Which stamp does your league require at 12?
The stamp matters more than the size: a bat without the right one isn't legal, no matter how well it fits. League age can differ from birthday age, so check your division.
| League | Division | Stamp (2027) | Drop for this age |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA Softball | Girls (JO) & women's fastpitch | USA Softball | -11 or -10 |
| USA Softball | Boys (JO) & men's fastpitch | USA Softball | -11 or -10 |
| USSSA Fastpitch | All ages | USSSA FP or Wood | -11 or -10 |
| NSA Fastpitch | All ages | NSA or Wood | -11 or -10 |
| PGF | National qualifiers & Nationals | USA Softball | -11 or -10 |
| Alliance Fastpitch | National & sanctioned events | USA Softball or USSSA FP | -11 or -10 |
| Little League Softball | Tee Ball, Minors & Majors | BPF 1.20 or Wood | -11 or -10 |
| Little League Softball | Junior & Senior League | BPF 1.20 or Wood | -11 or -10 |
| Babe Ruth Softball | All divisions (6U–18U) | Official Softball or Wood | -11 or -10 |
Shop 12-year-old sizes
Pick the stamp your league requires. Links open bats in a typical 12-year-old size; change the size on the store's page if yours differs. We earn a commission if you buy, at no cost to you.
USA Softball bats · 31" -11
USSSA FP bats · 31" -11
Other ages
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12-year-old baseball bat size
Sizes come from the Rawlings/Easton bat sizing chart and average heights and weights from the CDC growth charts. They're guidance, not rules. Your league's rules decide what's legal.
Not sure what to buy?
The free Bat Finder gives you the length, the drop and the stamp your league requires in about 20 seconds.
Open the Bat Finder