NCAA Baseball Approves Base Requirements

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA (August 25, 2026) – Rules regarding the bases used during college baseball games were approved by the NCAA Division I Baseball Oversight Committee and the Division II and Division III Playing Rules Oversight Panel for the 2027 season. 

The use of 18-inch square bases for next season will be permitted at all facilities in all three divisions, while 15-inch square bases remain the standard. A double first base will be required for all games.

In Division I only, a 30-second timer will be used between batters, as well as during mound visits and offensive timeouts.

New technology rules include giving teams the option, when available, of implementing a system to challenge called balls and strikes that could be used in regular-season and postseason games for the upcoming season. This will be an experimental rule in all divisions in the 2027 season.

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) experimented with a challenge system during its conference tournament in May.

Teams also have the option of using bat-sensor technology for in-game data collection. Division I teams experimented with this rule the past two seasons.

One area where the Division I Rules Subcommittee wanted to take a step back is the use of technology to communicate offensive signals. Division I teams no longer will be allowed to use electronic devices to communicate with their offensive players during a game. Subcommittee members wanted to avoid any situations where a batter could have an advantage due to an electronic communication device before a pitch is thrown. 

Other rules changes

• The number of allowable offensive conferences in a game will increase to six. This includes batters’ request to reset the action clock. Like defensive conferences, a coach will be allowed to be involved in a maximum of three offensive charged conferences, plus one additional conference in the event of an extra-inning game. 
  
• In games using video review, teams can make a video challenge to see any play that could result in a fair ball call being overturned to foul and any tag play, regardless of the location.

Additional experimental rules

• Conferences in all three divisions could receive approval to experiment with allowing pitchers only two disengagements from the pitcher’s plate per batter. A third disengagement would be considered a balk unless the pickoff attempt results in an out.

• Pitchers entering a game would be required to face at least three batters unless the inning ends before three batters could be faced.