Something is about to look different in high school baseball. Why the change?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- NFHS mandates double first base in high school baseball starting in 2027.
- Rule aims to reduce collisions and enforce running lane compliance at first base.
- NCAA allows double bases in 2025, mandates use in major postseason tournaments.
High school athletics leaders hope a recent rule change — requiring a double first base — will result in fewer collisions between runners and fielders.
The rule, approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) board of directors earlier this month, will go into effect for the 2027 season.
Double first bases were approved, but not mandated, for college baseball across all divisions for the 2025 season. The NCAA did mandate the use of the double first base in the most prominent NCAA baseball events of the season, including its regionals, super regionals and College World Series.
The double first base is made of two connected sections. The white portion is located in fair territory, while an equally sized colored portion — typically green or orange — is positioned in foul territory.
Double first bases are intended to reduce running lane violations and collisions.
Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the organization’s baseball rules committee, described the rule change as “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,” Hopkins said 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 change was one of 10 proposed by the NFHS baseball rules committee during its annual meeting in early June. Other approved changes addressed defensive player meetings and fair balls.
A full list of the approved rule changes can be found online, here.
