Baseball

Rookie Ball Division (Tee-Ball): Ages: all 4, 5, and 6-year olds (Boys and Girls)

Rookie Ball is designed for all 4, 5, and 6-year olds (boys and girls), and is set up for an instructional introduction to the game for players that are just getting started with developing basic skills and a love for the game of baseball and softball. Players learn the basics of the game and hit off of a batting tee and coach pitch.

Teams are usually set up with 8-10 players per team and have several parent volunteers to help teach the game. Teams will practice once a week once teams are formed. Once the games start teams will play one weeknight game and a Saturday game.

Players will be assigned to a team after registration closes (early-April) and notified via email of their team assignment and manager. The team manager will then contact parents with practice the schedule. Requests for being placed on a team with other players/coaches will be considered but cannot be guaranteed.

Most players will participate in at least two seasons of Rookie Ball prior to moving to machine-pitch games in our baseball and softball divisions.

A-Ball Division (Machine Pitch): Ages: an advanced 6-year-old, 7, 8, and possibly a 9-year-old that has never played baseball.

This division will teach the players the fundamentals of the game including fielding, hitting, throwing and the basic rules of the game and is primarily for players aged 6-8 that are continuing to develop basic baseball skills and ready to hit in a controlled setting with a pitching machine.

Teams will have 10-12 players per team and will have at least 3-4 coaches and ideally a dugout coach. Teams usually practice 1-2 times a week before games start and once a week after games start. Teams will have one weeknight game and one Saturday game per week, and once school is out there may be a extra week night game.

Players will be assigned to a team after registration closes (early-April) and notified via email of their team assignment and manager. The team manager will then contact parents with the practice schedule. Requests for being placed on a team with other players/coaches will be considered but cannot be guaranteed.

Most players will participate in two seasons of A-Ball prior to moving to player-pitch games in our AA-Ball division.

AA-Ball Division: Ages: an advanced 7-year-old, 8, 9, 10, and possibly an 11-year-old that has never played baseball

This division is designed to introduce players to pitching and is primarily for players aged 8-10 that are continuing to develop basic baseball skills and ready to play at a level with player-pitch, umpires, and keeping score.

Players will pitch to batters until they work the count to four balls then a coach will pitch the remaining pitches until three strikes is obtained without a hit. This level also starts to build the catcher position skills and introduces base stealing. This is seen as an instructional division with all aspects of the baseball game.

Most players will participate in two seasons of A-Ball prior to moving to player-pitch games in our AA-Ball division.  And most players will participate in two seasons of AA-Ball prior to moving to games in our AAA-Ball division.

Players will be asked to attend the player evaluations in March. After evaluations, players will be assigned to the appropriate division and team depending on skill level. Players will be notified via email of their team assignment and manager. The team manager will then contact parents with the practice schedule. Requests for being placed on a team with other players/coaches will be considered but cannot be guaranteed as players are assigned to teams in a way that best allows for a competitive balance in the league.

AAA-Ball Division: Ages: an advanced 9-year-old, 10, 11, and 12.

This division allows the players to understand the game at full speed and combines all their skills they have learned from our previous leagues, but at a more competitive level. This division will work on developing more pitching, catching, and position skills required by the game of baseball.

Teams consist of 11-12 players per team and will have 3-4 coaches. Teams will practice 2-3 times a week until season starts then will be required to practice a minimum of two times a week once games start. One game will be played during the week and one on Saturday - once school is out there will be two games during the week.

Most players will participate in two seasons of AA-Ball prior to moving to our AAA-Ball division.

Players that are aged 10-12 that were not on a Majors division roster at East Side during the previous 2021 season, should register for AAA-Ball. Players will be asked to attend the player evaluations in March. After evaluations, players will be drafted to a Majors team.

The manager of the Majors team will contact parents via email with the practice schedule. Typically, 24 players are drafted to each Majors team. Those 24 players practice together for two weeks, and then are assigned to either the Majors or AAA roster depending on skill level.

Majors Division: Ages: an advanced 9-year old, an advanced 10-year-old, 11, and 12.

This division is the highest skill level and intended for the most skilled players at the park. Teams will consist of 11-12 players per team and will not exceed more than six players per age group (ex: no more than six 12-year-olds per team unless approved by executive board). This division is intended to introduce the competitive side of the game along with fine tuning players’ skills they have learned along the way and combined with top-level coaching.

Once a player participates in a full season on a Majors roster, he will no longer be required to attend the player evaluations in March.

Players that are aged 10-12 that were not on a Majors division roster at East Side during the previous 2021 season, should register for AAA-Ball. Players will be asked to attend the player evaluations in March. After evaluations, players will be drafted to a Majors team.

The manager of the Majors team will contact parents via email with the practice schedule. Typically, 24 players are drafted to each Majors team. Those 24 players practice together for two weeks, and then are assigned to either the Majors or AAA roster depending on skill level.

Juniors Prep League: Ages: 13 -16

This league is about developing players to play on the full-sized baseball diamond and getting them ready for high school teams, or just to play recreationally. This league will practice and play local tournaments against same age groups or caliber of teams from the area. Also depending on the number of players per age group, teams may compete as a travel team under East Side.