General youth-baseball guidance, not a rulebook. 8U leagues differ a lot; the steal, lead-off, and run-limit details below are typical but YOUR league's printed rules win. Ask for the exact text.
Small field, small rules
8U means 8-and-under — the division for kids aged 8 and younger, sometimes listed as "8 and under" or "Coach Pitch/Machines" depending on the league. 8U (Minors) usually plays on a 46/60 field (46 feet from mound to plate, 60-foot bases) with kid pitch once the league decides they're ready.
- No lead-offs. Runners wait on the base. In many leagues they may step off only once the ball crosses the plate.
- Steals on release. Some leagues let runners go once the ball reaches the batter; stricter ones want a controlled break.
- One base per steal. No extra bases on a steal or pickoff overthrow; the runner gets the one base they were stealing.
Lead-offs, steals, and home
The three questions every parent asks:
- Can they lead off? In most 46/60 leagues, no early leads. Runners take their lead after the pitch crosses home.
- When can they steal? After the ball passes the plate, and it's usually one base per steal. No advance on a steal overthrow.
- Can they steal home? In the small-field divisions, often not at all; third base only scores on a ball in play or a force.
Run limits and mercy rules
These exist so games end on time and nobody gets buried.
- Inning run caps. Often 3–5 runs per inning in 8U; the inning ends when the cap hits, even mid-rally.
- Time limits. Many games are time-capped rather than played to 6 innings.
- Mercy / 10-run rules. A big lead ends the game early in many leagues.
Sliding and on-base rules
- Feet-first only. Head-first slides are usually banned at 8U, and some leagues ban diving into bases entirely.
- Run through first. The batter is allowed to overrun first base; slowing down is how kids get thrown out.
- Fielding helmets and protection. Pitchers face the plate from 46 feet; leagues often require the approved helmet and, in some cases, face protection.
Where kids stand, and when to play in
The rally-killer nobody practices: defenders forgetting where their spot is before the pitch. It gets corrected at every 8U game, and second base is the one kids get wrong most.
- Every fielder has a spot. Each kid walks back to the same place before every pitch, then moves to the ball from there. Stop the pre-pitch drift.
- Second base plays the hole. Off the bag, a few steps behind the line between 2nd and 1st, so they can cover ground either way. Standing on the bag blocks the view. Shortstop mirrors it on the other side of 2nd.
- First base plays off the bag when there's no runner on; outfielders stay on the grass, about 20 feet behind the baseline.
- In vs. back. Nobody on: play back for range and reaction time. Runner on 3rd with fewer than 2 outs, the coach brings fielders in to protect the plate. That's what "play in" means.
8U is a gentle version of the game: no lead-offs, steals after the pitch with one base max, run caps that end innings, and feet-first slides. Every league tweaks these, and the printed rules are the truth. When in doubt, ask the coach or the league for the exact text.