Let's be honest: The official MLB Pitch Smart guidelines are great science, but they aren't exactly easy to read on a phone in the middle of the 4th inning.
You don't need a medical textbook. You need to know: Can my kid pitch tomorrow?
We built ThrowIQ to calculate this automatically, but every baseball parent should know the rules by heart. Here's your cheat sheet.
Bookmark this page. You'll need it.
The Golden Rules (Memorize These)
Before we get to the numbers, these three rules apply to everyone — regardless of age:
1. A "rest day" is a FULL calendar day. If your kid pitches Monday and needs "1 Day Rest," he cannot pitch Tuesday. He's eligible Wednesday. This trips up more parents than you'd think.
2. The "Finish the Batter" rule. If a pitcher reaches a threshold (say, 35 pitches) in the middle of an at-bat, they can finish that batter and still count as "under" for rest purposes. Always let them finish the batter.
3. The Catcher/Pitcher rule. If a player catches 4+ innings, they cannot pitch that day. If a player throws 41+ pitches, they cannot catch that day. Mixing both positions in one game is a fast track to arm problems.
Daily Pitch Count Limits
| Age | Max Pitches Per Game | |-----|---------------------| | 7-8 | 50 | | 9-10 | 75 | | 11-12 | 85 | | 13-14 | 95 | | 15-16 | 95 | | 17-18 | 105 |
Hard rule: No pitcher should appear for three consecutive days, regardless of pitch count.
Required Rest Days (Ages 7-14)
| Pitches Thrown | Rest Required | |----------------|---------------| | 1-20 | 0 days (can pitch next day) | | 21-35 | 1 day | | 36-50 | 2 days | | 51-65 | 3 days | | 66+ | 4 days |
Required Rest Days (Ages 15-18)
| Pitches Thrown | Rest Required | |----------------|---------------| | 1-30 | 0 days (can pitch next day) | | 31-45 | 1 day | | 46-60 | 2 days | | 61-75 (15-16) / 61-80 (17-18) | 3 days | | 76+ (15-16) / 81+ (17-18) | 4 days |
Ages 11-12: The Danger Zone
I want to call this out specifically.
This is the age where injuries start silently accumulating. Kids are throwing harder, playing more games, and often on multiple teams. But their bodies — especially their growth plates — aren't ready for the workload.
If your son is 11 or 12, pay extra attention. This is where the damage often begins, even if you don't see symptoms until 14 or 15.
The Rules Everyone Forgets
1. Take 3-4 months off from pitching every year. Not "light throwing." Completely off from competitive pitching. The arm needs an off-season.
2. At least 2-3 continuous months off from ALL overhead throwing. This is the one everyone ignores. No long toss. No catching. No throwing. Full rest.
3. Pitching in multiple leagues? YOU own the pitch count. The travel coach doesn't know what happened at the school game. The showcase doesn't know about Tuesday's bullpen. Someone has to track the total — and that someone is you.
Why Compliance Isn't Enough
Following this chart keeps you legal for tournament play. It doesn't mean you're safe.
Pitch Smart tracks game pitches. It doesn't track:
- The 30-pitch bullpen he threw yesterday
- The 100 throws he made at shortstop
- The "light" lesson he had on his rest day
If you follow this chart but ignore the other 88% of his throwing, you're following the letter of the law while breaking the spirit of arm care.
Use this chart as your baseline. Use common sense — and complete tracking — for the rest.
Quick Reference Card
Print this and tape it to your clipboard:
PITCH SMART QUICK REFERENCE (2025)
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Ages 7-8: 50 max | 21+ = 1 day | 36+ = 2 days
Ages 9-10: 75 max | 21+ = 1 day | 36+ = 2 days | 51+ = 3 days | 66+ = 4 days
Ages 11-12: 85 max | 21+ = 1 day | 36+ = 2 days | 51+ = 3 days | 66+ = 4 days
Ages 13-14: 95 max | 21+ = 1 day | 36+ = 2 days | 51+ = 3 days | 66+ = 4 days
Ages 15-16: 95 max | 31+ = 1 day | 46+ = 2 days | 61+ = 3 days | 76+ = 4 days
Ages 17-18: 105 max | 31+ = 1 day | 46+ = 2 days | 61+ = 3 days | 81+ = 4 days
⚠️ Rest day = FULL calendar day (Mon pitch + 1 day rest = Wed eligible)
⚠️ NEVER pitch 3 days in a row
⚠️ 4+ innings catching = no pitching that day
⚠️ 41+ pitches = no catching that day
Want to Automate This?
ThrowIQ has these rules built into the code. You log the throws — we calculate the rest days instantly. No charts required.
And unlike this cheat sheet, we track everything: bullpens, long toss, catches, defensive throws. The full picture.
Stop guessing. Track the data. Try ThrowIQ Free →
Source: MLB Pitch Smart — USA Baseball & Major League Baseball