Starting Jan. 1, 2012 all bats used in NFHS high school baseball MUST be BBCOR Certified.
<-- YouTube Sports Science video of bat rating explained.
BESR (Ball Exit Speed Ratio) — This was the longstanding test used to ensure that non-wood bats play similar to wood bats. It tests a bat’s “exit speed,” i.e. how fast the ball bounces off a composite or aluminum bat barrel. It has been phased out, because it failed to account for how bats would perform after they have been broken in (Composite bats typically improve with use).
BBCOR (Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution) — This is the new, more-accurate test that is replacing BESR. Like BESR, it is used to ensure that aluminum and composite bats play similar to wood bats, but it also accounts for how bats perform after they’ve been broken in. That’s because it includes the ABI, described below.
ABI (Accelerated Break-In Test) — This is a test performed on bats to simulate heavy use. Composite bats perform better the more you use them, so as part of the BBCOR, the ABI ensures that even with heavy usage, composite bats perform similar to wood bats.
High school baseball timeline
Starting Jan. 1, 2012 — All bats used in NFHS high school baseball and leagues that follow NFHS rules must be BBCOR certified. The BESR certification will no longer be used.
Composite-barreled bats, which were previously banned, will be allowed if they can pass the BBCOR test.
College baseball timeline
Now in effect — All bats used in the NCAA and any organizations that follow NCAA rules (such as the NAIA), must be BBCOR certified. The BESR certification is no longer used.
Composite-barreled bats, which were previously banned in the NCAA, are allowed if they can pass the BBCOR test.
National Federation of High Schools (NFHS)-Baseball Site
