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The Futures League

Rules

The Futures League plays by the NCAA Baseball Rule Book, with few exceptions. The following is a summary of rules specific to the Futures League:

EXTRA INNINGS FORMAT - "HOME RUN DERBY WINS IT"

If a game is tied after the 9th inning, a 10th inning using International Tie Breaker rules (runner on second base) will be played. 

If a game is tied after the 10th inning, the game will go to a homerun derby (shootout). The team that wins the Home Run Derby will win the game.

Field Manager from each team will choose up to three players from their active roster to participate in the first round of the derby. The visiting team will hit first.

The First Round will consist of 10 outs with two 30-second timeouts. An out is defined as any batted ball that does not clear the home run fence. At each timeout, the hitter can be substituted. The team with the most home runs will win the game.

If the teams are still tied, they will go to a second round. The second round will consist of five outs with one 30-second timeout. An out is defined as any batted ball that does not clear the home run fence.
If the teams are still tied after two rounds, the Home Run Derby will continue with five-out rounds until the game is decided.

Miscellaneous:

-If a player or manager or coach had been thrown out of the game at any point they aren’t eligible to participate during the HR Derby/Shootout.

-Umpires remain on the field. They will judge fair and foul and legal home runs. The home plate umpire should keep the official home run total.

-Any uniformed member (Player or Coach) of a team can throw in the derby as long as that member hasn’t been thrown out of the game prior.

-If at any point during a round a player or coach/thrower gets injured or hurt the umpire can pause the round. If said player can’t return to hit then his coach can replace him with any member of his active roster. The new player will pick up where the injured player left off. If a coach was hurt the umpire shall give some time to the new thrower to get ready but no practice swings for the hitter.

ROSTER RULES

The roster limit for a Futures League club is 40 players. If a player is added to a roster during the season he must remain active for a minimum of seven days. A player that is deactivated during the season may not be activated again until the seventh day after his deactivation.

On Opening Day, Each FCBL club’s roster must be comprised of at least 10 players who reside in New England or attend a New England college or university. The college or university can be a four or two-year school.

The remaining players can be a mix of any player attending a college or university outside of New England. This area includes a college or univerity within the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, or a Commissioner-approved school outside the locations listed (“New England Rule”).

Beginning in 2023, there is no limit to the number of recent high school graduates who may be on a team roster.

PITCHING GUIDELINES

The Futures League institutes pitching guidelines that are similar to how many Major League organizations structure their pitcher’s development programs. As a forward thinking organization, the Futures League is trying to protect its future stars by preventing its pitchers from being overused.

The guidelines are as follows:

  1. Any pitcher that throws 2 games in a row must rest the next day
  2. Any pitcher that throws 30 pitches or less can pitch the next day
  3. Any pitcher that throws 31-40 pitches must rest for 1 day
  4. Any pitcher that throws 41-50 pitches must rest for 2 days
  5. Any pitcher that throws 51-80 pitches must rest for 3 days
  6. Any pitcher that throws 81-99 pitches must rest for 4 days
  7. Any pitcher that throws 100 or more pitches must rest for 5 days
  8. Any pitcher that throws 40 pitches or more in an inning must be taken out (he can still finish the inning) and must rest the next day
  9. Pitchers cannot start a new inning after they have thrown 90 pitches.
  10. Pitchers cannot start a new batter after they have thrown 100 pitches.
  11. In the playoffs, a pitcher (closer) may appear on three consecutive days as long as he throws 30 or fewer pitches in the previous game(s).

POSTSEASON FORMAT

The postseason will feature four teams playing a best-of-three format for both the semifinals and championship series.

In the semifinals, the #1 seed will play the #4 seed and the #2 seed will play the #3 seed in a best-of-three series. The winners will play in the championship.

The team with the highest points percentage shall be home in game 1, on the road for game 2 and if necessary home for game 3. The sites for the games can be changed if mutually agreed upon by the two teams and the commissioner.