Spring Divisions

  • Futures Spring League
  • Schedule / Results
  • All Star Team(s)

FUTURES SPRING LEAGUE

TYPE OF LEAGUE:

The Kino Spring Futures League is a competitive level league. Teams that participate must have experience in playing in travel tournaments and/or in previous Kino Baseball competitive leagues.

Teams that have not played in travel tournaments or have played in previous Kino Baseball competitive leagues will be at a disadvantage and it has been our experience of 14 years, that teams that do not have the experience of playing in a high level of competition will not fair well playing in the Kino Spring League.

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

Players that make up a Spring Futures team are required to be high school graduating classes of 2026 (currently 9th grade), 2027 (currently enrolled 8th grade) and class of 2028 (currently enrolled 7th grade).

A player that is from the high school class of 2025 (enrolled 9th grade) and is playing on a high school baseball team, they are not eligible to play in the Kino Futures League per AIA rules.

ROSTER COMPOSITION

Maximum players on a team roster is 20.

Player is not permitted to be on multiple team rosters.

Player that quits a team anytime during the season is no longer eligible and is not permitted to be picked up by another team that plays in the league.

Initial team roster is required to be submitted to the league prior to the start of week 1 (March 25-26). This is required for insurance purposes.

Roster changes adding or deleting a player, the team manager is responsible for communicating with the league of any roster changes. Changes must be communicated electronically via email or text to the league.

The last day to add player(s) to a team roster is FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023. No further players can be added after this date.

BAT SPECIFICATION

  • Barrel size may be either 2 ¼”, 2 5/8” or 2 ¾” in diameter
  • Maximum length is 34 inches
  • Bat must be stamped either USABat, USSSA 1.5 or BBCOR .5
  • Minimum drop for USABat and USSA Bat is -8 or heavier.
  • Any bat that does not have any of these stamps is considered illegal for use.
  • Solid one-piece wood bat (ash, birch, maple) or composite wood (BBCOR stamp) is permitted for use.

PITCHING

There are no pitching limitations. There are no pitch counts.

Coaches are responsible for the safety and pitch smart of their pitchers.

SUBSTITUTION

High School re-entry rule. Starter removed, may return one time during the game in the same spot in the batting order. Substitute is removed no longer has game eligibility.

GAME LENGTH

Seven (7) innings with 2:00 hour time limit.

CALENDAR – IMPORTANT DATES

February 15 – Email intention to participate
March 8 – $250 deposit due
March 11-19 – Teams scheduled practices/scrimmage games.
March 24 – Entry Fee balance due
March 24 – Initial team roster due
March 25 – Regular season begins
March 28 – Weeknight schedule of games begin
April 23 – Regular season ends (barring any weather rain outs)
April 29-May7 – League playoffs
April 30 – League All-Star Teams Announced
May 12 – League All-Star Game-Kino Sports Complex

ENTRY FEE

$1,600 – included in the fee is the cost for umpires, field preparation, lights, baseballs, insurance, and post-season awards.

Deposit $250.00: If team meets the requirements as outline, a deposit of $250 is required to be paid on/or before March 8, 2023. The balance of the fee is due on/or before March 24, 2023.

ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF PAYMENT

  • Zelle (5207302506)
  • Credit Card. A charge of 4% (credit card companies charge us) is added.
  • Cashier check, money order or one personal check payable to the Kino Baseball League
  • If making check payment by mail: Kino Baseball League PO Box 89304, Tucson, Arizona 85752.
  • We do not accept multiple checks from families to make up the fee amount.

INSURANCE

The Spring Futures League teams are covered under the Kino Baseball League insurance coverage that includes both medical/accident and liability.

Roster only players are eligible for the league insurance benefit.

The league medica;/accident insurance is an “excess” coverage. If a player requires medical treatment, the parent health care insurance is utilized to begin the treatment process. The league insurance picks up any remaining costs after deductibles and payments from the family plan has been met.

It is the responsibility of the team manager to notify the league within 24 hours if a player gets injured and requires medical attention. The insurance coverage is only for the season duration.

UMPIRES

The umpires that are assigned to the Spring Futures League are those that officiate AIA High School games from the Freshman, Jayvee, and Varsity levels.

BASEBALLS

Each team is issued two (2) dozen game baseballs.

Two new baseballs are issued to the umpire at the pre-game plate meeting

If additional baseballs are needed during a game, then the umpire will ask teams to provide.

Teams need to chase down foul balls hit out of play on their side of their field.

At the end of the game any baseballs remaining with the umpire will be dropped on the ground for the teams to collect.

UNIFORMS

Players are to be in full baseball uniform that includes jersey, baseball pants and cap. (No visors).

Players must have a number on the back of their jersey. Player that has uniform number will not be eligible to play in the game.

Duplicate numbers are approved, but on the batting order line up a letter is to be noted next to each duplicate number. Example: 24A and 24B

Metal cleats are permitted.

Coaches are to dress appropriately and respectfully. that includes a baseball cap that is to be worn at times when in the coach’s box.

PLAYING RULES

The Spring Futures League plays mainly NFHS (National Federation High School) rules along with the inclusion of some local league playing rules. The following are a few of the league rules. Prior to the season each team manager will receive a copy of the league rules in detail.

COMMITMENT

Team commitment to play in the Kino Spring Futures League is paramount, and it must be understood by parents, coaches, and players that the Kino Spring Futures League is a priority if your team participates. If your team is playing in a Little League program, please understand that we will not be able to work around any game scheduled involving Little League. The league also does not schedule around UA events.

If your team plays in a middle school league during the week, advise on the game dates during the week so the Futures game schedule does not conflict.

FORFEIT FEE RATE

Team that forfeits a game is fined $150.00. Once the game schedule has been developed and becomes official and a team cannot make a scheduled game for whatever reason or shows up with less than 8 players to start a game, the team is fined $150.00 that is required to be paid in full prior to the team’s next schedule game.

GAME SCHEDULE

Week of March 11-19 practices/scrimmage games will be scheduled by the league for participating teams. These scrimmage games will offer the opportunity for teams to prepare for the season. It will also be the time to ask questions about any ruling clarifications. The scheduled days that the league will have fields available are Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. The parks will be Arthur Pack, Curtis, Littletown and George Mehl Foothills Park.

The league plan is to start regular games the weekend of March 25-26.

Plan is to play 10 regular season games.

Games will be scheduled to be played weeknights (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) and weekends. The plan is to have teams play at minimum 2 games per week. The only day the league will not schedule games is Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023.

Weeknight game times will be scheduled for 7:00 PM

Weekend game times run from 8:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM, 4:00 PM

Teams from outside the Tucson Metro Area (Sierra Vista, Douglas, Casa Grande, Nogales) will be scheduled to play on the weekends.

The league post-season format will be determined and announced prior to the start of the season.

In summary, the league calendar window for the Futures Leagues is from March 14-May 13

TRAVEL

Hamilton HS 14U program for the 13th year will be scheduled to play games in the Futures League this coming spring. Hamilton will travel to Tucson for scheduled games, and teams from the Futures League will be scheduled to play at Hamilton High School, Chandler.

BLACK OUT DATES

Participating teams are required to furnish the league with blackout dates on/or before March 1, 2023. Check with your parents regarding spring break that does occur when this league is playing. Understand that more than 2 games a week will be scheduled to make up for dates lost due to blackout dates.

GAME SITE LOCATIONS

Spring Future League games will be scheduled to be played at the following parks:

  • Curtis Park
  • Arthur Pack Park
  • George Mehl Foothills Park
  • Thomas Jay Regional Park—Littletown
  • Reid Annex Fields (Saturdays in April)

FIELD DIMENSIONS

  • 90 foot bases
  • 60 foot 6 inch pitching distance

2023 SPRING FUTURES SCHEDULE


 

FUTURES All-STAR GAME

The 2nd Annual Futures All-Star Game will be held on Friday, May 12, 2023, at the Kino Sports Complex with game time at 7:00 PM.

Two teams will be made up of players as selected by their team manager. Further details as the season goes along.

Last years 2022 Team Kino Coach: Mike Brownstein, Rollin Baseball
High School All Stars

Last years 2022 Team Sonora Coach: Josue Ortiz, Rebels
High School All Stars

 

HOW TO ENTER A TEAM

Email: [email protected] with your intentions of participating in the Spring Futures League on or before February15, 2023. If you are new to playing Kino Baseball, in your email indicate your team’s playing experience to include the number of travel tournaments (USSSA, NCS or other) the team has participated in and the team’s overall tournament record to date. The league will review your team’s playing resume and will make determination if your team will be accepted or not to play in the Kino Spring Futures League.
Questions? phone: (520) 730-2506