Q: Why did Santa Teresa Little League change the division structure?

A: Our league has grown significantly over the past year, which means we now have more teams and players. These changes will help us create more balanced teams and ensure games are more fair and fun in every division. The new structure will also provide a better path for players to develop their skills as they get older, from the new Machine Pitch division to the new PCL division.

Q: What are the new divisions and what do they do?

A: We've added two new divisions to our league structure:

• Machine Pitch (A Division): This division will now use a pitching machine instead of a coach to pitch the ball. This helps younger players get more practice hitting and fielding the ball, accelerating their skill development. Our previous A Division, which was coach pitch, will now be called the Farm Division.

• PCL Division: This new division is for players moving up from AAA. It's an additional step toward more competitive play before they reach the Majors division, giving them more time to refine their skills against players of a similar level.

Q: How will these changes impact player registration?

A: There are a couple of key changes to the registration process this year:

• Registration by Age: When you sign up for Spring 2026, you will register your child based on their league age, not a specific division.

• Division Placement: For players ages 7-14, their final division will be determined after tryouts or evaluations.

• Registration Fees: Most division fees will now be the same. This allows us the flexibility to move players to the most appropriate division for them after tryouts if needed.

Q: Where can I see a chart of all the divisions and their corresponding ages?

A: You can find a complete chart of all the divisions and their age ranges here: Division Information

Q: Will there be a way for me to ask questions in person about these changes?

A: Yes! We will be holding in-person registration events where you can ask questions directly. We will share the exact dates, times, and locations soon on our website and in a follow-up email. We encourage all parents to attend! For a list of upcoming in-person registration events, click HERE.

Q: When will I get more information about the new divisions and rules?

A: We will be creating and sharing more detailed information about how the new divisions will work, including Game Day rules, in October.

Q: What other leagues have Machine Pitch / Minors (new A division)?

A: Machine Pitch / Minor is widely used across Little League. This division offers a step up from coach pitch before players start hitting off live (kid) pitching. The format keeps the pace of play moving and provides for more reps in games and practices. It also allows for the teaching of better hitting mechanics as players learn to hit flatter, straighter pitches. 

Q: What other leagues have a PCL Division? 

A: STLL modeled its new PCL division after reviewing several leagues, most notably on the mid-Peninsula (Palo Alto, Alpine, San Mateo). The division aims to provide a higher level of competition and more advanced instruction in baseball for players league age 10 and 11 who are developing their baseball skills and getting ready for the more advanced play in the Majors.

Q: Will this new structure impact All Stars?

Q: Does my player’s team from last Spring or Fall affect which team they’ll be on this Spring?

A: The Fall season is instructional only and has no bearing on the placement of players in the Spring. A Majors player in Fall Ball (potentially age 10) could be drafted into PCL or AAA depending on skill. In the Spring, a player will not be placed in a division lower than they placed the previous Spring. For example a 10 year old who played Majors in Spring 2025 will remain in the Majors division and will not play in the new PCL division. 

Q: What divisions can I request for a buddy or a coach?

A: We do not allow coach requests in STLL. Buddy requests are limited to the AA division and below and are not guaranteed. Our priority in team formation is skills balance. STLL will make a reasonable effort to accommodate them. These are limited to one per player.

Q: How can I confirm what league age my player is before signing up?

A: Baseball and Softball league ages are determined differently. You can look up your player’s league age here: https://www.littleleague.org/play-little-league/determine-league-age/

Q: Can I make a request for a player to play up?

A: Play up requests are limited to players in Tball, Farm, A, and AA, and require review by the Player Agent and Division Directors. Parents should accurately fill out the registration form noting the player's last level of play. Include a note in registration if you wish to be considered for a division other than the player’s default division, and a valid reason why the player should be considered for a division above. With the introduction of the new Minor / Machine pitch we believe player movement up will be limited. We do not hold children back, but we are also careful not to rush players past a division where they can learn necessary skills to get to the next level. No requests can be made for AAA and up because these are drafted divisions. The players performance at evaluations will determine if they play in these divisions.

Q: Can I make a request for my player to play “down” a division?

A: A request to have your player placed in a division lower than their default division will be considered, with limitations. Generally, we will only allow a player to play “down” if there is a special accommodation required for a player, or if the player is new to baseball/softball and would therefore benefit from one year of play in the next division down. Example: if a 10 year old is brand new to baseball we will place them, at the parents request, into the AAA division and not make them eligible for the PCL draft. Same with other divisions. In nearly all circumstances, 12 year olds must play in Majors

Q: Can I request that my child not be drafted “up” into Majors or PCL?

A: Parents of a player who is League Age 10 may sign a waiver to prevent the player from being drafted into Majors.  Parents of a player who is League Age 9 may sign a waiver to prevent the player from being drafted into PCL. If a parent does not sign a waiver and later asks for the player to be moved down a division, the player will lose All-Star eligibility. Signing of the pre-draft waiver DOES NOT impact All-Star / Post Season eligibility.

Q: How will my child progress through the divisions in STLL?

A: Our philosophy is that a child should spend one year in each division until reaching AAA. At that point, the child’s development and skill will dictate the division in which they play until league age 12 when they will be placed in the Majors division by default. This ensures we are appropriately challenging our players and developing them, and not stalling their growth. Unnecessarily holding a child back, and allowing them to dominate a lower division, does not help the individual player or the other players in the division.

Q: What does “default” division mean?

A: The player’s default division is the one to which they will be assigned if they are NOT drafted to a division above. The best example of this is with our 11 year olds. The “default” division for an 11 year old now is the new PCL division. This means that if an 11 year old player is NOT drafted into the Majors, this will be the division in which they play. Another example is the 8 year olds. Any 8 year old NOT drafted into AAA will be placed in the AA division and assigned to a team by the player agent.

Q: What divisions have drafts?

A: We hold drafts for Seniors, Juniors, Intermediate, Majors, PCL and AAA. Teams in all other divisions are created by the Player Agents based on input from the independent evaluators. 

Q: How are teams formed in AA and A divisions?

A: AA division teams are formed after the AAA draft is completed. All 8 year olds not drafted into AAA will then be assigned to teams in AA by the Player Agent. To spread the talent out as evenly as possible, the Player Agent uses the evaluation scoring provided by the independent evaluator assigned to AA division by the league.Teams in the A division (mostly 7 year olds) are created by the Player Agent using the same process of team formation that we use in AA division. 

Q: My league age 7 child played in the player pitch AA in Fall 2025. Does that mean they will still get to play AA in Spring 26 or will they be required to play machine pitch A in Spring 26?

A: Fall ball is an instructional league, and the divisions in which children play in Fall do not always map to where they will play in the Spring. The default division for 7 year olds is the machine pitch A division.  However, the player’s evaluation at tryouts will ultimately determine where your child is placed. More advanced 7 year olds may be placed in AA following evaluations. 

Q: What’s the difference between Evaluations and Tryouts?

A: Tryouts and Evaluations are the same thing. This is the process where players go through a skills assessment so managers in AAA, PCL and Majors, Intermediate, Juniors, Seniors can draft their teams, and the independent evaluators can assess skills for team creation in AA and A divisions. Because every player is placed on a team, the word “tryout” is inaccurate. But since the term tryout has long been associated with Little League baseball and is understood to mean the evaluation process, we describe our assessment as “tryouts.”