Recognized Programs

eligibility rules for the 2025 PLAYING SEASON

RP1.13 HIGH PERFORMANCE PROGRAMS

Effective for the 2025 season:

The OBA shall sanction High Performance (AAAA) programming at 14U, 15U, and 18U as follows:
1. Type A: OBA Local High-Performance Programs
  1. Participate as part of a Local Association and has all the rights, privileges, and obligations of such.
  2. May run Rep programming at all levels.
  3. May run Select programming at all levels.
  4. May run House League programming at all levels.
  5. May run umpire and coach clinics.
  6. May participate in the OBA Rep Elimination tournament for their age category.
  7. May participate in Rep AAA or AAAA sanctioned tournaments.
  8. May participate in any summer baseball league they so choose.
  9. Players are eligible for the Ontario Youth Team and National teams.
2. Type B: OBA Affiliate High Performance Programs
  1. Participate as part of an Affiliated Association run program.
  2. May only run Rep programming at any level.
  3. May not run Select or House League programming.
  4. May run umpire and coaching clinics.
  5. May participate in the OBA Rep Elimination tournament for their age category.
  6. May participate in Rep AAA or AAAA sanctioned tournaments.
  7. May participate in any summer baseball league they so choose.
  8. Players are eligible for the Ontario Youth Team and National teams.
3. Type C: OBA High-Performance Partners
  1. Does not participate as a part of a Local Association or Affiliated Association.
  2. Operate at 14U and above only.
  3. Meets requirements for High-Performance Partnership (see RXXX).
  4. May participate in Eliminations so long as they adhere to the OBA Arm Care rules throughout the season and comply with the OBA Coach Certification.
  5. May participate in Rep AAA sanctioned tournaments but must adhere to OBA Arm Care rules for the duration of the tournament.
  6. May participate in any summer baseball league they so choose.
The recruiting period for OBA High-Performance programs shall begin no earlier than June 30^th and end no later than October 31^st annually.
OBA High-Performance programs may not begin try-outs prior to the Tuesday following Civic Holiday weekend.
OBA High-Performance programs must declare their final cuts no later than October 31^st annually so that players may have an opportunity to try out for their Local Association within which they reside.

In order to allow for players to determine where they wish to participate in 2024, OBA is announcing today its recognition of alternative programs for the 2024 playing season.

RP1.14 HIGH PERFORMANCE PARTNERS

Effective for the 2025 season:

The OBA Rep Council shall automatically approve annually the application for any High-Performance program which operates primarily in the Province of Ontario so long as that program is considered in good standing with the OBA.
In order to be in good standing with the OBA, a High-Performance Partner must:
1. Operate independently of any youth baseball programming which is not recognized by the OBA.
2. Operate independently of any youth baseball program which offers summer programming for athletes 13U age and younger.
3. Apply annually to be a High-Performance Partner.
4. Purchase the OBA Insurance policy or provide evidence of satisfactory insurance to operate in Ontario.
5. Submit a roster of players to the OBA Office by the Rep Roster deadline.
6. Annually, pay Rep Provincial Registration Fee per team as determined by the OBA Board of Management and Rep Council.
7. At the start of their partnership, pays a one-time Partnership fee to the OBA as determined by the OBA Board of Directors.
OBA High Performance Partners may participate in the OBA Elimination Tournament so long as they adhere to the OBA Arm Care rules throughout the season and comply with the OBA Coach Certification.
OBA High Performance Partners may participate in any OBA Rep AAA sanctioned tournament but must comply with Arm Care rules for the duration of the tournament.
Players registered with a High-Performance Partner may not participate on a OBA Rep or Select team at the age category that they currently participate in but may be called up to play on an older team from the Local Association in which they reside.
Players registered with a High-Performance Partner are eligible for the Ontario Youth Team and Team Canada should they be selected for one of these teams.

The following organizations are recognized for purposes of this rule:

PBLO franchises in good standing with the PBLO (Kingston Jr. Ponies, London Badgers, Mid-West Ontario Bearcats, Ontario Yankees, Oshawa Legionnaires, Ottawa Nepean Canadians, Sarnia Brigade, Sudbury Voyageurs, Tecumseh Thunder).
Ontario Senior Baseball Association
All Senior Men’s House League Programs
Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League
Any organization which submits an application under, and complies with, the OBA Recognition Policy. As organizations apply and are recognized, the will be added to this list.
For the 2025 season, the following organizations are recognized (as of August 30, 2024):
- None at this time.

Application for Recognition

Other than at Senior, players who are involved with a recognized alternative baseball program may ONLY sign with (i) the OBA Local Association in which they live OR (ii) the OBA Local Association with which they last rostered. (Note: In the case of (ii), if the player was not rostered with that Local Association in 2023, a release will be required from the OBA Local Association in which they live.) If the Local Association(s) referenced in (i) and (ii) decide NOT to sign the player, the player may NOT sign with any other OBA team during the current playing season.

An OBA team may play against any organization listed above which has been recognized under the Baseball Ontario Recognition Policy.

OBA teams wishing to play in one of those alternative baseball programs must follow all rules applicable to OBA teams, including rostering and release requirements, and must comply with their obligations to their Affiliated Association and OBA.

REQUESTS

Affiliated Associations or Local Associations wishing for OBA to recognize any other alternative baseball program may request the Rep Council to consider their request. Any such request must be made in writing, and in the case of a Local Association have the approval of the team's Affiliated Association, and provide reasons why OBA should recognize the alternative baseball program. Baseball Ontario's Rep Council reserves the right to approve or reject any such request.

Non-OBA programs may apply for recognition in accordance with the OBA Recognition Policy.

Anyone having any questions regarding these provisions may contact Justin Snively-Topping, Rep Commissioner, at justin.snively@baseballontario.com

OBA
STATEMENT WITH RESPECT TO PLAYING IN
INTERCOUNTY MAJOR LEAGUE

In order to provide a consistent and equal playing field for OBA teams across the province, OBA is announcing pursuant to RP2.11 of its Rep Division Playing Rules the following with respect to players playing in the Intercounty Major League in 2025.

1. Players playing in the Intercounty Major League are not eligible to sign with Senior teams within the OBA. In other words, players can only play with one senior-aged team in Ontario.

2. Junior-aged players playing for the OBA junior team in the same municipality that operates an Intercounty Major League franchise may play as call-up with that particular Intercounty Major League team, but no other. For example, players playing on the Kitchener Junior team may play as call-ups with the Kitchener Intercounty team only. Where there is no Junior team in the municipality of the Intercounty team, then the Intercounty team may, with the consent of the Junior team, designate in writing to OBA one Junior team for call-ups. Only one Junior team may have its players be used as call-ups with an Intercounty team per Intercounty franchise. Junior teams whose players are to be used as call-ups for an Intercounty team must notify OBA of such arrangement prior to any players being used as call-ups.

3. If a Junior aged players playing for the OBA junior team in the same municipality that operates an Intercounty Major League franchise plays as a call-up with the Intercounty Major League team then that player is ineligible to play as a call-up with the OBA senior team in that municipality. For example, players playing on the Burlington Junior team may play as call-ups with the Burlington Intercounty team OR the Burlington Senior team but not both.

4. Junior players in municipalities that do not have an Intercounty Major League franchise are not eligible to play as call-ups in the Intercounty Major League, except as specifically permitted in paragraph 2.

5. Players who play in the Intercounty Major League in violation of these rules will be deemed to be illegal players for OBA purposes.

Anyone having any questions regarding these provisions may contact Justin Snively-Topping, Rep Commissioner, at justin@playoba.ca.