Frequently Asked Question

KEY DATES: FALL 2024 SEASON

• May 19 - Aug. 16: Regular player registration ($325 fee, $200 for Fours Clinic).
  
• Aug. 16: Player registration closes for all divisions.
  
• Aug. 24 & 25: Player evaluations for all divisions - (No evaluations for Fours Clinic).
  
• Sept. 3 and Sept. 4: Player drafts for all divisions - Bronco, Mustang, Pinto, Shetland. (No draft for Fours Clinic).
  
• Sept. 9th: Weekday practices begin.
• Sept. 14th & 21st: Saturday practices.
• Sept. 28th - OPENING WEEKEND! Games Begin.
• Sept. 29th: Fours Clinic Begins.
• Nov. 23: Last Games.

REGISTRATION
Q. How do I register my child?
A. All registration is done online. Click here to access our system. Registration officially closes about a week before evaluations so we can properly prepare for player assessments. However, please do note that all divisions usually sell out long before then.

Q. In what division will my child play?
A. A player’s division is determined by his/her age using guidelines set by PONY Baseball, our governing body on rules and regulations. You can find the age chart by clicking here.

Q. My child has no experience playing baseball. What level of skill is expected of the players? 
Toluca welcomes players of all skill levels and we enjoy introducing the game to those without any playing experience. While we normally see beginners in our younger divisions (Fours, Shetland), our volunteer managers are experienced with helping older kids gain the skills they need to enjoy the game.

Q. I think my child is better suited for a different division. How do I request to "play up" or "play down"?
Given the complexities involved with managing a process capable of objectively determining who is and isn't ready to do so, it has been a longstanding rule at Toluca not to allow any player to play up in an older division or play down in a younger one regardless of skill level. They must play within their required age division as determined by PONY Baseball (click here). Please note that our Local Rules do allow for exceptions to be made in the case of verified physical and/or mental challenges; please contact our League Registrar via email (click here) for more details.

Q. I need to provide proof of age?
A. Yes but this is for new players only. Returning players do not need to provide proof of age again. Acceptable proof of age forms is a birth certificate or a valid passport. For more information about whether or not you are required to provide proof of age documentation, please click here. 

Q. My player has many obligations. Can I request a specific practice night?
A. Parents may indicate one practice night conflict only. If your player is drafted on another night that isn't ideal for his/her schedule, we will ask that you make accommodations. Every division will have a waiting list of interested players so we will offer those players with your spot if you are unable to make your practice day work. It is important to remember that once the regular season begins, games are played throughout the week on non-recurring days.

Q. Can I make a teammate request?
A. Requests will be considered in the Shetland division ONLY.  Only ONE request will be accepted and it must be reciprocated. Our upper divisions have more than 600 families, so it is logistically impossible to equally consider all carpool requests. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this makes for you.

Q. Can I request a specific manager?
A. No. Only the children of the team's manager and assistant coach are guaranteed to be on that team.

Q. Can girls play at Toluca Baseball?
A. Absolutely!  Every season we have a handful of girls playing on our fields and we'd love to see more!

Q. Do you offer refunds?
A. Registration refunds -- minus a $25 processing fee -- will be available until midnight on the Monday following player evaluations. Thereafter, no refunds will be available.

Q. How does the Wait List work? When will I know if my child will be added?
A. It is common for all of our divisions to reach capacity before the end of our registration period. Because several factors are a moving target -- the final number of teams, availability of qualified managers, available field space, etc. -- we preliminarily set our cap at 11 players per team but seek to go into the season with 12 players per team. Once the division's preliminary cap is reached, all additional interested players may be registered without fee on our Wait List.   Via this process, your child's details are timestamped, a critical component as we open up additional roster spots. Generally speaking, players are activated based on timestamp (so don't delay!), but there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, if the division is short on qualified managers and a Wait List parent has experience leading a team, that child may be moved up the list. Second, Wait List players may be activated at any time during the period leading up to the first game of the regular season. Finally, once a roster spot is cleared, the registered parent will receive an email with instructions on how to pay; funds must be received within 24 hours or we'll move to the next player. For further questions, please contact our League Registrar via email (click here).

Q. I missed the registration deadline. Can I still sign up my child?
A. Possibly. Please contact our League Registrar via email (click here).

PRACTICES & GAMES

Q. When does the season begin and end?
Evaluations will be on August 24th and 25th. Practices will begin the week of September 9th with two weeks of Saturday practices. Opening Weekend is September 28th.  Fours Clinic will begin Sunday, September 29th.

Q. When are practices?
A. For the first two weeks, practices will take place on a weekday and on Saturdays. During registration, you may specify one day of the week as a conflict day, which we will accommodate. In the Spring Season, after the first two weeks, weekday practices will be replaced by weekday games, which may be scheduled on any day of the week. For the Fall Season, after the first two weeks, there will be one weekday practice and a game on Saturday. Shetland does NOT play weekday games in Fall or Spring.  

EVALUATIONS

Q. When are evaluations?
A. Dates for Fall evaluations are August 24th and 25th.  There are no evaluations for our Fours Clinic.  Each division is evaluated separately by age. The detailed evaluation schedule with times and locations will be emailed and posted online in July or August. 

Q. I’m not sure my child’s "league age." When should I arrive?
A. A player’s league age is determined by PONY Baseball, our governing body on rules and regulations. "League Age" is defined as: the age of your child on or before the designated cut-off date for each division.  You can find the age chart by clicking here.  Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled time.

Q. My kid is really busy. Must we show up at our designated time?
A. We ask that you please try to show up in your assigned window so as not to create a backlog of players. However, if you are unable to be evaluated at your designated time, please reach out to our league registrar for instructions.

Q. Will there be makeup evaluations?
A. We do not offer makeup days. In an effort to maintain balance throughout the divisions, we encourage you to attend your evaluation. If you child is unable to attend, the league will work with current managers to determine an appropriate score for your child which may or may not be reflective of their current talent level.

Q. What equipment should my child bring?
A. At a minimum, your player will need a mitt. Ideally, they’ll also have a bat, a hat, a helmet, and molded cleats (metal spikes are prohibited in all divisions at Toluca). If you don't have these things, the league will provide them for evaluations.  A protective cup is recommended but not mandatory for evaluations.  Once the season begins, a protective cup is mandatory for boys at all practices and games.

Q. How long should we expect to be at evaluations?
A. Once your player's name is called, the evaluation will take about five minutes. It includes hitting, running, fielding ground balls/pop-ups and throwing. The length of time you’re at the field will depend on how many participants show up at their appropriate times. Just in case, we suggest you plan to be at the park for at least 1 hour.

Q. What happens after evaluations?
A. Player drafts will be held the week of January 30th (specific day depends on division). From there, managers will directly contact the families of those players they drafted.

Q. Can I request a trade after the draft?
A. Except in extreme situations, no trades will be facilitated following the draft.

EQUIPMENT

Q. Which baseball bats are allowed to use at Toluca Baseball:

A. Barrel size limits shall not exceed 2 5/8" for all divisions. Bats must be stamped with USA certification. USSSA BATS ARE ILLEGAL AND NO LONGER ALLOWED AT TOLUCA BASEBALL. 

VOLUNTEERS
Q. Do you need volunteers?
A. Toluca is an all-volunteer league without a payroll.  Accordingly, we're always looking for volunteers!  On evaluation day, please raise your hand if someone asks you to help with check-in or shag some balls in the outfield.

Q. Can I receive Email alerts about rain delays, schedule changes, or general correspondence?
A. Yes! Sign up for Email alerts by clicking here.

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

Contact us by clicking here.