NCAA Baseball Rules Committee Proposes Changes That Will Impact Mississippi State if Approved

Pitch clock modifications and banning outside props are just a few changes that the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee proposed this week.

NCAA Baseball will likely change in the coming years, as the Baseball Rules Committee has proposed a few important changes that will significantly impact the game. 

The biggest change that the committee has suggested is regarding the use of the pitch clock. This 20-second timer is used to maintain a faster pace of play by limiting how long teams can wait between pitches or pickoff attempts of runners on base. If a pitcher does not act in time, a ball is added to the count. On the other hand, if the batter delays the game and forces the opposing pitcher to wait, a strike is called. Pitchers are currently allowed an unlimited number of step-offs or fake tosses that can be used to reset the pitch clock. 

The NCAA Baseball Rules Committee has proposed changes to quicken games even more that could be mandated as early as next season if approved. Under the suggested rule, pitchers would only be allowed a single step-off or fake throw per batter instead of an endless amount. The penalties for violating the pitch clock would remain the same, and schools would need a visible clock on the field beginning in 2024. 

The committee also addressed the expansion of video review, which often shapes the outcomes of college games. Umpires could soon be allowed to use video replays to call out malicious contact between players, overall misconduct by teams and catcher's interference. 

Celebratory props could be banned from leaving the dugout as early as next season. This wouldn't completely limit how a team could celebrate a soaring home run or an incredible walk-off play, but it would prevent any excessive items from being used in ways that could be viewed as distracting or create more animosity between teams. Mississippi State would not be impacted by the potential new rule, but prop-supporting SEC teams such as Tennessee and LSU would have to keep any outside items away from the field. 

Conference rule or mutual consent between teams will be used to determine the use of two more potentially-approved proposals. First, games could be played with just one umpire officiating the event. This would make effectively calling a game a bit more difficult -- there are typically anywhere from four to six umpires over a single college baseball game. Conferences and teams could also agree to automatically put a runner on second base at the start of extra innings to help end games more quickly by giving offenses a better chance of scoring. 

A couple of these proposed rules are unheard of in college baseball and would change the way the game is played. With the SEC being a strong baseball conference, it's safe to say that Mississippi State and other programs will be among the first to implement these changes if approved. Fans will learn more about the potential new rules in the coming weeks, as the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel will meet to discuss all of the proposed changes in August.