How to Get a Job as a Bat Boy

For young diehard baseball fans, becoming a bat boy or bat girl for a Major League Baseball team can be a dream come true. You get to hang out in the same clubhouses, dugouts, bullpens and fields as your favorite Major League Baseball players. You get to watch the game from an enviable vantage point and actually go onto the field during games. Obtaining a position as a bat boy or bat girl at the Major League level takes perseverance and luck, as many positions are filled through team connections. However, you can also work for minor league or college teams if you meet certain criteria.

Instructions

    • 1

      Be the right age. At the minor league level, because of the fact that bat boys and bat girls usually have to work after 7 p.m. local time for night games, they must be at least 16 years of age by the time the season starts. Major League Baseball rules state that bat boys can be 14 years of age but, due to many local restrictions, teams do not hire anyone under the age of 16 unless they are related to a current employee of the team (and even they must abide by state and local laws regarding underage employees).

    • 2

      Maintain good grades. Teams consult with teachers before hiring a bat boy. Do not let your baseball-related duties interfere with your schoolwork. Teams require periodic grade updates about their school-age employees from your teachers and can terminate you if your grades fall below a predetermined level.

    • 3

      Be physically fit to meet the rigors of being a bat boy. Although much of bat boys' work is done in the clubhouse and dugout areas, they engage in on-field activities, such as retrieving bats, fielding ground balls in foul territory and playing catch with the players.

    • 4

      Send a letter to your home team's human resources department inquiring about potential bat boy openings for the coming season. Be prepared to be put on a waiting list, as there are only 30 Major League Baseball teams, with only a few bat-boy positions on the team; many teenagers apply for these few jobs in a given season. Extract a reference if you have an acquaintance who works for the baseball team, as many bat boys and bat girls are hired through existing connections.

    • 5

      Look for other bat boy opportunities, such as with a local minor league or college team. Follow the same procedures in the previous step for contacting the minor league team. Contact a school's athletic department to inquire becoming a collegiate bat boy.