- Most MLB games use over 100 baseballs.
- The retail price of a new MLB baseball is $24.95.
- Baseballs used in MLB are made of real leather.
Anyone who watches MLB will be aware of how often baseballs are replaced. The baseball-making industry is big business as a result.
While changes to baseballs have created controversy at times and impacted the amount of offence across the league, the ball has generally stayed the same throughout the sport’s storied history.
How Many Baseballs Are Used in an MLB Game?
Between 96 and 120 baseballs are used in each MLB game, according to The Athletic.
A new ball is used in each half-inning, and a ball will generally get thrown away whenever it hits the ground. Pitchers will occasionally discard a baseball before using it. A hitter making contact with a ball also means it is no longer used.
Fans usually keep balls which are hit or thrown into the crowd.
How Much Does an MLB Baseball Cost?
A box of 12 official Rawlings baseballs costs $238.95 on the Rawlings website. This works out at a shade under $20 per ball.
A single MLB baseball from their website is $24.95.
How Much Does MLB Pay for Baseballs?
It isn’t clear how much MLB pays for each baseball. Major League Baseball purchased Rawlings in June 2018, so they will pay less than the $24.95 retail price.
It has been estimated that MLB spends around $10 million per year on baseballs, however.
What Happens to All the Baseballs Used in MLB Games?
Baseballs used in MLB games can be repurposed in many different ways. Some will be used for batting and fielding practice. Damaged balls can be passed to local teams, charities, and schools. Teams might choose to send some of their game-used balls down to their minor league affiliates for practice.
A selection of balls will be kept aside to be sold as souvenirs, while others will be signed by players and become collectibles.
The early bird gets the souvenir.
⚾️ #WeAreGiant pic.twitter.com/uBzm1ZFi69
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) April 30, 2016
With the sheer number of baseballs used throughout a season, materials will often be recycled from used baseballs for new baseballs or other products.
Are MLB Baseballs Real Leather?
Yes, official baseballs used in MLB are still made of real leather. Synthetic materials are increasingly common for other baseballs, however.
The real leather used on MLB baseballs comes from Tennessee Tanning, owned by Rawlings. Cargill’s dairy plant in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, has been sending cowhides to Tennessee for over three decades. Around 100 baseballs can be made from each cowhide.
How Heavy Are MLB Baseballs?
A baseball used in MLB must weigh between five and 5.25 ounces (142-149 grams). It must also be between 2.86 and 2.94 inches (73 to 75 millimetres) in diameter.
What Are the Odds of Catching a Foul Ball at an MLB Game?
According to a 2007 article on Fangraphs, fans have about a 0.1% chance of catching a foul ball at a Major League Baseball game.
Of course, the odds of catching a ball hit into the stands depend on various factors. Seating position, the number of fans sitting nearby, and the players involved will all impact the chance of getting a foul ball.
A seat near the left-field foul pole in a game with several right-handed sluggers increases the chance of getting a foul ball. Sitting in the upper deck of a game where two pitchers among the Cy Young favourites in MLB odds are pitching would make catching a game-used ball even less likely.
