Baseball5™ has seen explosive international growth since its launch by the WBSC in 2017, and will make its debut in the Youth Olympic Games in 2026.

What is Baseball5?

Baseball5™ is a simple urban version of the classic games of baseball and softball, where only a rubber ball is required to play the game. This faster paced street discipline of the sport has been designed to appeal to youngsters and other fans across the world. The variant eliminates the need for traditional baseball equipment such as bats, gloves, helmets, etc. No pitcher is needed as hitting is done by hand. The sport maintains the uniqueness of baseball/softball while eliminating the structural complexities, thus making the game playable anywhere.

The discipline can be characterized as: accessible, sustainable, urban, youth-focused, inclusive, and instant fun.

Baseball5 Basics

• Fast-paced team sport
• Individual skills and hand-eye coordination are highlighted
• Utilizes four vital athletic skills: Hitting, Throwing, Catching, Running
• No construction or dedicated venue needed
• A rubber ball (or tennis ball) is the only equipment needed to play

The game is played on a compact playing field that requires little space for the game, the teams are small and therefore the game is fast and dynamic.

Benefits of Baseball5

• Adapts to any environment, indoor or outdoor
• Can be played on any surface, turf or pavement or gym floor
• All you need is a ball
• Skills also transfer to traditional baseball/softball
• Promotes inclusion—a game for all demographics
• Social contribution—its accessibility makes it invaluable particularly to the most underserved communities

Baseball5 as Sports Ministry

Baseball5™ is helping to drive baseball and softball to new places not possible before, which also makes it a highly impactful sport for evangelism, youth outreach, and church missions. Depending on the venue, Breakaway Outreach can facilitate Baseball5™ as a standalone sports ministry camp or provide coaches to add it as a feature to an existing ministry context such as multisport camp, English camp, student ministry, or VBS program.

Breakaway Outreach has used Baseball5™ as sports ministry in USA, Germany, Italy, Northern Ireland, England, Dominican Republic, Ghana, and Korea. Contact us if you are interested in running a Baseball5™ camp or clinic as sports ministry in your community, or if you’d like to coach Baseball5™ on a cross-cultural mission trip.