You can intentionally walk a batter at any time the ball is dead and before a pitch is thrown to the next batter, as long as your league’s rules allow it and you request it properly through the umpire.

Basic definition

  • An intentional walk is when the defense deliberately sends the batter to first base instead of pitching to them, and it is scored as a regular walk for stats purposes.
  • The goal is usually strategic: to face a weaker hitter, set up a double play, or avoid pitching to a dangerous slugger in a key situation.

When you can do it (general)

  • In professional and most amateur rules, the defensive manager or coach can choose to intentionally walk a batter before any pitch to that batter or on any ball‑and‑strike count.
  • The request must be made while the ball is dead (play paused), and once granted, the batter is awarded first base and the ball is declared dead.

MLB and high‑school style rules

  • In Major League Baseball and many similar codes, a manager simply signals the plate umpire to put the batter on first; no pitches need to be thrown.
  • High‑school (NFHS) rules also allow the coach or catcher to request an intentional walk at any time during the count, with the umpire then awarding first base and killing the play.

Little League wrinkle

  • Little League also allows the defense to notify the plate umpire to intentionally walk a batter, awarding first base immediately and freezing other runners unless forced.
  • Since 2023, Little League only allows this “verbal” intentional walk once per specific batter; if you want to walk that same batter again, you must throw four balls outside the strike zone.

Strategic situations

  • Common times to intentionally walk a batter include: first base open with a power hitter up, a runner on second or third with one out to set up a double play, or late‑inning spots where a particular star hitter is far more dangerous than the next one.
  • Fans and forums still debate whether managers overuse intentional walks, especially against elite hitters, since putting any runner on base can backfire.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.