The best baseball bat for kids should offer good playing capabilities, durability and affordable price – you don’t want to replace a $200 piece every one or two seasons as your child grows.
Based on those requirements we recommend you the following models – all of them are certified for all the little leagues:
Most recommended: High quality and lightweight (-13 drop) alloy model, well balanced and with a solid pop – our most recommended youth baseball bat for sale.
Best for the money: Quality, lightweight (-12 drop) and easy to swing. Also well balanced and durable – perfect for starters and the best youth bat for the money in our opinion.
Top quality: Premium 2-piece composite bat, more expensive but offers top quality, great pop and feel, plus a rotating handle as a bonus.
* price is only approximate, it depends on size and seller
Comparison
Model | Material | Price | UK CA | Our rating | Drop | Available sizes | Barrel | Warranty |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Easton S500 | 7050 aircraft alloy | —* | -13 | 27″-32″ | 2 1/4″ | 1 year | ||
Louisville Slugger Armor | 7050 performance alloy | —* | -12 | 27″-31″ | 2 1/4″ | 1 year | ||
Easton MAKO TORQ | TCTATM Thermo Composite | —* | -10 | 28″-32″ | 2 1/4″ | 1 year | ||
Easton S300 | 7046 aircraft alloy | —* | -12 | 27″-32″ | 2 1/4″ | 1 year | ||
Easton S200 | aluminum alloy | * | -10 | 27″-32″ | 2 1/4″ | 1 year | ||
Easton S50 | aluminum alloy | —* | -10 | 26″-31″ | 2 1/4″ | 1 year |
* price is only approximate, it depends on size and seller
Choosing the right size for your kid
Here you can see the most popular lengths for a particular age:
Age: | 5-year | 6-year | 7-year | 8-year | 9-year | 10-year | 11-year | 12-year | 13-year | 14-year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Length: | 24″-26″ | 25″-26″ | 25″-27″ | 26″-28″ | 27″-28″ | 28″-29″ | 29″-30″ | 29″-31″ | 30″-32″ | 31″-32″ |
However, for a more precise measure, please refer to the following table which uses height and weight:
Weight / Height | 3′- 3’4″ | 3’5″- 3’8″ | 3’9″- 4′ | 4’1″- 4’4″ | 4’5″- 4’8″ | 4’9″- 5′ | 5’1″- 5’4″ | 5’5″- 5’8″ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Under 60 lbs | 26″ | 27″ | 28″ | 29″ | 29″ | |||
61 – 70 lbs | 27″ | 27″ | 28″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | ||
71 – 80 lbs | 28″ | 28″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | ||
81 – 90 lbs | 28″ | 29″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | ||
91 – 100 lbs | 29″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 31″ | |
101 – 110 lbs | 29″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | |
111 – 120 lbs | 29″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | |
121 – 130 lbs | 30″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 32″ | 32″ | ||
131 – 140 lbs | 30″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 32″ | 32″ | ||
141 – 150 lbs | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | 33″ | ||
151 – 160 lbs | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | 33″ | ||
161 – 170 lbs | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | 32″ | 33″ |
Easton S50 Review
The Easton S50 is a cheap baseball bat for younger players, great choice if you don’t want to spend too much money on your kid’s first bat. However, it’s prone to dents and can sting pretty hard.
* depends on size and seller
Pros:
- Cheap
- Decent quality
Cons:
- Prone to dents
- Can sting
- Barrel: 2 1/4″
- Approved leagues: 1.15 BPF (Little League, Babe Ruth, Dixie Youth, Pony Baseball, AABC and USSSA)
- Warranty: 1 year
With price of about $20 only, the S50 from Easton is the cheapest of our reviewed bats. And we can say you get what you pay for – a low end, single piece aluminum alloy bat, great for beginners (if you don’t want to spend a lot of money) but unacceptable for more serious players.
So what’s the main problem? Some users reported making a dent after a few or even bending the shaft just below the barrel. Also, when missing the ball it can sting pretty hard, it does almost nothing to dampen it.
On the other hand, unlike many other little league bats it’s available even in the 26″ size which makes it perfect for small kids where you may have trouble finding a decent bat with enough power.
The tape is pretty good, doesn’t unravel, has a good grip and doesn’t leave blisters. And the color scheme is also nice, just make sure the red color (maybe slightly towards pink) is okay with your child.
Conclusion: Good choice for a beginner (6-8 years old), unacceptable for a serious player
Easton S200 Review
The Easton S200 offers decent quality for a very good price. Great choice if you don’t want to spend too much money on your kid’s first bat. Just some users reported making a dent or bending it slightly.
* only approximate, depends on size and seller
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Decent quality
Cons:
- Some dents reported
- Barrel: 2 1/4″
- Approved leagues: 1.15 BPF (Little League, Babe Ruth, Dixie Youth, Pony Baseball, AABC and USSSA)
- Warranty: 1 year
The S200 from Easton is a bit more expensive than the S50 and also slightly better – nothing more, nothing less. Some problems with dents are reported again, but noticeably less frequently, that’s good news.
The color design is nice again, users report the S200 is comfortable and easy to swing, the ball comes off it nicely. It doesn’t have a lot of pop but one would expect even less from a bat this cheap
Conclusion: Good choice for younger kids or beginners, but not for older or advanced players
Easton S300 Review
The Easton S300 is a lightweight youth baseball bat, the -12 drop makes it easier and faster to swing. A good product for a good price, just the problem with occasional dents persists.
* only approximate, depends on size and seller
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Solid quality
- Good price
Cons:
- Some dents reported
- Barrel: 2 1/4″
- Approved leagues: 1.15 BPF (Little League, Babe Ruth, Dixie Youth, Pony Baseball, AABC and USSSA)
- Warranty: 1 year
While there is only a small difference between the S50 and S200, the S300 from Easton is a different league. Made from the 7046 aircraft alloy, it offers a lighter frame (-12 drop) which makes it easier to handle and faster during swing.
As with all Eastons, the color scheme is really nice, users also mention great feel of the handle and solid pop (but nowhere close to composite bats of course).
Unfortunately, the notorious drawback of alloy baseball bats is still there, a few users reported making dents during a game.
Conclusion: Nice lightweight bat for a good price
Easton S500 Review
The Easton S500 is a top quality alloy baseball bat – lightweight (-13 drop), well balanced and with a solid pop. The 7050 aircraft alloy provides increased durability and the price won’t hurt your pocket.
* only approximate, depends on size and seller
Pros:
- Quality
- Lightweight
- Well balanced, nice pop
Cons:
- A few dents reported
- Barrel: 2 1/4″
- Approved leagues: 1.15 BPF (Little League, Babe Ruth, Dixie Youth, Pony Baseball, AABC and USSSA)
- Warranty: 1 year
Now we’re getting to the quality stuff – S500 is one of Easton’s best alloy bats for youth baseball, made from the 7050 aircraft alloy. Compared to the 7046 (used on S300), the 7050 contains more zirconium, magnesium and copper and offers more strength and durability.
And while a few users complained they had made a dent, most of them reported it holds up well.
The -13 drop makes this bat exceptionally light, the kids have a lot easier time swinging with it (compared to a -10 drop for example). It enables very fast swing and generates great power.
The S500 is very well balanced and built, an excellent choice for players that struggle to control their swing – many parents report their child got noticeable quicker and more confident when using this bat.
When hit on the sweet spot, it generates a nice pop and solid hits. However, you can also experience some stingers when missing or hitting closer to the handle – which has to be expected from a 1-piece bat. Those more expensive 2-piece composite ones are still better in this regard.
There are no vibrations in the frame and the grip is also comfortable – plus some users recommended adding the lizard skin wrap to dampen the sting even more. And the color scheme? As always with Easton – nice and cool!
Conclusion: Great choice for any young player – quality, lightweight and not expensive
Louisville Slugger Armor Review
The Louisville Slugger Armor is a quality and lightweight (-12 drop) alloy bat for a good price – ideal for starters. Well balanced, durable and easy to swing – the kids love it.
* only approximate, depends on size and seller
Pros:
- Quality, good price
- Lightweight
- Well balanced
Cons:
- A few minor issues
- Barrel: 2 1/4″
- Approved leagues: 1.15 BPF (Little League, Babe Ruth, Dixie Youth, Pony Baseball, AABC and USSSA)
- Warranty: 1 year
Similar to the Easton S500, the Armor from Louisville Slugger (YBAR152) is another quality alloy youth bat. Made from the same 7050 alloy, it’s sturdy and durable, making a dent during play is quite rare.
The -12 drop makes it really light and offers very quick swing and a lot of power. Plus in conjunction with its great balance it helps to improve the swing and confidence of young players – they just love to play with this Slugger!
If we continue with comparing it to the S500, we can see it’s slightly cheaper. On the other hand, it comes with a few minor problems – for example two users complained the tape could have been more durable and one reported his bat makes a strange, dead sound when hitting the ball.
Conclusion: Great bat especially for starters – quality, durable and inexpensive
Easton MAKO TORQ Review
The Easton MAKO TORQ is a premium quality 2-piece composite bat for a very good price. If you demand the best of the best, here it is – a bat with great pop and feel and with a rotating handle as a bonus.
* only approximate, depends on size and seller
Pros:
- Top quality
- Great pop
- Rotating handle
Cons:
- none
- Barrel: 2 1/4″
- Approved leagues: 1.15 BPF (Little League, Babe Ruth, Dixie Youth, Pony Baseball, AABC and USSSA)
- Warranty: 1 year
And last but not the least, the top-class, high performance composite Mako Torq from Easton. For a slightly higher price you a 2-piece composite barrel with huge sweet spot, great speed and that interesting Torq feature.
It’s basically an ability to rotate the bottom part of the handle (see the video above) – one hand stays still while the other rotates. It enables your wrists to move a lot more freely and quickly, particularly inside pitches are much easier to handle. Most of the players really like it – but if you don’t, you can always tape the handle and prevent it from spinning.
As all composite models, it offers plenty of pop and great feel on impact, the ball just jumps off the bat. The kids love it and are really excited when hitting with this beast!
And also there are no problems with dents or stingers like with lower quality alloy bats.
Conclusion: Perfect choice for serious players who want top quality and great pop