Category: Reviews

Choosing the right baseball bat for you or your kid doesn’t have to be difficult. Just select your preferred type and we will present you our most recommended bats currently for sale – and with reviews.

       

Best Youth Baseball Bats:

Youth bats are lighter (their drop is between -8 and -13) and feature a smaller, 2 1/4″ barrel. They are used in all the leagues for kids like Little League, Pony, Dixie and others – here are our most recommended ones:

* price is only approximate, it depends on size and seller

 

Best BBCOR Baseball Bats:

BBCOR (or adult baseball bats) are used in High School, Collegiate and also some Middle School leagues – their barrel must not exceed 2 5/8 inches and the maximum allowed drop is -3. Here are our most recommended models:

* price is only approximate, it depends on size and seller

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Choosing the right baseball bat size

Simply take your (or your kid’s) weight and height and find the correct size in the table below:

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″	5’9″- 6′	6’1″- over
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″	33″
131 – 140 lbs			30″	30″	30″	31″	32″	32″	33″	33″
141 – 150 lbs			30″	30″	31″	31″	32″	33″	33″	33″
151 – 160 lbs			30″	31″	31″	31″	32″	33″	33″	34″
161 – 170 lbs				31″	31″	32″	32″	33″	33″	34″
171 – 180 lbs					31″	32″	32″	33″	34″	34″
Over 180 lbs							33″	33″	34″	34″

When buying a new bat it’s also recommended to increase the size only one inch at a time – so it’s easy to get used to the new length without altering your swing too much.

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How to Choose a Baseball Bat

It’s simple – just tell us what type of bat you need and we will present you our most recommended pieces:

• Youth – for kids; these bats are certified for all the youth leagues (Little League, Dixie etc.)
• BBCOR or Adult bats – certified for High School and College leagues

In each section you’ll find the top bats (in our opinion), also with reviews and comparison, their advantages and disadvantages. And if you don’t understand anything, just take a look at the frequently asked questions here:

FAQ

What is the Drop?

When you subtract the length of the bat (in inches) from its weight (in ounces), you get its Drop. Basically it shows how heavy the bat is – bigger, stronger players often choose heavier bats (smaller drop) to get the most power while smaller players prefer lighter bats (higher drop) to achieve higher swing speed.

Example: A youth bat that’s 28″ long and weighs 16 oz has a drop of -12 (16-28=-12).

The most common drop of youth bats is between -8 and -13; on the other hand, BBCOR bats are limited to a -3 drop at most.

Which Material – Alloy or Composite?

Wood is typically reserved for the professionals so the question is whether to choose an alloy bat (also called metal or aluminum) or a composite one:

Composite bats are made of a layered material similar to carbon fiber – the manufacturing process is more difficult and expensive but enables better distribution of weight and generally a better quality of the bat.

The alloy baseball bats have been around for longer time and are usually less expensive – but the price depends on the quality of the alloy, you can get aluminum bats with great balance and large sweet spot and also some really cheap, lower quality pieces.

How To Break In a Composite Bat?

Alloy bats come ready for the game right out of the box, but the composite ones require a break-in time to perform at their full potential. You are going to need approximately 150-200 hits on them – start at about 50% power and rotate the bat about a 1/4 of turn on every swing so you break it in evenly. Gradually increase the power as the number of hits rises.

Next, take about 50 swings of soft toss or front toss, again rotating the bat with each swing. And finish with 50 swings with a pitcher who is throwing at least 40 miles per hour, rotating the bat again.

1-Piece or 2-Piece Bats?

Most of the time, you would probably encounter one-piece baseball bats – but there are also two-piece models where the handle is a separate piece from the barrel and they are joined together.

• One-Piece Bats: Stronger and stiffer, with little flex.
• Two-Piece Bats: Larger flex (creating a trampoline effect) and less vibration (eliminating the sting).

Note: There is a debate going on if the flex actually affects the performance of the bat or not.

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History and More

Baseball bats have experienced a long and fascinating journey. From the first years when every player made his own bat as he wished, the times of Bud Hillerich and creation of the Louisville Slugger brand all the way up to the 21st century, the appearance of composite bats and the BBCOR certification.

This topic is already well covered on multiple websites, so let’s mention a few nice articles:

• An in-depth article covering the entire history and evolution of baseball bats, from the middle of 19th century to these days.
• Article on the Smithonian focusing on some interesting and unusual bat variations in the early years of baseball

How are Baseball Bats Made?

If you have ever wondered what the manufacturing process looks like, here are a few videos 🙂