Choosing the right baseball bat can be the difference between strikeouts and HOME RUNS!

How to choose the right baseball bat

Choosing the correct bat just might be the most important decision you make for your little league player. A lot of parents have no idea what to look for when purchasing a bat. Bats come in many different lengths and weights and can range in price from just a few dollars to several hundred dollars.

The First Baseball bats were made from wood and wood bats were the only bats available until the 1970’s when aluminum bats were invented. Batting percentages went up an average of 30% in games where aluminum bats were allowed. Then sometime in the mid nineties came the composite bat. Composite bats are lighter than high grade aluminum and are the preferred bat to most great little league players. Although, over the last year safety has played a part in composite bats being banned in most little league organizations due to the speed that the ball comes off the bat. Some models have been tested recently and been approved for little league use. I suggest before buying any composite bat you check to make sure your son/daughter can use it in the league they play in.

The first thing you need to decide when shopping for a bat is the length and weight your player needs. The first number represents the length in inches and is followed by the weight in ounces. The difference between the two will also be listed. For example a bat that is 30 inches long and weighs 19 ounces will be represented as a 30/19 -11. The most important thing in hitting a baseball hard is bat speed so it is very important to have the right length and weight based on your child’s age and weight. I have seen too many kids over the years trying to swing a bat that was way too long and heavy for them. This is a common problem when they have an older sibling and are using a hand me down and haven’t grown into it yet.

The second important choice will be the material the bat is made out of. Most of you will be selecting an aluminum bat based solely on price. There are however several different grades of aluminum which determine the price of the bat. Modern advances in technology have enabled the bat manufacturers to make bats that are extremely light yet extremely durable. Bats that fall under this category are the most expensive aluminum bats. The second choice will be a hybrid made up of aluminum and a composite material. These bats are a little “hotter” than an aluminum bat and on average cost a little bit more. Finally, the most expensive bats are composite made up of a graphite-fiber material. You will start seeing kids use these bats at the 9-10 age range and hit like no other bat on the market. There are not a lot of these bats on the approved list yet because the bat manufacturers were surprised when the ban was announced and now have to redesign and then have the new design tested before they could start mass producing the new bats.

There are several bat retailers online where you can shop around and find a great deal on a bat. Before buying a new bat please see the charts on the Bat Size Charts page and make sure you buy the right size. When determining weight of the bat your child should be able to hold bat straight out with one hand for 5-10 seconds. You can usually figure getting 1-2 years out of a good bat before your child outgrows it or wears it out.