Things to Consider before buying your baseball bat

There are a few things to consider when buying your baseball bat to ensure you find the one perfect for you and how you play the game. Such as what material of the baseball bat is best for you, at baseball360 we have wooden metal composite BBCOR aluminum bats.

Then you must consider what size and weight suits you and what age or league you are playing in if any. This is important as some bats must be approved for certain leagues such as youth leagues, USSSA and BBCOR.

Things that determine what league a specific bat can be used in are things like size and weight dimensions like their length-to-weight difference or its “drop”.

If you are playing league baseball always check the requirements for the league you play in, for most adult and senior league or other baseball leagues your baseball bat must not have a drop lower than -3. You should always be within requirements with a wooden bat as their drop doesn't usually fall under -3 drop weight.

Contact us now to know if we have an alloy t-ball bat or a black ops t-ball bat from your favourite baseball team (like the Louisville Slugger) or your preferred one-piece bats with larger or thinner handle or axe handle in stock! 

How do you know what bat to use?

A bat is an essential piece of equipment for any given baseball player. However, with varying lengths, weights, and materials, finding the perfect one for your skill level, and unique swing can be quite a daunting task.

You need to understand what to look for when buying a baseball bat. Your league information, measurements, and personal preferences can help you find a good stick for your swing. Without going into the physics and acoustics of baseball and the swing mechanics and form, here's what you need to pay attention to.

Bat Anatomy

To start off, you should get familiar with the different parts of your lumber bat before deciding which baseball bat to buy.

Every bat, even in Major League Baseball, has five essential regions: the knob, grip, handle, barrel and end cap. The knob at the bottom of the bat helps keep your hands in position as you hold the bat.

Next, your bat's diameter tapers from the thinner handle to the thicker barrel. The barrel is where the ball needs to be made contact with. Finally, an end cap can help improve your bat's control while limiting the added bulk or weight.

Material

Then, something to understand and consider is the baseball bat material. Depending on your league requirements you can be asked to use a composite baseball bat, wood baseball bats, solid wood, alloy bats, aluminum alloy baseball bats, wooden baseball bats, metal alloy bats or one-piece alloy bats.

About the wood bats, most of the time, especially in Canada, they're made out of maple wood, from the handle to the end cap. The tendency of maple bats is to have a good reputation as it is a robust baseball bat material with the safest wood grain. Manufacturers also conduct rigorous tests for maple bats to ensure that they are of the highest quality possible.

Age and League

One of the first things you need to consider when buying a baseball bat is whether or not your league rules allow wood bats. There are three main governing bodies for baseball bats: USABat, USSSA baseball, and BBCOR.

The USABat standard allows players to swing lighter models while still achieving a more wood-like performance. BBCOR (Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution) produces the same wood-like performance BBCOR baseball bats as in adult baseball bats, even if they’re broken in.

USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association) provides the required energy transfer bat in accordance with the regulations of leagues governed by USSSA.

Every league, no matter how young or old, will have a set of rules for their baseball bats and other equipment. To give a general idea of where to start:

• Players between the ages of 4 and 6 will likely need a smaller baseball bat also known as a tee ball bat. Those are standard for youth baseball bats.
• Players between the ages of 7 and 13 will likely need a composite USA baseball bat or a USSSA baseball bat.
• Players between the ages of 14 and 18 will likely need BBCOR baseball bats respecting the required standards.

Browse through our vast selection of baseball bat brands and our large choices for baseball bats in one-piece design or otherwise to have a better power attack!

What baseball bats are most used in Major League Baseball?

Marucci is the most popular baseball bat used by major league players for 2022. Nearly 26% of Major League Baseball players use bats made by this popular brand.

Marucci makes signature bats (like the Marucci CAT 8) for some of the most popular contact hitters and power hitters and successful players in professional baseball including Buster Posey, Josh Donalson, and Trae Turner. Their pro model bats offer an excellent balance between performance and durability.

They're a popular choice among players at every level and they even make them available in youth models for younger players who want something lighter than their adult counterparts.

They're not just top performers, but they're also affordable. Their top-level baseball bats start at less than $400, which makes them one of the best values out there.

How do you know what bat size to buy?

There are many different ways to determine the size of a baseball bat and the perfect bat length, but the best way is simply by holding the bat and swinging it. You can pull a good starting point from charts and knowledge of coaches (from amateur baseball organizations or otherwise), a league official and parents, however, swinging the bat will always get you where you need to be without any headaches.

What is the max length of a baseball bat?

The max length of a baseball bat depends mainly on one factor, the rule sets of the league: 

• According the little league official website, the max length of a baseball bat for Senior League is 36 inches in length (the inch max length), nor more than 2-5/8 inches in diameter (the inch max diameter), and if wood, not less than fifteen-sixteenths (15/16) inches in diameter (7/8 inch for bats less than 30”) at its smallest part.
• For Little League Major Division and below the max length of a bat is 33 inches in length (the inch max length); nor more than 2⅝ inches in diameter, and if wood, not less than fifteen-sixteenths (15/16) inches in diameter (7/8 inch for bats less than 30″) at its smallest part.

Is a bigger bat barrel better when it comes to baseball bats?

A common misconception is thinking that a larger barrel diameter is best because it has a larger surface area. A larger barrel baseball bat (like the Ash baseball bat or the Raptor baseball bat) will help create better contact with the ball and put it in fair range, but most players choose a large barrel because of its top-heavy design instead.

A bat with a longer and larger barrel diameter is typically classified as a barrel-loaded bat because most of its mass is concentrated at the end of the barrel, making the bat longer. With this barrel design for your baseball bat, you'll be able to whip the bat through the zone at an increased speed, which will increase bat swing speed and exert more energy onto the ball for maximum ball speed.

What qualifies as a barreled bat?

A batted ball must have an exit velocity of at most 98 mph to qualify as Barreled. A ball hit at that speed with a launch angle between 25-30 degrees always gets classified as Barreled. For every mile per hour above 98, the range of the launch angle expands. This is how we measure barrel bats and barrel sizes.

What bat has the biggest sweet spot?

The bat with the biggest sweet spot is the Easton SL22MX58 Maxum Ultra 2 5/8 -5 without a doubt! Easton has the biggest barrels and biggest sweet spot in the game yet again! Introducing the Maxum Ultra, a 1-piece composite construction with a XXL sweet spot, generating the perfect combination of speed and power for a faster swing speed.

The Maxum Ultra has been optimized by integrated player-driven insight, leading to more mass in the barrel for an advantage you can feel.

Engineered with Seamless Carbon Construction to give you the stiff feel of a 1-piece bat, with the massive sweet spot and smooth-feeling of a composite bat. Flow-Tack™ Grip is Easton’s most-premium grip, providing the ultimate cushion and tack.

Easton USSSA bats are used by top travel ball programs across the country. It is approved for play in USSSA and associations that follow the 1.15BPF standard.

What is the correct weight for a baseball bat?

Feel matters most when it comes to weight. If you swing the bat repeatedly and it feels heavy or begins to droop, then it’ll probably be too heavy for your needs; use something lighter. Hold the bat handle at your side and extend your arm out to your side. If you can't hold the bat extended for at least 30 to 45 seconds, then that bat might be too heavy for you and the weight distribution might be terrible for you. You don't want to go for a bat with extra weight!

Make sure to also look at the “drop weight” or weight ratio. A bat’s drop is the measurement determined when subtracting the weight of a bat from its length. For example, a bat that weighs 30 ounces and is 40 inches long will have a drop of -10. The higher the drop weight, the lighter the bat.

Bigger, stronger players usually prefer less of a drop weight so they can increase their power. Larger players can benefit from greater muscle mass, which can help with ball control. All in all, there is a variety of swing weights.

Why is it called a baseball bat?

Baseball was originally played using sticks to hit the ball. Sticks were later replaced by bats. By the time the football league was officially organized as a team sport, the players either whittle their own sticks or buy them from wood turners.

Reach out now to know which kind of wood grain are used in our bats or which model of youth bats we have in stock! We also have a few softball bats for softball players (ask your softball coaches for regulations) if you're looking for one!