First wood bat recommendations

My 2022 swings a Marucci Cutch 22 (33/30)  He's used it extensively in batting practice and in a few games over the past year and it is still going strong.  Prior to that he had the same bat in 32/29 and it never broke despite a lot of use.   I think I paid about $150 for each bat.

Tug;

please consider the SSK maple used by Javier Baez and Robinson Cano.

send me a private message or e-mail.

Bob <goodwillseries24@gmail.com>

You may be able to find a wood bat similar to the metal bat your son uses. My son used an ExoGrid. For wood he used a LS243. It had similar balance to the Exo. It felt the same to swing.

Picking a bat is such an individual thing... 

If you haven't already, do a little research about turn models.  I found that helped some.  And don't overlook birch among your options--some say it's a good compromise between the hardness of maple and the (relative) durability of ash.  My son's favorite wood bat was a birch Rawlings Velo -- https://www.rawlings.com/product/R110BV.html // currently on sale.  Although to be honest, I think a lot of his fondness for his birch bat was b/c he said it "looks really dope."  (He is a PO now, so we have a bunch of bats gathering dust in the garage.)

When my son first needed a wood bat, my process was un-scientific:  I looked for decent-but-not-expensive wood bats on sale and bought several for him to try--different woods, but turn model and weight distribution consistent (I hoped) with the metal bat he had been using.  Son used those at practices for a bit, chose his favorite pretty quickly.  

And maybe this is too obvious to mention, but once your kid picks the bat he likes, I'd try to grab at least one more while they are still on sale.  Everyone has their own budgets and predilections, but for a 2022 I'd have a hard time spending more than $100 on a wood bat.  Technology doesn't come into play to the extent it does with metal or composite bats, and any wood bat is always one swing away from being kindling...

Before you spend any money on a wood bat I would try to find out what tournaments you're playing and if they allow for a wood composite like a Baum bat. 

JDUBSDAD posted:

My 2022 swings a Marucci Cutch 22 (33/30)  He's used it extensively in batting practice and in a few games over the past year and it is still going strong.  Prior to that he had the same bat in 32/29 and it never broke despite a lot of use.   I think I paid about $150 for each bat.

My son has used that same bat and loves it.  It's a bit pricey, but he's had better luck with them holding up than others. 

I think it's more about the model (meaning how the bat is cut) than it is about the wood choice or brand.

Baum bats are nearly indestructible and have never been eliminated for use from any showcase tourneys I've been to.  Pretty good investment so far after 1.5 years.

Eddy Johnson posted:

Baum bats are nearly indestructible and have never been eliminated for use from any showcase tourneys I've been to.  Pretty good investment so far after 1.5 years.

Second that. Son was in the same situation -- travel team swings only wood -- and it took me a year before making the investment in a Baum. Should have done it sooner.

As long as you buy a good piece of wood the rest is in the batter feel.

The weighting, balance points, thickness of handle and so forth  will vary. Some feel better then others to your son. There are literally unlimited amount of bat guys anymore. National, regional, small locals...tremendous amount of options.

I remember when Victus was a small regional, still have a soft spot for them. We used to walk in the New Jersey location and they would customize on the spot. Going rate was 70 or 75 bucks...then they started creeping up - they got even bigger signed some MLB guys and prices almost doubled overnight when they relocated to new facility in KOP. Did the bat improve? Hmmm....

Don't go buy a 39.99 bat at Dicks off the rack and expect it be a good one.

Baum Bat- I figured it out early, bought ours 3 years ago.  Everyone else has since said Why didn't we buy one earlier, that would have saved us a lot of money....  Before you or your son buy or use a wood bat(if not a Baum Bat), learn about wood grain in bats.  What to look for, maple end grain or face grain.  Talk to someone who knows this stuff for a tutorial.  Not all wood bats are the same.  I have noticed a decrease in wood quality in Marucci bats over the years.

Great replies so far folks, thanks. An earlier post mentioned “turn models”. Can you elaborate a little on that please? As to the use of composites, I’m fairly certain those are allowed, though I will find out for sure before buying. 

Wanted to add, on the journey from the first coach pitch big barrel bat all the way to his current BBCORs, I always bought online from justbats.com. I know there are plenty of other retailers out there. Do you have a go to company that has good pricing and customer service?

Bat turn models. Whats listed there isn't even close to all the different turns as some companies have their own variations.

Son used a Baum last year before leaving for college. This year at college summer ball he used a Demarini composite I13 turn. Really liked it as did a few of the kids on the team.

Justbats.com is good.  They also have some info on turn models here:  https://www.justbats.com/buyin.../baseball-bats/wood/    A Google search will turn up lots more info.

I also have used baseballsavings.com, baseballmonkey.com and amazon.com for bats, all with good results.  My advice is just to shop around once you find a bat model you want to buy--all the major web sites tend to put them on sale around the same times of year, but prices do vary.  

I really like Phoenix Bats.  Smaller bat co out of OH.  They provide a lot of wood to the minor leagues.  The quality of the wood we've gotten from them has been top notch.  They also do a great job at explaining the different turn options on their site.  If you call them they will talk your ear off about different wood, models etc.  Cant say enough good things about them.  Just for a sample size my son likes the R141 & P2 models.  But go on the site and read about all the models.  They will also customize a model for you...if you like a certain profile but want a flared knob...just give them a call and they'll tell you how to order it.

As others have mentioned Baum Bat is a solid choice if you can use them.  Virtually indestructible.  

https://www.phoenixbats.com

Here's another link to some bat turns.  I've never bought a Viper, but they do a lot of different models.  For what it's worth, my oldest favored the Model 73, younger one liked the 243.

https://www.viperbats.com/products/Elite-Series

Have had great luck with Trinity wood bats. Son has swung the T-271 in birch and it has held up better than any other wood he has swung. Steve has always been willing to help with any questions and turnaround time on custom bats has been remarkably fast. http://www.trinitybatco.com/

My son loves his Victus. The retail models are balanced & a bit pricey, but come with a 45-day warranty and responsive customer service.

During our annual Goodwill Series in Australia and New Zealand each year our 2 teams play 12 games with SSK maple bats. The Pitchers are from Professional, National and State teams. We compute 750 at bats. The average # of broken bats is 6 bats. Our players are taught how to use the bat. We use broken bats [taped] or the SSK "BP" bat in batting practice.

The S-1 and 271 models have a very narrow handle and will break when hitting on the handle. The #243 {Bonds model] allows the hands to be place 1"-2" off knob for bat control and quicker swing. you can use a longer bat with 1" extra hitting surface.

Bob

Solution: go to a real baseball shop. Not Dicks, but a place with a cage where you can take hacks with a demo. See what feels good. Buy it. Asking for recommendations here is of little use, it's like buying shoes, on size does not fit all.

If you want to ensure you aren't buying 15 bats over the next 3-5 years, buy a Baum Bat. Those suckers are virtually indestructible and can be used at all events up to and including MiLB

I agree with the Victus. My kid has a 32" 2.5 drop axe handle Victus. He is more of a line drive hitter and he loves it.

My son has the SSK...loves it tons of pop...however, he carries his Baum bat with him for insurance..

Baum bats are great too unfortunately not allowed in some of the wood bat tourneys near me

I went with a cheap bat off of amazon.  I think it was called the Easton Brigade or something like that.  They have ash and maple and I wanted to see which my kid preferred.  I also wasn't going to be bent if he broke the $35, I would have serious issues if he broke a $150 bat.

Definitely agree with the Baum Bat recommendation.  But I have seen some tourneys that won't allow them.  Look for rules notes that disallow "composite" bats.  I think PG's WWBA tourneys are among those that don't permit them.  Sometimes it goes undetected, but you may need to have at least one other bat at the ready.

I also recommend buying one of the cheapest wood bats you can find, then taping the barrel, so that you have something to use in BP, especially if you like to use mechanized batting cages with those hard rubber balls.  You can even use a cracked bat if you use glue, a tack and some tape.  This gets the player acclimated to the different weight and feel of a wood bat, without putting your expensive purchase at risk just for practice.  Use white tape on the barrel, as this has the added benefit of letting you see where contact is being made and whether it is or isn't on the sweet spot.

This may sound weird to some, but I weigh my son's wood bats on a kitchen scale.  I mark the weight in the cup at the end of each bat with a Sharpie.  You'd think they'd be more or less -3, but that is far from the case.  He has bats that range from -0 to -5+.  I find that the more expensive bats that I buy individually (doesn't matter the brand - Marucci, Old Hickory, Louisville Slugger, etc.) tend to be heavier and closer to -2 to -3.  I find that the bats I buy that are "deals"  such as bat packs (3 for $200, etc) tend to be lighter.

Perhaps I have fallen for the marketing, but I don't think so since I've never seen an ad discussing weight.  I became aware of this when I visited the Marucci factory a couple years ago and they talked about how hard it was to find just the right billet to make Albert Pujol's bats at his specified weight and with the best, straightest grain.

Another thing I learned is that ash bats are lighter than maple.   Ash also sounds different, more like a swatting sound rather than a loud crack you get from maple.  I think sound matters (who hasn't seen heads turn when you hear a loud crack on an adjacent field?).

Now I bring a kitchen scale to Monkey Sports and get the bats with the weight we want.

Midlo Dad posted:

Definitely agree with the Baum Bat recommendation.  But I have seen some tourneys that won't allow them.  Look for rules notes that disallow "composite" bats.  I think PG's WWBA tourneys are among those that don't permit them.  Sometimes it goes undetected, but you may need to have at least one other bat at the ready.

I also recommend buying one of the cheapest wood bats you can find, then taping the barrel, so that you have something to use in BP, especially if you like to use mechanized batting cages with those hard rubber balls.  You can even use a cracked bat if you use glue, a tack and some tape.  This gets the player acclimated to the different weight and feel of a wood bat, without putting your expensive purchase at risk just for practice.  Use white tape on the barrel, as this has the added benefit of letting you see where contact is being made and whether it is or isn't on the sweet spot.

From PG WWBA Bat Rules for upcoming Labor Day Classic:

The following are the only composite bats allowed:

Rawlings

5150 Composite Pro Wood WC5150

Big Stick R243CH

Big Stick R243CS

VELO Composite Wood R110CV

VELO Composite Wood R110CH

VELO Composite Wood R110CR

VELO Composite Wood Y151CV

Rawlings Composite 243MBS

Rawlings Maple/Bamboo Composite 271 MBC

Rawlings Maple/Bamboo Composite SL151G

Baum

AAA Pro Baum Bat

DeMarini

Models: D243, D271, I13, D110

MacDougall

PowerWood

Marucci

AP5 Hybrid Pro Model

Baum for cage work is great for multiple wood reps. I also think the guys at MacDougall are well worth supporting. Best looking wood bat, IMO. Love the one I got for my son. 

I recommend going with a classic. Louisville Slugger C271 Maple 33 x 30 . They go for about 120.00 you can shop around and find them for 85-100 . The C271 is a well balanced classic feel w/ end load.

Whatever you decide , go with the more expensive bats. Cheap bats are a ridiculous waste of money. They crack and break quickly.

And Always look for the ink dot. Don't buy anything without the ink dot

what does the ink dot mean? I thought it was the highest you could put pine tar on the bat..lol

The "dot" is a method to  the MLB to identify slope of the grain for the maple bat.

Bob

thx Bob...so the dot means its a high quality bat or not necessarily?

ED;

yes, that is true. The top level bat companies pay a annual fee to MLB for their bats to be sold to the ML teams. Our Goodwill Series International teams have used the SSK bat since 1983.

Bob

Not necessarily.  The ink dot is used to measure the straightness of grain from barrel to handle.  It does not guarantee that you are getting a high quality piece of wood.  The dot is also used to insure that you are hitting on the strongest part of the bat where the grains are stacked.  The dot should be pointing towards the sky when contact is made with the ball. 

SoCal OG posted:

Not necessarily.  The ink dot is used to measure the straightness of grain from barrel to handle.  It does not guarantee that you are getting a high quality piece of wood.  The dot is also used to insure that you are hitting on the strongest part of the bat where the grains are stacked.  The dot should be pointing towards the sky when contact is made with the ball. 

Not as far as MLB is concerned. MLB approved maple bats must pass the 3 degree ink dot test, and have the label placed on the edge grain (90 degrees different than the ink dot). MLB wants players to hit with the label up. Maple bats hit on the face-grain (label up) can withstand breakage about 8% better than edge grain (ink dot up). Personally, I think there may be a little better pop on maple edge grain (because it's a little more rigid), but I haven't been able to find any studies.

https://community.hsbaseballwe...t-maple-bat-confused

MidAtlanticDad posted:

SoCal OG posted:

Not necessarily.  The ink dot is used to measure the straightness of grain from barrel to handle.  It does not guarantee that you are getting a high quality piece of wood.  The dot is also used to insure that you are hitting on the strongest part of the bat where the grains are stacked.  The dot should be pointing towards the sky when contact is made with the ball. 

Not as far as MLB is concerned. MLB approved maple bats must pass the 3 degree ink dot test, and have the label placed on the edge grain (90 degrees different than the ink dot). MLB wants players to hit with the label up. Maple bats hit on the face-grain (label up) can withstand breakage about 8% better than edge grain (ink dot up). Personally, I think there may be a little better pop on maple edge grain (because it's a little more rigid), but I haven't been able to find any studies.

https://community.hsbaseballwe...t-maple-bat-confused

I think we're saying the same thing here...On bats without an ink dot, you use the label as your reference point.  You want to hit the ball 90 deg from the lable.  On bats WITH the ink dot you use the ink dot as your reference point...not the label.  What MLB found was that on Maple bats they break significantly more when not hit on the stacked grain.

However, back to the original point though.  Just because a bat has the ink dot, does NOT mean you are getting a quality piece of wood.  I promise you if you grab any ol Marucci, LS or whatever off the shelf at your local big box store, you are not getting a good piece of lumber.  

SoCal OG posted:

MidAtlanticDad posted:

SoCal OG posted:

Not necessarily.  The ink dot is used to measure the straightness of grain from barrel to handle.  It does not guarantee that you are getting a high quality piece of wood.  The dot is also used to insure that you are hitting on the strongest part of the bat where the grains are stacked.  The dot should be pointing towards the sky when contact is made with the ball. 

Not as far as MLB is concerned. MLB approved maple bats must pass the 3 degree ink dot test, and have the label placed on the edge grain (90 degrees different than the ink dot). MLB wants players to hit with the label up. Maple bats hit on the face-grain (label up) can withstand breakage about 8% better than edge grain (ink dot up). Personally, I think there may be a little better pop on maple edge grain (because it's a little more rigid), but I haven't been able to find any studies.

https://community.hsbaseballwe...t-maple-bat-confused

I think we're saying the same thing here...On bats without an ink dot, you use the label as your reference point.  You want to hit the ball 90 deg from the lable.  On bats WITH the ink dot you use the ink dot as your reference point...not the label.  What MLB found was that on Maple bats they break significantly more when not hit on the stacked grain.

However, back to the original point though.  Just because a bat has the ink dot, does NOT mean you are getting a quality piece of wood.  I promise you if you grab any ol Marucci, LS or whatever off the shelf at your local big box store, you are not getting a good piece of lumber.  

 

I don't think we are. MLB specifically required manufacturers to change the label orientation on maple bats, as compares to ash, so that players wouldn't have to think about it. That is, always turn the label up.

"For maple, which is a diffuse porous woods, the study also showed that impacts on the face-grain side resulted in an increase of about 8% in the velocity that the bats could withstand before failure relative to edge-grain side impacts."

https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/docu...pl_2012_drane001.pdf

I agree with you that the dot is not guarantee of a high quality bat. The dot is there for testing, it doesn't mean the bat passed the test. If the dot reveals a run-out of >3 degrees, then it's not good enough for the MLB. I'd like to think that bat manufacturers don't use the dot as a gimmick for retail bats, but that would probably be naive. Conversely though, there are lots of wood bats at your local big box with no ink dot. The likelihood of those bats being high quality is extremely small. You also have to worry about storage conditions with retail bats. I wouldn't want a maple bat that's been sitting in a dry, 130 degree F warehouse in Phoenix for a few months.

Call Chad at Old Hickory Bat Co. tell him you want a Black label either end loaded or balanced. They are good lumber for a great price and my kid has tried everything goes through about 5 to 7 a summer as pitchers get better bats break that's the game😉 .Swing hard let's see where it goes!!