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Best Baseball Bat 2022: Top Picks For High School, College, And Youth Level

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There’s a lot to factor in when searching for the best baseball bat, especially considering the wide variety of models to choose from, making it hard to know exactly how much you need to spend to get a good quality bit of kit.

Fortunately, we’ve compared some of the top baseball bats, based on features, price, and reviews, to select our standout picks so you can kick off your search in the best way possible.

Whether you’re after a BBCOR-approved bit of kit, like this Demarini CF bat, or you’re searching for something made of wood, like this Victus MH17 Pro, then we’ve got you covered right here.

We’ve also included some of the latest news surrounding baseball bats which we’ll keep updated with the latest information to help you plan any future purchases.

Best Baseball Bat

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Best BBCOR Baseball Bat – Demarini CF BBCOR Baseball Bat

Best baseball bat DeMarini product image of a sliver, aluminium bat

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Image Credit: DeMarini

Brand: DeMarini | Material: Aluminum | Size: 30″ – 30″

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When stepping up to the plate, the last thing you’d want is to be waiting for a pitch holding a low-quality bat.

If that is the case, then the Demarini CF bat might interest you as it comes with the BBCOR stamp of approval which should certify this bat’s credentials as a top-tier item.

It comes as a two-piece composite construction, designed to improve the weight distribution and therefore enhance the balance, bat speed, and barrel control.

Moreover, DeMarini boasts the bats Paraflex Plus composite barrel has a huge sweet spot to hopefully increase your chance of hitting a home run every time, so if you’re looking to get the best performance possible out of your bat then the Demarini CF could be for you.

Best USSSA Baseball Bat – Louisville Slugger 2021 Meta Bat

Best baseball bat Louisville Slugger product image of a black bat with gold details

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Image Credit: Louisville Slugger

Brand: Louisville Slugger | Material: Aluminum | Size: 27″ – 34″

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If USSSA baseball is more your thing and you prefer their bats higher performance threshold, then the Louisville Slugger 2021 might be the one for you.

Some of the key features include an EKO composite barrel, engineered to bring out your peak performance thanks to it being lightweight and large in size to give you the best possible chance of making a clean hit.

In addition to the barrel, the Slugger comes with a premium GT1 end cap which should help maximise swing speed and therefore enhance your control.

All in all, this is a great option for USSA enthusiasts looking for a high-quality bat to take their game to the next level, especially as it is a relatively inexpensive bit of kit that puts in a strong case to be considered for our best baseball bats under 200 dollars/pounds list.

Best Fastpitch Baseball Bat – Mizuno F20-Finch Fastpitch Bat

Best baseball bat Mizuno product image of a white bat with light red and grey details

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Image Credit: Mizuno

Brand: Mizuno | Material: Aluminum | Size: 28″ – 33″

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If you’re from the UK, you may be familiar with Mizuno for making some of the best footballs around, but that’s not all the Japanese sports company manufacture.

The F20-Finch is an example of Mizuno’s diversity and showcases their expertise as this bat comes with a number of handy features to help you strike a fastpitch ball.

First and foremost, the MZ-2200 Alloy has been designed to be extremely lightweight, much like a top hockey stick, whilst also being durable, meaning it will likely help enhance your baseball performance as well as withstand the test of time.

Moreover, the Speed-Helix grip should provide comfort as well as high levels of grip to help you have control over the bat, even when swung quickly to strike a fastball for a home run.

Best Slowpitch Baseball Bat – Miken 2021 Freak Primo Slowpitch Bat

Best baseball bat Miken product image of a black bat with red lettering on the side that say 'PRIMO'

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Image Credit: Miken

Brand: Miken | Material: Aluminum | Size: 34″

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Weak contact on a slow pitch can be frustrating so, if this regularly happens, you might be looking for a high-quality bat to tackle the slower balls like this Miken 2021 Freak Primo.

Miken boasts their Tetra-Core technology helps to optimise the performance of the bat by utilising an inner core tube to increase compression and therefore enhance the responsiveness.

Furthermore, Miken’s Sensi-Flex has been engineered to maximise the energy transfer from the handle to the barrel to ultimately improve the bat speed which is key to striking the perfect slow pitch.

Miken 2021 Freak Primo is a 34″ bat that comes in three different weights, so there are options available depending on what you feel most comfortable with.

Best Wooden Baseball Bat – Victus MH17 Pro

Best baseball bat Victus product image of a birch wood bat

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Image Credit: Victus

Brand: Victus | Material: Wood | Size: 31″

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If you’ve ever watched MLB on your top sports TV, then you’ll probably have noticed they all use wooden bats which is mainly down to the safety of the other players.

If you’re a power hitter and a wooden bat is something you’re after to emulate the professionals, then the Victus MH17 should be a good choice.

Being made of birch wood, this bat sits nicely in between the hardness of maple and the softness of ash which will likely give it a nice contact with the ball, creating a decent noise in the process.

Being made of wood, the bat is designed to be highly durable if cared for correctly so if you’re looking for a good long-term option to copy guys like Josh Hamilton and Mark Trumbo who have been spotted using birch, the Victus MH17 could be one of you.

Latest Baseball Bat News

Louisville Slugger Adding Cameras And Pressure Mats To Training Facility

Latest baseball bat news Louisville Slugger new Science Center logo.

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Image Credit: Louisville Slugger

Louisville Slugger, one of the leading baseball bat manufacturers, has partnered with V1 Sports to install high-speed cameras and pressure mats to its upcoming Science Center, a baseball and softball training facility opening in Louisville this year.

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The new facility will include 3 bullpens and 4 batting cages containing V1 technology, as well as a Bat Fitting Lab to recommend which models are best suited for players after analysing their swing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Baseball Bats

With a huge variety of regulations and types of bats available, you probably have a few questions, but don’t worry because we’re here to clear up some of the most common queries.

What Do BBCOR And USSSA Mean?

BBCOR and USSSA are two of the most common bat certifications around, but there are several differences to note between the two.

BBCOR stands for Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution and, in short, measures the ‘trampoline effect’ of each bat.

They also come in various barrel sizes and are typically used at the high school or college level of baseball.

USSSA on the other hand stands for the United States Specialty Sports Association who is the governing body for most travel baseball tournaments.

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A USSSA approved bat will likely have a higher Bat Performance Factor and they’re most commonly used at the youth level as well as during travel baseball as mentioned above.

What Is The Bat Performance Factor?

The Bat Performance Factor, or BPF, is a standard that determines how ‘live’ a bat is.

What this essentially means is it measures the speed after the impact of the bat compared to the speed of the ball before impact.

The BPF also takes the trampoline effect of the bat compared to that of the ball into account.

After these measurements have been recorded, the bat receives a BPF number, and manufacturers tend to shoot for a BPF that is close to the maximum number in order to get the best performance out of their bats.

Why Do MLB Use Wooden Bats?

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There are a number of reasons why MLB uses wooden bats but the main cited reason is for safety.

Pros already strike the ball fast enough, but with an aluminum bat, they’d be able to strike it even faster, thus endangering the field and is, therefore, a reason why one of the MLB rules states that a bat should be made of one piece of solid wood.

You could argue this rule could be changed, but baseball is typically a sport bound by tradition and as wooden bats are what they’ve always used and all the data is based off, we will likely continue to see wooden bats in MLB for the foreseeable future.

What Size Baseball Bat Should You Use?

According to Dicks Sporting Goods, one of the best ways to choose what size baseball bat you need is to measure the distance from the centre of your chest to your outstretched arm. This should roughly be the length of your bat.

Alternatively, you can measure the distance from the floor to the palm of your relaxed arm and get a similar result.

If you’re still unsure, then most manufacturers have a handy size chart which you can compare your height and weight against to help you select a perfectly sized baseball bat.

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What Does Drop 10 Mean On A Baseball Bat?

The drop of a baseball bat is simply the difference between the length of the bat compared to the weight.

For example, if a bat is 30″ long and weighs 20oz, then the drop is -10.

According to Louisville Slugger, a general rule of thumb is the higher the competition or league level, the lesser the weight drop.

With a lesser weight drop, you’ll typically find the bat feels heavier.

Read More: Best Gym Bags Available Right Now

Source: https://www.realsport101.com/real-kit/best-baseball-bat-high-school-college-youth/

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