The Best Little League Bats
Our Top Pick for 2019: Easton MAKO TORQ Youth Baseball Bat
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Playing little league baseball is a great way to get into sports for youth. It teaches children teamwork, perseverance, bravery, and work ethic, all the while introducing them to the world of physical activity. Of course, if a child is going to play baseball, he or she is going to need a nice bat that will allow him or her to hit the ball squarely, and get on base. Baseball bats come in all different weights, shapes, and sizes, and just because a child feels comfortable with a certain one doesn’t mean that another child is going to feel the same. To help you decide how to best choose a baseball bat for your child, we’ve written this review.
Let’s Have a Quick Look of Our Top 4 Picks:
#1. Easton MAKO TORQ Youth Baseball Bat
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*Price typically updated every 24 hours. Current price may be different.
Easton Sports has a reputation as one of the top sporting goods manufacturing companies in the world. Founded in 1922, the company specializes in making top quality archery, hockey, and baseball equipment. They have an especially strong hold in little league baseball, for which they provide some of the premier bats and gloves available on today’s market. Their top little league bat at the moment is the Easton MAKO TORQ Youth Baseball Bat.
Providing a -10 drop weight, the MAKO TORQ comes in five different sizes, including 28 inches and 18 ounces, 29 inches and 19 ounces, 30 inches and 20 ounces, 31 inches and 21 ounces, and 32 inches and 22 ounces. This great variety allows players with all different preferences and comforts to pick a bat size of their choosing, ensuring maximum performance. The TORQ’S most unique feature is its rotating handle. As you swing, the rotating handle will roll over naturally, reducing the hitch in your swing, and allowing you to keep your hands close to your body on inside pitches. It’s a very useful and innovative feature that helps you to make contact on any pitch within the strike zone.
The barrel of this bat is made with a TCTATM Thermo Composite Technology that provides it with a huge sweet spot and excellent barrel speed. The handle is also made of a composite material which helps to give it flex, and reduces vibration. This will provide you with more power and will reduce the risk of receiving sting into your hands when pitches are hit on the handle. The barrel and handle are two separate pieces connected in the middle of the bat. Because of this you will receive the best of both worlds; supreme pop from the barrel and excellent comfort in the handle.
Online reviewers laud it for its TORQ feature as it allows them to handle inside pitches with a lot more consistency and power. Reviewers also love how well the ball jumps off this bat, with one reviewer stating that there’s no reason not to hit a home run when using it.
Reviewers gave it overwhelming positive reviews. The only aspect of the bat that might be a negative for some is its rotating handle. This type of handle is not typical of baseball bats, and so it could take some getting used to.
In summary, the Easton MAKO TORQ Youth Baseball Bat is a unique and innovative little league bat with a huge sweet spot as well as excellent pop. Whether you’re reaching for outside pitches or trying to fight off inside pitches, it will provide you with a consistent and level swing that allows you to hit the ball as squarely as possible. If you’re looking for the most sophisticated little league bat on the market, look no further than the Easton MAKO TORQ Youth Baseball Bat. It can be purchased for around 130.00 on most online retail sites.
#2. Louisville Slugger YBAR152 Youth Armor
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*Price typically updated every 24 hours. Current price may be different.
Not only does Louisville Slugger provide bats for some of the top names in Major League Baseball, they also manufacture some of the premier bats in all of little league. Their top little league bat currently on the market is the Louisville Slugger YBAR152 Youth 2015 Armor. Made of aluminum with a -12 drop weight, it provides you with a great deal of bat speed and solid contact every time you connect with the ball.
As stated, it has a – 12 drop weight, and is available in 5 different sizes. These sizes include 27 inches and 15 ounces, 28 inches and 16 ounces, 29 inches and 17 ounces, 30 inches and 18 ounces, and 31 inches and 19 ounces. Whether you’re looking for something short and light, or long and heavy, this bat will accommodate you. Its barrel measures in at 2 ¼ inches in diameter, meeting the size standards in the majority of little league baseball leagues. Its handle measures in at 7/8 of an inch and tapers down from the hands to the barrel.
Made of 100% aluminum alloy, this bat comes in one piece. While most budget bats are made with 7046 aluminum, this one is made with 7050 aluminum. This type of aluminum is much more durable, withstanding a greater amount of wear and tear. This type of aluminum will also provide you with more pop and power when making solid contact with the ball.
Online reviewers love the Armor for its ability to be swung with a great deal of speed. Many reviewers said that it was a great bat for smaller kids. Reviewers also give it credit for how durable it is, stating that it’s solid and packs a lot of punch.
Some reviewers criticize it for the quality of its grip, stating that it started to fall apart within a few weeks of use. Other reviewers say that it doesn’t possess much of a sweet spot. You really have to catch the ball on the right part of the barrel to make good contact.
While the Armor’s sweet spot is not as large as the other bats on this list, it still packs a wallop whenever you can make solid contact. Combine that pop with its ability to be swung and high speeds, and you get a bat that is great for contact hitters and power hitters alike. If you have trouble getting your swing around quickly, the Louisville Slugger YBAR152 Youth 2015 Armor is definitely something to check out. It is available for around $40.00 on most online retail sites.
#3. Combat Maxum Little League Baseball Bat
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*Price typically updated every 24 hours. Current price may be different.
Combat is a company that makes top-notch equipment for baseball, slow-pitch softball, and fast pitch softball. From adult equipment to youth equipment, Combat Sports Group manufactures all of their products with quality and care. The company’s premier little league bat at the moment is the Combat Maxum Little League Baseball Bat. Its combination of comfort and performance provides you with the greatest chance possible of hitting any pitch thrown your way.
This review has been provided by thebaseballstop.com: It comes in four different sizes and has a -12 drop weight. Its sizes include 28 inches and 16 ounces, 29 inches and 17 ounces, 30 inches and 18 ounces, and 31 inches and 19 ounces. This is a large size range, providing each player with a bat that’s suitable for him or her, whether he or she is short or tall. The -12 drop weight also results in a quicker swing, allowing you to catch up on pitches that would usually get by you. With a 2 1/4 inch barrel, it meets the size requirements imposed in Pony League, Dixie League, AABC League, Babe Ruth League, and Little League play.
Made of composite material, this one piece bat combines both excellent power and feel. By using their Precision Molded Seamless Construction style, Combat was able to enlarge the sweet spot, making it %40 larger than on any other bat they have ever put out. This greatly reduces mishits, giving you more power on inside pitches, and resulting in more hits. It also assists in reducing vibration shock, keeping your hands safe from unpleasant stinging.
Online reviewers give the Maxum credit for its ability to be swung at high speeds, with some reviewers stating that their kids are hitting the ball 40 to 50 feet further than they did with other bats. Reviewers also laud it for its very large sweet spot, noting how easy it is to make solid contact.
Some reviewers were disappointed with its pop, stating that it feels more like an aluminum bat than a composite one. However, they also stated that it was very good for its price. If you’re looking for something with a little more power and bounce, you’ll probably have to spend more money.
Overall, the Combat Maxum Little League Baseball Bat is very nice. It may not provide the pop of previous bats on the list, but it does however provide a much larger sweet spot, greatly increasing your chances of making solid contact with the ball. For this reason, it is probably more suitable for contact and gap hitters, than it is for power hitters. If you’re looking for a durable, comfortable, and high-performing bat that can get through the zone quickly, you should definitely take a look at the Combat Maxum Little League Baseball. It goes for around $150.00 on most online retail sites.
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#4. Easton LX73 Reflex Youth Baseball Bat
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*Price typically updated every 24 hours. Current price may be different.
You can spend a great deal of money on a little league bat and still get average results. The truth of the matter is that there are a great number of affordable ones that can perform just as well as the high priced ones. There’s no use in wasting good money on something that you can get for a fraction of the price. If you’re looking for an affordable little league bat, you might consider the Easton LX73 Reflex Youth Baseball Bat.
With a -13 drop weight, the Reflex is very light, providing excellent speed through the hitting zone. This makes it especially appropriate for kids who have trouble catching up on fastballs. It comes in just one size, which is 32 inches and 19 ounces. This is quite large for a little league bat, so it’s probably best suited for tall players, though there’s no reason that shorter players couldn’t use it. Its barrel measures in at 2 1/4 inches in diameter, and its handle measures in at 29/32 of an inch. This is a large barrel-to-handle ratio that will result in added bat speed and power. It is approved for all Little League play.
Made of high performance 7050 aircraft alloy, it provides excellent pop and does a great job of reducing shock down the handle. This will allow you to hit the ball with power without having to worry about stinging your hands. The alloy also works to make it exceedingly durable. You’ll be hitting balls with great power for years to come.
Online reviewers love the LX73 for its speed, stating that its a great bat for kids who don’t have the quickest swings. Reviewers also noted the pop it provides, with one reviewer saying that his son transformed from a contact hitter to a power hitter when he started using it.
Some reviewers question its durability, saying that it sounds as if the outside casing is loose. Others have noted that it vibrates a lot regardless of whether or not the ball was hit on its handle. This results in very painful and uncomfortable stinging every time they make contact. These negative reviewers, however, were very few. There’s a chance that these consumers might have received flawed products.
For as low as $55.00 on most online retail sites, the Easton LX73 Reflex Youth Baseball Bat performs exceptionally for its price. Its combination of light weight and comfort makes it a high quality product for little league players of all sizes. If you’re looking to purchase a top-notch bat for your son or daughter, but do not want to spend hundreds of dollars, the Easton LX73 Reflex Youth Baseball Bat could be just what you’re looking for.
Pre-purchase considerations
Length
When selecting a bat, perhaps the most important thing to consider is its length. Typically, larger players will use longer bats while smaller players will use shorter bats. However, this is not necessarily the case.
You can use a length of any size as long as its within the length range mandated by the league that you play in. Little league baseball leagues typically don’t allow players to use bats over 33 inches. 27 inches is usually the minimum length. There are a number of ways to determine which length you should use.
The most obvious advice is to just use what feels comfortable to you. But, if you’ve never purchased a bat before, that might not be helpful advice. A method you could use is placing the bat straight up and down on the ground with the top of the barrel touching the ground. If, when putting your hands down straight at your sides, you palms are able to grip the top of the bat, it is of adequate size. Another method is to put the knob of the bat on your chest. If you can reach its barrel while it’s in this position, it’s of sufficient length. But, most importantly, you need to be able to swing the bat with balance and speed. If you can do this and it feels comfortable, it is perfectly suitable.
Weight
Another very important aspect to consider when perusing little league baseball bats is their weight. Their weight is typically measure with drop weight. Drop weight is essentially the difference between the length and weight of the bat. If it is 29 inches long and has a drop weight of 10, it will weigh 19 ounces, for example. Little league ball, unlike pony league and high school ball, has no weight requirement for bats. As long as it is 33 inches or under in length, it doesn’t matter what its weight is. A heavier bat may be harder to swing, but it will also have more inertia when being swung, providing it with more power. In turn, a lighter bat can be swung faster, but will not provide as much inertia. If you’re a power hitter, something heavier is probably a wise choice. If you’re a contact hitter, you should probably go with something a little lighter.
If you need help choosing the correct drop weight when selecting a bat, there are some ranges that are more appropriate for children of certain ages. If your child is under 7 years old, a drop weight between -13.5 and -12 is recommended. For children between 8 and 9, a drop weight between -13.5 and -12 is recommended. For children between 10-11 years of age, a drop weight between -13 and -10 is recommended. And, for children who are 12 years of age, a weight drop between -10 and -9 is recommended.
League requirements
In order to keep leagues safe and competitive, regulations have been set on bats and other items. Before spending a lot of money, you want to make sure that the bat you’re about to purchase is cleared for use in your league. In most little league baseball leagues, bats are not allowed to be anywhere over 33 inches in length. In addition, their barrels can be no more than 2 ¼ inches in diameter. There is a list of bats available which are cleared for play, but this list does not include every single one. In other words, there are bats that didn’t make the list which are also allowed. The smart thing to do would be to ask a league official whether or not a bat is appropriate before purchasing it. You never know what type of rules each different league may have. Don’t go spending a bunch of money on something that you won’t even be able to use. You’re better safe than sorry.
Material
While baseball bats are typically categorized by wood or metal, little league players almost exclusively use metal ones. But, not all metal bats are created with the same type of metal. There are, in general, three different types of metal bats.
These three types are composite, hybrid, and alloy. Composite bats usually reduce vibration, and have a larger sweet spot than the others, but are also more expensive and typically require some time to break in. Alloy bats cost less, are more durable, and do not need any time to break in, but also tend to have smaller sweet spots than composite ones. They don’t provide as much bounce.
Hybrid bats include composite handles and alloy barrels. They possess the limited pop and supreme endurance of alloy, but the vibration reduction provided by composite. Hybrids also typically have more flex, providing extra whip power, but with less control. The type of bat you purchase has a lot to do with your swing and budget. If you don’t have a great deal of money, you might not have the budget to afford a composite bat. In the end, you should get a feel for every type and make your decision.
Conclusion (Wrapping it up)
Receiving a new baseball bat can be a very exciting experience for a child who’s in the early days of his or her foray into sports. Nothing makes a kid want to get out on the field quite like having a new toy to play with. But, it’s important to remember that not all baseball bats are the same. There are several different things to consider when you’re thinking about purchasing one. Its length and weight is very important. If you choose a bat that your child has difficulty handling, he or she might struggle to hit the ball, resulting in a frustrated child who wants to prematurely exit the entire game. Be diligent. Spend time. Do the research. This is the only way you can be sure to choose the best little league baseball bat possible.