Illinois Hammerheads Baseball

Baseball Bat Recommendations

Buy the Right Bat: Bat Recommendations | How Bat Weight & Swing Speed Affect Velocity
Hammerheads Hitting Program:  Batspeed Program | Hitting Stations
More Hitting Stuff:  Hitting Drills | Hitting Tips | The Tee | Fix My Swing | Common Flaws

Most Popular Bat Lengths By Age

 

  • Ages 5-7               24-26″        (Recommended Weight:  – 12)
  • Ages 8-9               26-28″        (Recommended Weight:  – 10 to – 13)
  • Ages 10                28-29″        (Recommended Weight:  – 10 to – 11)
  • Ages 11-12           30-31″        (Recommended Weight:  – 9 to -10)
  • Ages 13                31-32″        (Recommended Weight:  – 8)
  • Ages 14                31-32″        (Recommended Weight:  – 5)
  • Ages 15-16           32-33″        (Recommended Weight:  – 3)
  • Ages 17 & up        32-34″        (Recommended Weight:  – 3)
Coach Sewell’s Bat Recommendations for Travel Baseball Players

 

Quick Comments for All Ages:  Most youth players (high school on down) will do much better with bats that are EVENLY BALANCED.  Some of the better hitters do well with the barrel heavy bats, but most of the weaker hitters will do terrible with the barrel heavy bats.

8U – 12U
Quick Comments:  Many parents rush to buy younger players the big barrel bats.  Those bats are great as long as the player can control those bigger barrels.  Many of the younger players lack bat control and by going with the 2 1/4″ or 2 5/8″, they will have much more control.  If your son has good mechanics and is a strong kid, the big barrels can definitely be a big advantage in the short run.  Long run, they need to learn how to hit without those oversized barrels.

High End Models

Mid Range Models

Budget Bats

 

13-14U
Quick Comments:  There are a lot less choices for 13u & 14u.  The big barrels are no longer legal.  At 13u, you should be using a -8, although, some of the stronger players will be using -5 bats already.  At 14u, you should be using a -5, although, some of the stronger players will be using a -3 already.  Going to the minus 3 is not an advantage for the stronger players like it used to be years ago though because at -3, you have to use the BBCOR bats.  The major bat manufacturers don’t make -3 bats that aren’t BBCOR, so by going to the -3, you will be using a bat that doesn’t jump as well as the non BBCOR bats.

Minus 8 Bats (13U)

High End

Mid Range

Mid Range

15u-18u
Quick Comments:  The BBCOR has changed the game.  The balls don’t jump as well and the fields get big.  When your boys first make the jump at 15u, it will be a little bit of a shock.  For the weaker hitters, the BBCOR bats may drop your batting average a couple hundred points.  If you’re looking for a magic bat to save you, good luck.  For the weaker hitters, you need to get in the weight room and the batting cage.  The weaker hitters will get eaten up with the BBCOR bats.

BBCOR Bats (-3)

High End

Mid Range