Buying the right baseball bat can be a very confusing process. With all of the different options, technologies, and rules choosing the right bat can be a daunting task. With some key knowledge and a little research, buying the right bat can be an easy and rewarding experience. We have created a "bat buying guide" to help you find the bat that fits your needs. Individual league rules may vary. While this bat buying guide is a good tool, Baseball Rampage recommends that consumers contact their league for specific rules and regulations.
College
As of January 1, 2011 all bats used in college baseball must be stamped with a BBCOR (Ball-Bat Coefficient of Restitution) certification. BBCOR measures the trampoline effect of bats, and will make aluminum bats perform like the best wood bats. These bats will have -3 length to weight ration, and will have a 2 5/8” barrel.
Shop BBCOR Approved Bats
High School
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) ruled to ban most composite bats for the 2011 season. Starting in 2012, the NFHS will adopt the BBCOR certification that is currently used in the NCAA. Below is a list of things you should know for the 2011 season.
Senior League/Big Barrel Bats
Senior league bats are those designed for the intermediate youth players generally 10 to 13 years old. The lengths of these bats can range from 27" to 32" and will either have a barrel diameter of 2 5/8" or 2 3/4" known as the big barrel. The length to weight ratio in these bats will be from -5 to -10.
Shop Sr. League (2 ¾ Inch Barrel)
Shop Sr. League (2 5/8 Inch Barrel)
Youth/Little League Bats
Youth bats are manufactured for players approximately age 7 through 12. All of these bats will have 2 1/4" barrel diameters and are often referred to as small barrel bats. The lengths of youth bats will range from 27" to 32". Youth league bats will have a length to weight ration of -8 to -13.5. Generally the bats will be labeled with the leagues in which they are used, Little League, Dixie Youth, Babe Ruth, Pony, and AABC. Little League Baseball has recently put strict restrictions on the use of full composite bats.
Shop Youth Bats (2 1/4 Inch Barrel)
Little League Baseball Approved Composite Bats
Bat Performance Factor (BPF) is often used by Little League and other youth baseball organizations. It measures how fast the ball exits the bat when hit compared to a wood bat. Most leagues require all bats to be stamped BPF 1.15 to be considered legal. We recommend checking with your specific league before purchasing a bat.
Weight to Length Ratio: Often referred to as “the drop,” the weight to length ratio is calculating by subtracting the weight from the length of a bat. For example, a 31 inch/21 oz bat would be a -10, or “drop 10.”
| Little League (8-10 yrs) |
| Player Height |
Bat Weight |
| 48-50" |
16-17 oz. |
| 51-54" |
17-18 oz. |
| 55-59" |
18-19 oz. |
| 60+" |
19-20 oz. |
| Senior League (8-10 yrs) |
| Player Weight |
Bat Weight |
| 70-80 lbs |
18-19 oz |
| 81-100 lbs |
19-20 oz. |
| 101-120 lbs |
20-21 oz. |
| 121-140 lbs |
21-22 oz. |
Bat Materials
Today almost all bats are either made of high grade aircraft alloy or composite fibers. With new restrictions on full composite bats, manufacturers are starting to move back producing alloy bats.
The options available:
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100% Alloy bats: Made completely of aircraft grade alloys
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100% Composite bats: Made of composite fibers
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Half & Half bats: Bats that have a composite handle, and aluminum, alloy, or hybrid barrel
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Hybrid Bats – Bats that have combined two different materials, such as alloy with carbon
Composite Baseball Bats
Composite bats are different from alloy bats. A composite bat has different features, which require a “break in” period before the bat reaches its optimal performance. With composite bats a player will need to hit approximately 200-300 real leather baseballs while rotating the barrel to completely break in the surface area of the barrel. The composite bats will also sound more like you are hitting a wood bat than an alloy one. Once the composite bats are broken in they will greatly increase the sweet spot and durability, which some studies have shown surpass the ability of standard alloy bats. Leagues and organizations of all ages have put strict restrictions on composite bat performance.
Specials
Specials
