Researching the best youth baseball bats and baseball uniforms can be a real minefield – there are just so many different sites out there and so many different opinions. Good news: we’ve done a load of research for you. Even better news: we’ve put our findings in this article, and to make it even easier, we’ve picked our top three youth baseball bats.

By the end of the article, you’ll understand why they are so popular and what the main features are that your child might benefit from. Then you can make an informed decision. Remember, the habits of a batter are forged from a young age, so it’s vital to get the bat right from the beginning.

Our best all-rounder: Cold Steel Brooklyn Crusher review

We like this one because it’s basically unbreakable. Bats breaking in competitive play is a disappointingly regular occurrence, but if more people used bats like this, then it wouldn’t be. As well as being expensive to replace, broken bats can also be a dangerous thing on a baseball field, so the benefits of having this almost-indestructible bat are not to be underestimated.

This really is the bat for all seasons. It would be ideal for practicing or competition. The Cold Steel Brooklyn Crusher is 29” long, and weighs in at 2lbs 1 ounce. It has a sleek look as well to match those custom designed baseball jerseys. 

Easton YB14S500 Review

The best thing about the Easton YB14s500 is the weight. Made from aircraft alloy, this feels nice and light, but it packs enough of a punch for some mega hits.

The luminous green contrasts brilliantly with the gray and black – it really oozes class in every department. And you can customize the length… anything from 27” to 32”.

Louisville Slugger MLB225YB Youth Wood Baseball Bat Review

Wood bats can be a bit of a risk because the quality of the wood can change so much, but Louisville Slugger have been well-known for the quality of their wood for many years.

They always use Maple, which is a closed grain wood, similar in structure to laminated bats. It’s also more firm on the surface than Ash, which is commonly used for bats. This is important because it reduces the risk of splintering. The Louisville Slugger MLB225YB also comes in multiple lengths, ranging from 26” to 31”.

Youth Baseball Bats Explained

It’s easy to be over-awed by the amount of choice that is out there in the youth baseball bat market. We’ve put together an easily digestible guide which will give you all you need to know about youth baseball bats.

The evolution of baseball bats

First, a little history lesson. The first baseball bats can be traced back to the 1850s, long before a time where there was mass production of anything, so they tended to be homemade, fashioned from any material available.

It was 1859 when they brought in the rule which stipulated that bats couldn’t have a diameter any larger than 2.5”, and by 1869 it was insisted that bats could be no longer than 42”. The length rule still stands today.

It’s generally acknowledged that the first commercial bat was the Louisville Slugger, in 1884. The story goes that the Louisville player Pete Browning broke his bat during the game, and a 17-year-old in the crowd named John Hillerich offered to make him a replacement.

Hillerich took Browning to his father’s woodworking shop, and Browning proceeded to select a piece of white ash and supervised the whole process of the making of the bat. With new bat in hand, Browning then ended up going three for three the next day! This was enough to create a lot of demand for Hillerich and his father to make other bats for people, and so the Louisville Slugger was born.

The metal bat was first invented and patented in 1924, but it was 1970 before it was ever actually used on the open market. Metal bats have become more and more popular in junior and amateur baseball, but wood bats are still the choice for professional players.

We’re currently in the age of the Maple bat, thanks in no small part to Barry Bonds championing the Maple bat during his record-breaking 2001 season.

The aspects of a bat

Barrel:

This is where the ‘sweet spot’ for hitting can be found. The longer the barrel, the bigger the sweet spot, but also, the heavier the bat is. There’s always a trade off between having a big enough sweet spot to get the batter out of jail if they mishit the ball, or having a smaller barrel/sweet spot that makes for a lighter bat and a faster swing.

Grip:

Grips can be leather, synthetic leather or rubber. This is the area that covers the handle.

Taper:

Taper basically means the diameter of the bat’s handle. The wider it is, the less shock for the player when the bat hits the ball. Again, there is a trade off with weight. A smaller taper would allow for better bat speed and wrist rotation.

Bat types

There are several different materials that a bat can be made out of, each with their own pros and cons. To make the right choice, it’s important to first understand what level you are playing at. As we will discuss, some bats suit junior play better than competitive play.

Aluminum:

Aluminum bats are lighter than wooden bats, so this makes them ideal for junior ball. Many leagues have them as standard, because they allow the kids to swing hard and really go for it.

Another advantage of aluminum bats is that they don’t require breaking in like wooden bats do.

Composite:

These are the lightest bats out there, because they are made up of fiberglass, graphite and resin. These tend to have the largest sweet spots of all bats, and they’re well balanced too. They can take a bit of getting used to, so be prepared for a long break-in.

Wood:

These are rarely used in little leagues, but they do still have some benefits. Wooden bats can be customized more than any of the others, i.e. the taper can be adjusted to a player’s swing and they are good for teaching young players proper swing form from an early age. The disadvantages of wood bats are that they have a long break-in period, they have smaller sweet spots, and they can often break.

Bat standards

Across all materials, youth baseball bats are measured in terms of length, weight and drop. Length and weight is self explanatory, but drop is defined by subtracting the weight of the bat from the length. Smaller drops are for power swingers, while longer drops offer greater swing speed.

Find the right length and weight

It figures that bats will need to be longer for taller batters, and that as youth players get older, they will need longer bats.  Below is a rough age/length guide:

5-7: 24”-26”

8-9: 26”-28”

10-11: 28”-30”

11-12: 30”-32”

13-14: 31”-32”

15-16: 32”-33”

17+: 34”

To find the right weight, there is a good test you can do. Ask the batter to hold the bat to the side at shoulder height for 10 seconds, and if they can’t keep their arm straight, then the bat is too heavy.

Bat cost

Bats can range from $25 all the way up to $200 and more, but be careful: just because a bat is expensive doesn’t mean it’s the right bat. Make sure you take in all the factors that have been mentioned in this article before making a decision. Only then should you consider the price.

Other equipment

Although not all of the following items are mandatory, they are an important part of the mix.

Bags:

This can preserve the life of any bat because bags protect bats from marks and potentially breaks.

Helmets:

Quite rightly, helmets are compulsory in city and school leagues. Protecting players’ heads is clearly important, but even more so at junior level when the standard of pitching can vary so much.

Gloves:

Any help that players can get in gripping the bat is generally worth it, because even a small slip can turn a home run into a mishit. They are also useful in protecting the batter’s hands and fingers.

And finally…

Remember, a bat can shape the way a child plays for life, so you should really take seriously the many different issues discussed in this article. Good luck!

You can always rely on Twitter to provide entertainment when your team isn’t playing. In our top 10 list we have everything from the random political crusades of MLB pros to the parody account of a dead pitcher from the 1880s.

1). Brandon McCarthy (@bmccarthy), Dodgers pitcher, 168K followers

This man is one hell of a character. Only Brandon McCarthy would be able to blatantly call out an umpire’s performance while comparing to the ultra trendy play of NBA star, Steph Curry. 

higher percentage- correct calls from the home plate ump in Royals/Mets or Curry’s 3-pointers tonight?

— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) April 4, 2016

Of course Brandon’s wife is similarly just as amusing.

Somehow I feel like this dog is better off on her own. pic.twitter.com/A5Lnoimns6

— Amanda McCarthy (@Mrs_McCarthy32) July 11, 2015

2). MLB Cathedrals (@MLBcathedrals), 61.2 K followers

This is great for all the nostalgia hunters among us. There are some great photos of baseball uniform and old ballparks you may have forgotten, as well as some photos of today’s arenas.

Great American Ballpark, site of this year’s ASG, with a freshly imploded Riverfront (Cinergy) Stadium next to it. pic.twitter.com/o7r4GrvT4P

— MLBcathedrals (@MLBcathedrals) July 14, 2015

3). Old Hoss Radbourn (@OldHossRadbourn), 70.9K followers

This is absolute genius – one of the funniest baseball accounts you’ll ever see. Old Hoss Radbourn was a pitcher and rightfielder who played in the 1880s and died in 1897, and yet miraculously, here he is on Twitter! This really is a great parody account – you can imagine the kind of fun you can have with an alter ego from the turn of the century.

103 — A. Chapman’ fast ball speed and the temperature of the fever that killed me in the great typhus outbreak of ’88.

— Old Hoss Radbourn (@OldHossRadbourn) July 15, 2015

4). Joe Posnanski (@jposnanski), NBC Sports writer, 111K 

This guy is poetic – his way with words is unbelievable. One of the best sports reporters out there.

5). John Thorn (@thorn_john), official MLB historian, 11.5K followers

This is great for baseball history. John Thorn has access to all-things historic, like photos and newspaper cuttings, which he shares regularly.

6). MLB Jersey Numbers (@NumbersMLB), 5.6K followers

This account is quite simple – it’s about jersey numbers. It tracks who’s wearing what number and who may have worn that number in the past. 

As we specialize in custom baseball uniforms, we appreciate this!

7). Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS), CBS Sports insider, 360K followers

Jon Heyman realy is on point. He’s great for breaking news and he’s insightful about the sport. Well worth checking out.

8). SABR (@sabr), Society for American Baseball Research, 24.9K followers

The SABR are some serious operators. In recent years they’ve mostly been associated with Sabermetrics that determine the baseball statistics that truly matter, but they are about a lot more than just that.

9). Chipper Jones (@RealCJ10), former Braves infielder, 476K followers

Just look at how many followers he’s got – the most on this list by a mile. You just don’t know what he’s going to say next, but it’s likely to be a conspiracy theory!

What a crock of crap! Oswald killed Kennedy? Seriously? Sorry, but I’m watching JFK. It’s almost laughable what they want us to believe.

— Chipper Jones (@RealCJ10) November 15, 2012

10). Dan Haren (@ithrow88), Marlins pitcher, 12.8K followers

Haren’s a funny guy. He only pops up every so often but it’s normally worthwhile.

Baseball season is arriving in the pros with spring training coming around the corner shortly and some amateur baseball seasons – whether it be little league baseball or high school games – may have even already begun. With baseball season really starting to rev up, it’s always good to have a few tricks up your sleeve in regards to how to keep your players engaged and motivated.

Let’s run through some of the best ways to go about that as a coach:

Keep it Loose

First thing’s first, it’s always important to have a time and a place for discipline and the hard work in practice. But for the most part, you’ll want to make practice fun, make it competitive and stay away from redundancy and drills that are a giant bore. You’re at practice to get better, but you’re also there to grow as a team and come together. Creating competition, joking with players and even rewarding them (we’ll touch on that later) can be very big in keeping them engaged and it doesn’t even take all that much to get it done. This can and should stretch into games, too. Let kids chew on seeds in the dug out, encourage conversation during the game, and make sure your players are focused but always having fun. 

Bulletin Board

One of the best ways to motivate a player or a team is to go to where the heart of the team is – in the locker room. This is where the kids start their practice and game days and it’s usually where they end them, too. From photos of legendary ball players to classic quotes to goals they can chase, you can litter the locker room with various motivating criteria that can help get your team ready for the task at hand, and you don’t even have to be present to have it kick in. 

Give Feedback

Individually and as a team, you’re going to want to let the players know how they’re doing. It’s always good to take a struggling player aside and dish out a little needed criticism, but then pile on top of that 2-3 compliments about what they usually are good at or what they are presently doing well. If a player is in a hitting slump, you can pull them aside and inform them you’re aware of the drought, and they don’t have to worry about it as long as they keep giving you 100% on defense like they have been, and so on. Even when players are doing well, they still need positive reinforcement at times so they know they’re on the right path and that the hard work and good production they’re putting forth is noticed and appreciated. Players are people with feelings and goals. If you help them stay the course by showing them you’re thankful, impressed or even proud, it can be huge in their development and will only strengthen them as a team.

Reward Them

How do you get teams to play better, to stay engaged, to willingly increase their focus and effort? Reward them. You never want it to get to the point where there is always a carrot hanging from a rope or that they will only get this if they do this, but there is a proper place for rewarding your players. If we give it out all and that is evident, then this happens, or if we win the title we get new custom baseball uniforms for next year. It can be big or small, but sprinkling in rewards for your team to chase after in addition to individual and team goals can be highly beneficial.

Fire Them Up

It sounds silly and overly simple, but what better way to motivate your team than give them a motivational speech? Not everyone can pull off an Al Pacino speech or fire teams up like Tim Tebow did at Florida, but you have life experiences and probably played baseball in your past, so you can dig deep and offer them something genuine that they will respect. Two of the cores of motivation are respect and inspiration, so if you feed off of some humility and can relate it to what they can achieve, you may have something. It doesn’t need to necessarily be a do or die speech and it doesn’t need to be at a specific time, but getting down to earth with your team and pulling back the coach mask and showing your humanity every now and then can definitely pull everyone closer together as they fight for the same unified goal.

Got motivational ideas or tips of your own? Feel free to share with us in the comments below!