What type of wooden bat is the best

Photo courtesy John George. Overall, over the course of the last 20 years, Maple bats have emerged as the most popular species of wood used by players at the major league level. This is due to the hardness, durability, and overall performance of the wood. Bonus baseball and tree-related content — why have I heard about pine tar and baseball? In baseball, pine tar which comes from the stumps and roots from pine trees is that brownish-black, tacky substance some players decide to put on the handle of their bats to help improve their grip and prevent the bat from flying out of their hands.

It also allows players to have a more relaxed grip, which can provide more pop on contact. Contact Information. Betts himself has said that this model allows him to focus on barrel control and swing speed. The materials are, obviously, significantly different. There are a variety of materials used in wood bats. The most common options are maple, ash, and birch. Maple is a dense wood which makes the for the most durable wood bats. It also offers the stiffest swing. Ash bats are much softer and offer more flexibility.

Players like the lightweight feel of an ash bat. That lighter swing weight comes at the cost of durability. Birch is a bit more light weight than maple but still offers more durability than ash. It is worth noting that there are several other materials being used in wood.

There are composite wooden bats. The market is always changing. So you should never stop doing your research. In wooden bats, you have to focus on the swing profile or the classification of the bat. This is typically referred to as the turn. The turn is the best option for players new to wood bats. A turn is the most the best option when looking for balanced wood bats. The handle is a bit thicker and the barrel is longer than other options. The turn has a thinner handle and a longer barrel.

This makes the a great model for power hitters. The profile is more end loaded making it the profile for wood bats with the most pop. The is the middle-ground when looking at bat profiles. Ash bats are typically preferred more by the contact hitter due to the flex in the bat and the wood's lightweight characteristics.

Bamboo - Bamboo bats are different because bamboo is technically not a wood; it's a grass. The process for making bamboo baseball bats involves pressing bamboo strips into long, rectangular billets, then turning these billets until they form the shape of a round baseball bat.

Birch - Birch bats are a good option for someone who wants the aspects of both maple and ash bats. That's because birch is harder than ash, but not as hard as maple. Birch is approved for professional play. Composite Wood - Composite wood bats are the most durable kind of wood bat. In other words, the birch has the durability of maple with the flex of ash. Birch requires some batting practice to compress the wood and make it harder. I have taken tens of thousands of swings with all 3 types of wood.

Now I have been using these birch bats for a few years and I really like them. I feel like my birch bats get harder after every use. I personally break a lot less birch bats. Not sure why but I would usually average about 12 maples a year where now I break birch a year. Most of my breaks are off the end and that is where I feel birch bats are more durable than maple or ash.

And I happily recommend them because, unlike some of the bigger companies, they make a pro quality birch wood bats for ALL their customers, whether or not they are actually a professional baseball player. Doug Bernier , founder of Pro Baseball Insider.

He has Major League time at every infield position, and has played every position on the field professionally except for catcher. You should click to watch this great defensive play by Bernier Where is he now? After 16 years of playing professionally, Doug retired and took a position as a Major League scout with the Colorado Rockies for 2 years.

There are many types of birch. Maybe more. Which birch is best for bats? From where? Also, since birch is generally a softer wood, can it be condensed through some form of pressurization either before or after the cutting process? Ash bats flake of you hit on the label side.

It is actually stronger than hitting on the growth rings. In other words when you hit with an ash bat with the label up you are hitting on the weakest part of the bat.