what are baseball bats made of

What are Baseball Bats Made Of?

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What are baseball bats made of? Baseball bats were not the same as you see today. They have a pretty intriguing history of evolution.

My first experience of watching a baseball match was more than two decades ago. But still, I remember the sweet sound of a baseball bat hitting a baseball. And I know every spectator wants to hear that sound from the bat of their team’s players.

I have experience playing with different types of baseball bats in my playing career. Professional baseball bats and amateur baseball bats are not the same. So, every baseball bat is not made with the same material.

Let’s find out the building materials of baseball bats and how they evolved over time.

History of Baseball Bats 

If you are a baseball player or baseball fan and follow different levels of baseball tournaments, you would see baseball players are using various types of baseball bats.

The tradition of plain wood baseball bats is long gone. The technology of making baseball bats has evolved over time.

Before knowing what baseball bats are made of in the modern age, let’s talk about the history of baseball bats. If you are a baseball fan, I bet the history of baseball bats will fascinate you.

Type 01: Wood Bats 

Have you ever seen a baseball player is making his own bat? Baseball players used to make their own bats with wood until 1884. But in the 1800s, baseball players used to make their own bats.

Baseball was a relatively new sport in the early and mid-1800. Players had the freedom to experiment with their bats – size, weight, etc. But everything changed after 1884.

Major league players use wood bats

That was the year when the mass production of baseball bats started. And when mass production began, the governing body of baseball started to make rules regarding the weight and size of baseball bats.

Nowadays, different types of woods are used to make various types of bats. And wood bat is the only type of bat allowed in the major leagues. Therefore, all MLB players use wood baseball bats.

Different types of woods are used to manufacture MLB bats. Here are they are:

i. Ash Bats 

Ash trees are the oldest manufacturer of baseball bats. Initially, most baseball bats were made of wood collected from ash trees. Ash bats are more flexible than other wood bats, and that’s why many baseball players still want to use ash bats.

Players get a slight advantage in bat speed while using ash bats. In sports like baseball, where the batter has a fraction second time to react, slightly enhanced bat speed can be a huge advantage.

The disadvantage with ash bats is they are ring-porous. As a result, they get dry over time and break.

ii. Maple Bats 

Maple bats offer less flexibility but long ball hitters like the stiffness of the bats. Bats made with maple woods offer additional force while hitting the bat. From my experience, I can say that long-shot hitters always tend to use maple bats.

Bats made with maple woods are denser than other bats. As a result, these bats don’t break easily. Though they are excellent for big-hitting, they have one downside.

These bats can retain moisture over time, adding up some additional weight. The additional weight reduces the bat speed, which is not ideal for a competitive baseball match.

iii. Birch Bats 

Birch bats are also common baseball bats. Baseball players treat birch bats as the middle road between maple and ash bats. These bats are durable like maple bats and flexible like ash bats.

So, as a player, you will get the fast swing advantage as well as the long-hitting capability. I personally preferred this bat and played with it for the most time of my career.

iv. Bamboo Bats 

Bambo bats are not MLB bats which means they are not permitted in the major league because bamboo is considered a composite rather than wood.

Bambo bats were first introduced in Asia, where bamboo grows a lot. Bamboo bats are durable and have better shock absorption capability. Moreover, they are lighter than baseball bats made with other woods.

Though bamboo bats are not permitted in many leagues, people who manufacture bats are now making bamboo bats for all levels.

v. Wood Composite Bats

As the name suggests, composite bats combine solid wood with other wood fibers. These bats have some advantages over standard baseball bats because manufacturers can engineer them for certain features.

But the bad news is, wood composite bats are not permitted in the MLB or other top leagues. As I told you earlier, MLB and other top leagues only permit wooden bats. Then, why do manufacturers make these bats?

Young players can handle these bats quite easily because wood composite bats are lighter than traditional wood bats. Wood composite bats are excellent for young players to start playing baseball.

Do you want to make a wooden baseball bat in 10 steps? I bet you can after reading this.

Type 02: Metal/Aluminum Alloy Bats

Aluminum is a lightweight metal, and aluminum alloy is blended with other materials to produce metal alloy bats. Metal alloy bats are excellent for young players to start their careers. They are used in schools, colleges, and small local leagues as they are light.

Aluminum bats were first launched in baseball in the middle of 1970. But true aluminum bats had some drawbacks. For example, they tend to dent easily. But mixing aluminum alloy with other alloy manufacturers overcomes this problem. Modern-day metal alloy bats are stronger, durable, and lightweight.

metal bats

Wooden bats are easily breakable. Sometimes, a little off-center turning off the bat can break itself. And, one thing I can guarantee you, wooden bats are not cheap. If you are an MLB player, breaking them might not bother you. But that is not the case for every baseball player, especially junior players.

That’s why metal alloy bats are popular in the non-professional zone of baseball. Yes, metal alloy bats are also expensive, but you can be sure of one thing, the bat will sustain at least an entire season.

NOTE: Metal alloy bats are not permitted in the MLB or any other top leagues. They are ideal for junior baseball players. 

Type 03: Composite Bats

These bats had been in this sport for a long time, but it was the mid-2000s when these bats got the attention. These bats are made of different types of carbon fibers and other materials. Composite bats are the most advanced with lots of unique features.

Like metal alloy bats, composite bats are also not permitted in the major leagues. But they are very handy to improve the skills of new baseball players. They have a more prominent “sweet spot” and longer barrel length, making long-hitting easier.

Type 04: Hybrid Bats 

Hybrid bats are a combination of composite and metal alloy bats. Hybrid bats have a composite handle to reduce the vibration while heating. In addition, these bats have metal alloys in the hitting zone.  Metal alloys in the barrel increase performance. Better metal alloy will ensure a larger “sweet spot.”

The price of hybrid bats is less than composite bats and higher than aluminum alloy bats. That’s why many young players tend to use hybrid bats because they are cost-effective and come with more advantages.

Do you know which bats are illegal in baseball and what you can not do with baseball?

Frequently Asked Questions 

What Regulations are Applied to Baseball Bats? 

For American Major leagues, bats need to meet some parameters. The bat must be a round stick, smooth, and the diameter of the thickest part should not exit 2.61 inches. The length of a baseball bat should not be larger than 42 inches. And the bat MUST be one piece of solid wood.

Besides, bats should not be hollowed or filled with any alien substances such as cork to reduce the bat’s weight. The major league of the USA does not permit any other types of bats other than a solid wooden bat.

But in amateur baseball, players can use both wooden and metal alloy bats. Metal alloy bats come with a larger “sweet spot,” young players can easily hit with these bats.

What is the Best Wood for a Baseball Bat?

Baseball bats should be dense and durable. A dense wood can hit the ball better. Maple is a dense wood, and bats made with maple wood feel heavy and are more durable. Before maple bats arrived on the scene, most players preferred Ash bats.

Ash bats are flexible and give the batter some extra time to swing the bat. But they are not durable and not ideal for power hitting. Birch is another wood that is widely used. But they are soft, which most baseball players don’t like.

Maple bats have the upper hand over the other two wooden bats compared to all three wooden bats.

Are MLB bats Wood or Metal?

There are some strict regulations for MLB bats. Only wood bats are allowed in the MLB. Though bamboo is considered wood, bamboo bats are also not allowed in the MLB.

What wood bats do MLB players use?

Most MLB players use Maple wood bats. Before Maple wood, Ash was popular among MLB players. But now, over 95% of professional MLB players use Maple wood bats.

Conclusion 

When I first started playing, I preferred metal alloy bats. Then composite and hybrid bats came into the scenario. Today’s young players have lots of options. But if you are planning to play baseball seriously, you should practice with wooden bats also because you are only allowed to play with a wooden bat in top leagues.

So, if you were wondering, “what are baseball bats made of” I hope now you have a clear idea. But which one is best for you depends on your playing condition. Your coach is the best person to find the best baseball bat for you.

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