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By Bat Digest | Last Updated November 17, 2022
The 2017 Easton XL3 is a reprint of the 2016 version. The bat is made as a single piece of aluminum intended for strong hitters who like an end-loaded feel. Our testing shows significant feedback on mishits (i.e. sting), but some hitters appreciate the ability to find the sweet spot. The Easton XL3 lies squarely on the bottom shelf of performance bats. Those looking for a value purchase who appreciate an end-loaded single-piece aluminum might find it’s just the stick they’ve been looking for.
We recommend the 2017 Easton XL3 for players who:
We would not recommend the 2017 Easton XL3 for players who:
*The “Indian not the Arrow” philosophy subscribes to the idea that the bat doesn’t matter, only the hitter’s skills do. Some take this to the extreme and claim the bat has no bearing whatsoever on plate performance.
| 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| MOI | Tech | Drb | Flx | Prof | ReSl | PlaRa | ExVe | Relv | Dmnd |
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| 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
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| 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| MOI | Tech | Drb | Flx | Prof | ReSl | PlaRa | ExVe | Relv | Dmnd |
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We think the DeMarini Insane (our review) from either 2016 or 2015 are very good comparisons to the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Easton XL3. This year’s “insane”, now called the Voodoo One (our review), has a middle-of-the-road swing weight, so it no longer the end-loaded feel.
Another endloaded single-piece bat is the 2017 Axe Element (our review)—although that bat has several things going on that make it a less comparable alternative to the Easton XL3.
The XL3 has been a part of Easton’s lineup for longer than we have been writing on this blog. That bat served as the 3rd iteration in the end-loaded Power Brigade. The XL1 was a two-piece composite and is now enveloped by the Easton MAKO XL—which was not produced in an XL for 2017. The XL2 has morphed into the Easton HYBRID XL—which was also not produced in an XL for 2017. In the BBCOR space, the XL3 is now the Easton Z-Core XL (which you can read our review of here).
But in the non-BBCOR space, the single-piece aluminum, end-loaded XL3 has yet to transform into anything but the same old single-piece aluminum, end-loaded XL3.
With the obvious exception of the color-up, the 2017 Easton XL3 is a reprint of the 2016 version. The bat is a single-piece aluminum with an end load. For a bat of this structure, it does boast a good-sized barrel. This is its unique feature in the space.
For the record, the 2016 version was roughly the same as the 2015 version. The 2015 version, however, came with an upgraded barrel size compared to the 2014 bat. In terms of performance, you should not expect anything different between the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Easton XL3s.
The overall rating uses seven different weighted metrics to determine our overall score. Half of total rating comes from the player and our exit speed tests (Player Rating: 25%, Performance: 25%).The other categories are Relevance (20%), Demand (10%), Durability (10%), Resell Score (5%), and Tech Specs (5%).
*: When a bat is denoted by a star (*) it is a preliminary rating. Expect it to be updated as we learn more about the bat and gather more data.
(PlaRa) Player Rating: We measure player rating from user reviews. Those users include our own hitters that we test at the lab as well as reviews we find online.
(ExVe) Performance: Performance measures the exit speeds and distances we capture in our hitting lab with HitTrax using these bats.
(Relv) Relevance: We measure the number of sizes and the MOI of the bat. Bats with a wider range of options get a better score.
(Dmnd) Demand: Demand is measured by consumer sentiment and the buzz around the bat.
(Drb) Durability: A bat’s durability is measured by user reviews as well as feedback from manufacturers.
(ReSl) Resell Score: Based on the price the bats go for used. Higher prices mean greater user demand which means, generally, a better bat. A resell value closer to its original price means a higher score.
(Tech) Tech Specs: We rate the bat on its technological advancements from previous years and compared to the industry at large. This is our chance to reward companies who are trying to innovate.
MOI
MOI or Mass Moment of Inertia is a measurement of bat swing weight. This quantifies how difficult it is to swing a bat. The industry often refers to this as things like End Load or Balanced but those words have been overused to the point of meaninglessness. We measure the actual swing weights of each bat we test using the industry-standard pendulum period, balance point, and scale weight. You can read more about that here.
Price
The price is the original MSRP price of the bat.
Type
The types of bats are single-piece alloy (SPA), two-piece composite (TPC), single-piece composite (SPC), hybrid (Hyb.), and wood (Wood). Hybrid bats are made of composite handles and alloy barrles.
Date
The estimated date the bat began distribution.
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