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By Bat Digest
Updated November 17, 2022
We've now hit with the Z-Core Hybrid from Easton no less than 300 times. A handful of players, small to big, took it in the cage for hacks. We also exchanged a few emails with folks at Easton about the bat's data. That information, combined with our 2016 review of the Z-Core Hybrid and our extensive knowledge of bats, went into developing this 2017 Easton Z-Core Hybrid Review.
First of all, we would buy the 2017 Z-Core hybrid for the combination of the hot out of the wrapper performance barrel made of Easton's HMX alloy, and the smooth smash the two piece feature of the bat provides. We would also buy if we prefer a middle of the road swing weight, and, since the Z-Core hybrid is only in BBCOR, the bat was for high school or collegiate play. These bats are popular enough, and Easton's distribution far enough reaching, that many groups are selling this exact bat. Hence, we would price shop. Starting here (Amazon). We would also look for new, in wrapper, warrantied bats from trustworthy vendors in a 2016 model, as there isn't a significant difference. We would buy this bat because of the impressive barrel size and tapered knob. And with our very first hot out of the wrapper ping in BP, we would be glad we did.
Like last year's 2016 Z-Core Hybrid, the 2017 version is a two-piece hybrid bat. This means the bat consists of a composite handle and an aluminum barrel. The composite handle is the exact composite handle found in the 2017 Easton MAKO (our review). The barrel is the exact aluminum barrel found in the Z-Core speed lines. This fusion of composite and aluminum is what makes it a hybrid bat and what drives the name. As well, the swing weight is right in the middle of Easton's performance bat line. This bat is not nearly as light as the MAKO, for example, and not nearly as heavy swinging as the Hybrid XL. This feature is also not a change from the 2016 version. If you've been following along, this means, in essence, the 2017 and 2016 BBCOR Z-Core hybrid bats are remarkably similar.