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By Bat Digest
Updated August 10, 2023
We recently spent considerable time in the cage with the new 2017 Louisville Slugger 517 Omaha. That direct analysis, combined with well over a thousand hours of writing, reviewing and researching performance single piece aluminum bats, goes into our 2017 Louisville Slugger 517 Omaha Review.
The major upgrade from the 2016 516 are an improved alloy for a lighter swing speed. We can confirm that. Additionally, while the physical barrel hasn't increased much (if at all), Slugger claims the usable barrel, due to an upgraded alloy, has also increased. This, in theory at-least, creates a larger sweet spot. There really is no way for us to confirm this. Another change from previous years is a custom Lizard Skin grip.
The 517 from Slugger is a single piece aluminum bat. It is a straight forward bat that doesn't boast any new tech. It, after all, a bat. And they make no bones about it.