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By Bat Digest | Last Updated November 17, 2022
After 2 solid hours in the cage with Slugger’s 2017 917 Prime in tow we have a good grasp on its total performance, how it compares to it’s predecessor and what type of hitter will appreciate this bat the most.
We’ve also measured it’s swing weight and overall barrel size in relation to its peers as well as considered user reviews. Our emails with Louisville Slugger’s bat team and our thousands of hours in the bat evaluation space were also helpful in our review.
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The 2017 Louisville Slugger 917 Prime fits in the most competitive niche of non-wood baseball bats. That is, the light swinging two piece composite space with an emphasis on a large barrel and max performance. This realm is not only the most crowded space but also the most expensive. Easton’s MAKO, DeMarini’s CF Zen, Adidas RBZ and Axe’s Avenge are just a few.
It should also be noted, the most crowded space in the bat market is also the most coveted. A light swinging bat with a buttery feel even on mishits with an over sized barrel for maximum contact possibility is what most players want if they have the choice.
When compared to the 2016 Prime the 917 has many similarities. Namely, the bat’s general construction is built for the player who likes a light swinging two piece composite with a buttery feel and a good sized barrel.
There are a couple of differences very much worth noting. The 2017’s version improves upon the size of the usable sweet. A new composite in the 917, likely developed in conjunction with Slugger’s new boss Wilson (who owns DeMarini too), expands the length of the usable sweet spot when compared to the 916. It’s a noticeable difference in the cage. Also, Slugger tightened the connective piece (they call the TRU3 design) for added durability and a little more feel at contact.
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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