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By Bat Digest | Last Updated November 17, 2022
This is a single piece bat that upgrades the 2018 Beast X Speed/Loaded in noticeable ways. The barrel construction is longer, the handle is reinforced with a stiffer feel and they’ve added a custom Lizard Skin to the bat. They’ve also kept hold of the short 29-inch as well as sizes up through the 34-inch. Those in the market for a stiff feel on a reasonably priced performance BBCOR bat will like the 2019 Easton Alpha.
The single piece aluminum is replete with options. Bats like the Velo, 519 Omaha and DeMarini Voodoo One are prime examples. But, even Easton has a few other performance options like the Fuze.
The major difference, functionally, between the Beast X Speed and Easton Alpha is the stiffness in the handle. The project 3 team for Easton added some components underneath the hood of the single piece handle to make it more stiff. This is an improvement.
(The do reinforce the aluminum with some composite pieces. This is much different than the Beast X which was a true aluminum bat.
As well, you might notice, Easton is using Lizard Skin Grips. Previously, this honor was bestowed upon new Louisville Slugger grips. But, for 2019, Easton secured that exclusive contract.
We have yet to have enough access to the bats to determine the swing weight or exit speed of the Alpha in relation to the Beast X Speed. Our expectation is the bats swings like the 2018 Speed. If you want a heavier swinging bat then look for the Alpha Lock & Load.
The 2019 Easton Alpha is a single piece bat that uses a combination of aluminum and composite in the barrel. This design lends to a longer barrel. It is not a true hybrid design—as that term is reserved for those with an aluminum barrel and composite handle. But, the bat does swing light and has a long barrel. Compared to the Z-Core or Beast X from last you can expect a different sound and swing weight.
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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