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March 3, 2021 | by Bat Digest Review Team | @BatDigest
The 2020 Slugger META is legendary. Despite what the eBay price differences will suggest, the same bat as the red 2019 BBCOR Meta. Slugger literally changed the bat’s color, admitted as much, and resold it as the 2020 Meta. The bat has a huge barrel and has redefined what a two-piece composite should sound and feel like. Aside from its astronomical secondary market price and the 33-inch being illegal, we have no complaints.
Our hitters, who used the 2019 Meta Prime extensively, loved the same things in 2020 that they loved in 2019. That is, a huge barrel, great sounds and a real smooth smash on impact. In terms of our exit speeds the 2019… Jump to the full review.
Our hitters, who used the 2019 Meta Prime extensively, loved the same things in 2020 that they loved in 2019. That is, a huge barrel, great sounds and a real smooth smash on impact. In terms of our exit speeds the 2019 version was top-shelf stuff. Since there are virtually no changes to the 2020 Meta then our expectations are high on this one.
Despite its premium price, the 2020 Meta from Slugger is the most popular BBCOR bat on the planet. To boot, it gets top ratings on player feedback and does remarkably well (the best for any two-piece composite, actually) on performance ratings. Sizing options and middle of the road swing weight make it relevant for 85% of BBCOR players and the tech advancements in the Meta, pushing the boundaries on what a two-piece composite should feel and sound like, get the best marks we gave for 2020. In effect, the Meta's ratings not only make it a Diamond Level bat for 2020, but it extends to the High School Bat of the YearTM in baseball.
The 2020 Louisville Slugger defines what it means to set the trend in a class of bats. Since its release in 2019, the bat has taken the high school game by storm. Every hitter we talked to loves it. The swing weight, length options, and barrel size make it appropriate for about every High School hitter. The price point, ridiculous as it is, hasn't kept parents from putting the bat out of stock everywhere. Exit speeds for two-piece composites don't get better than the Meta. In reality, although never to be admitted by competitors, every two-piece composite BBCOR bat for 2020 is trying to be what the Meta already is. The High School Bat of the YearTM is the 2020 Louisville Slugger Meta, and, as expected, it tops our best BBCOR bats list too.
Although the bat is not cheap, we never spoke to a player who didn’t think the Meta Prime from 2019 was outstanding and ‘worth it’. It received our highest rankings and ratings directly from players. As such, we think the 2020 Meta will be right up there with it. So, despite it pricing out higher than any other BBCOR bat on the market today, we expect it to fit well to the hitter who:
Loves smooth smashes of two-piece composites
Has no budget
He likes a big barrel and light swing.
The 2020 Meta is recommendable for the player looking for a big barrel, light swing and smooth smash on contact. Some claimed the bat was the best performing one in 2019 and, with no changes to the 2020 version, we expect it to compete for that title again.
Price Check
There are no changes between the 2019 Meta Prime and the 2020 Meta. Aside from this, obviously, the removal of the word Prime from the name as well as the colorway to a blue base.
There is, we should note here, a Meta PWR version of the bat. This is, simply, the same bat with a 10% end load. Expect the Meta PWR to be built for the elite college guy who can handle all the swing weight you can give him. Occasionally, there might be an elite High School hitter who wants the power of the Meta PWR. In many cases, big hitters prefer aluminum barrels and, often, single-piece bats. As such, we don’t expect the Meta PWR to be a huge draw.
The 2019 Louisville Slugger Meta is the best a BBCOR bat has ever been. The barrel is massive, the sound is perfect, the feel is amazing. Every hit feels like a tank and every swing feels perfect. The only problem is the bat is nothing short of wildly expensive. This bat is THE SAME as the 2020 Meta (the blue one). However, the 33-inch version of this bat is not illegal. Hence it gets the perfect 10 from us.
We hit with the 918 Prime for an entire season. One of our BBCOR players used the 32/29 during his high school play.
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.
Compared to the 2020 Meta you have a litany of high-end composite two-piece bats to compare. Some consider 2020 DeMarini’s CF a good comparison. Others prefer bat’s like the Rawlings Quatro Pro or Easton’s Project 3 ADV.
See the Quatro Pro Review
Our 2020 Rawlings Quatro Pro review consists of hitting with the USA, USSSA and BBCOR versions of the bat. Our hitters thought the USSSA and drop 10 USA versions are highly recommendable. The BBCOR version, one of our favorite BBCOR bats in previous years, fell short this year with its feel and performance lacking compared to the 2019 and 2018 versions. The Drop 12 USA version is terribly light, maybe too much so, and sounds broke–although it’s exit speeds were decent for a drop 12.
Price Check
See the CF Zen Review
We have hit with the BBCOR, Drop 5, Drop 8 and Drop 10 2019 DeMarini CF Zen. The bat is a two-piece composite bat with a big barrel and a light swing. We don’t see any differences between this bat and the 2018 (or its newer 2020/2021 version). That is not a bad thing. The bat dominated the USSSA space, is average in USA and a good to great bat in BBCOR. The USSSA bat likes to break, but in the meantime, it is a great hit.
Price Check
See the Project 3 ADV Review
Easton’s top end bat for 2019 is called the Project 3 ADV. The ADV comes with a few features we’ve yet to ever see on other bats including a Power Boost knob and an improvement in the connective piece.
Price Check
For the College World Series, Slugger released a 2020 Meta Gold. This is the 2020 Meta but in a limited edition. It was a way to drive a premium price on the 2020 Meta before anyone else could get one. The Meta Gold versions of the bat are numbered in a limited edition from 1 to 100.
The bat, though, is exactly like the 2020 Meta (which is blue).
In addition to the 2020 Meta, Slugger is releasing a 2020 Meta PWR. This PWR version of the bat is built the same but with a 10% end load add. Those who want a real heavy swing, like collegiate players or elite high school hitters who can handle as much power as possible, will get a big kick out of the 2020 Meta PWR.
The 2020 Slugger Meta is a two-piece composite bat with a stiff connection, huge barrel, and middle of the road swing weight. The connection piece (called the 3FX) as well as the barrel material (EKO0, handle material and end cap are the same as last year. Expect a beautifully constructed bat that demands, and gets, the highest price point on the market.
The 2020 Meta is available in BBCOR sizes only. At release, they will be available in a 31, 32 and 33.
There is no expectation they will expand that line size. To see the right bat size for most high school and BBCOR players see our survey chart data.
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