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Updated August 4, 2022
By Bat Digest
For the 2021 season, we think the best new bats for a 10-year-old, regardless of price, are the drop 10 USSSA Marucci CAT 9 Connect in a 30/20 or 29/19 and the Easton ADV 360 drop 11 in a 30/19. For the budget-conscious, our hitters like the 2019 Easton Beast Speed in USA and the 2019 or 2020 Louisville Slugger Solo drop 11. In fastpitch, we like the 2021 drop 11 LXT in a 29/18 or an older model to save a few bucks.
We’ve hit every 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018 youth USSSA, USA, and fastpitch bat in the performance space. We compile objective metrics, like exit speeds and swing weights, as well as subjective ones like player feel and perception. That data drives our list of best bats for 10-year-olds. For 10-year-olds (and any age for that matter) we’ve found that getting the right bat size is more important than getting the right bat model. A poorly fitted bat is the death of a promising hitting season. The right size maximizes the chance of success, regardless of brand. That said, we think the best USSSA for a 10-year-old is the Marucci CAT 9 Connect; the best USA Bat for a 10-year-old is the Easton ADV Drop 11; the best fastpitch bat for a 10-year-old is the LXT drop 11.
Our most recent update added the our 2021 selections and confirmed the bat deals for our cheap and older bats are still atleast somewhat available in the market.
Certification: USSSA
Sizes: 28, 29, 30, 31, 32
Barrel Size: 2 3/4
Drop: 10
Swing Weight: Light+
Serial Number: WTDXCB721
Original Price: $350
Release Month: August 2020
If you chose the 2021 DeMarini CF as your favorite bat as a 10-year-old, you are in fantastic company. Hitters love the CF in a drop 10, and it is, by all measures, legendary. The bat has a massive barrel, great light swing, and gives the perception of serious pop on just about every swing. The 2021 Demarini CF is the same as the 2019 and 2020 version of the bat, so still suffers from durability issues—although much less than the CF from 2015 to 2017. If it were not for the durability, it’s no holds bar price and the fact composite appears to be a bit less dominant among 10-year-olds, then the CF would be our favorite. In fact, it probably is our favorite; we’ve just been awarding it, so the last 5 years so are biased towards a change.
Certification: USA
Sizes: 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
Barrel Size: 2 5/8
Drop: 11
Swing Weight: Light+
Serial Number: YBB21ADV11
Original Price: $350
Release Month: September 2020
$350
Original Price
USA Bats feel like they’ve come a long way since 2018, but then again, not really. The Easton ADV 360 Drop 11 is the best feeling bat out there. We’ve found the confidence in this bat gives 10-year-olds a real chance to go after the ball, and, sometimes, that confidence is all they need. In fact, when we’ve gone head to head with the USA ADV 360 drop 11 and USSSA bats, most hitters can’t tell the difference. Contact sounds the same, and the bats feel the same. However, when we compare exit speeds, a USSSA bat still has 3 to 4mph more than the ADV drop 11.
Certification: USSSA
Sizes: 28, 29, 30, 31
Barrel Size: 2 3/4
Drop: 10
Swing Weight: Light+
Serial Number: MSBCC910
Original Price: $300
Release Month: October 2020
$300
Original Price
We love the lighter swing, big barrel, and great feel of the 2021 Marucci CAT 9 Connect. The fact it comes in a drop 10 29/19 and 30/20 is ideal for that 10-year-old space. Although not cheap, we think it the best bat for the 10-year-old, and we’d buy it before we bought the DeMarini CF due to the CF’s durability issues and its higher price point. Our exit speeds and feedback from 10-year-olds were top-notch for the 2021 Cat 9 Connect.
Why We Love the 2021 CF
If you chose the 2021 DeMarini CF as your favorite bat as a 10-year-old, you are in fantastic company. Hitters love the CF in a drop 10, and it is, by all measures, legendary. The bat has a massive barrel, great light swing, and gives the perception of serious pop on just about every swing. The 2021 Demarini CF is the same as the 2019 and 2020 version of the bat, so still suffers from durability issues—although much less than the CF from 2015 to 2017. If it were not for the durability, it’s no holds bar price and the fact composite appears to be a bit less dominant among 10-year-olds, then the CF would be our favorite. In fact, it probably is our favorite; we’ve just been awarding it, so the last 5 years so are biased towards a change.
Certification: USSSA
Barrel Size: 2 3/4
Sizes: 28, 29, 30, 31, 32
Drop: 10
Serial Number: WTDXCB721
Release Month: August 2020
Related: Best USSSA Bats
Why We Love the 2021 ADV 360
USA Bats feel like they’ve come a long way since 2018, but then again, not really. The Easton ADV 360 Drop 11 is the best feeling bat out there. We’ve found the confidence in this bat gives 10-year-olds a real chance to go after the ball, and, sometimes, that confidence is all they need. In fact, when we’ve gone head to head with the USA ADV 360 drop 11 and USSSA bats, most hitters can’t tell the difference. Contact sounds the same, and the bats feel the same. However, when we compare exit speeds, a USSSA bat still has 3 to 4mph more than the ADV drop 11.
Certification: USA
Barrel Size: 2 5/8
Sizes: 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
Drop: 11
Serial Number: YBB21ADV11
Release Month: September 2020
Related: Best USA Bats
Why We Love the 2021 CAT 9 Connect
We love the lighter swing, big barrel, and great feel of the 2021 Marucci CAT 9 Connect. The fact it comes in a drop 10 29/19 and 30/20 is ideal for that 10-year-old space. Although not cheap, we think it the best bat for the 10-year-old, and we’d buy it before we bought the DeMarini CF due to the CF’s durability issues and its higher price point. Our exit speeds and feedback from 10-year-olds were top-notch for the 2021 Cat 9 Connect.
Certification: USSSA
Barrel Size: 2 3/4
Sizes: 28, 29, 30, 31
Drop: 10
Serial Number: MSBCC910
Release Month: October 2020
Related: Best USSSA Bats
For a 10-year-old, we think the right bat size is either a 29/19 or 30/20. That is, 29-inches in length and 19-ounces or a 30-inch length in 20-ounce. We asked over 200 parents of 10-year-old players and found those two were the favorites by far. We also measured each of those players based on their weight, height, skill level, and strength. We found that different physical metrics are not good indicators of the right-sized bat for a 10-year-old. See more details in the image below.
Generally speaking, for the average 10-year-old, we’d recommend a 30-inch big barrel bat with a drop 8, 9, or 10. (The drop is the numerical difference between the bat’s length in inches and its weight in ounces). Of course, there are several exceptions to this recommendation (such as if the league only allows smaller 2 1/4 inch barrels or if your player needs a VERY light bat).
We even found that most 10-year-olds are pretty happy with their bat size. We think the vast majority of 10U baseball players should go with a 29/19. If they are considerably stronger or have experience with a 30/20 already, then go that route. Pay close attention to the swing weight of bats, too, and make sure if you do go the 30/20 route, you stay away from the ones with the end-loaded or heavy swing weights.
In the end, we would not overthink it here. If you are not quite sure what size bat to get, then go with the 29/19 and get to hit. More than likely, it’s going to work just great. If you are looking at a drop 11 bat, then go with the 30/19. If there’s a drop 12 you like out there, we say go with a 32/20. But, in most instances, we think drop bats lose so much mass in the barrel they lack their drop 10 counterparts’ performance. In other words, stay drop 10 if you can and drop 11 if you’re really into a bat that only comes in that size (like the drop ADV 360 or Solo).
The amount of $$$ you spend on a bat needs to correlate with the number of games played. We suggest you spend no more than $10 per game played and no less than $5. A 20 game season means a budget of $200 at most and $100 at least. This is pricing for new bats only.
The right bat size is more important than the right bat model. At 10, nothing could be worse than trying to hit a ball with a bat that is too heavy except for doing it with a bat that is too light. Bats without enough swing weight will wring the hands more often and won’t produce enough power to be useful. Bats that are too heavy won’t give players enough time to catch up to the pitch.
For 2021 most of the bats are already released. We do not expect any new bats to hit the shelves until later in July when the Little League World Series gets under way.
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