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We’ve hit with every performance bat from 2015 through 2020. These are the Best Bat For 11 Year Old readily available that we’ve tested and measured.
By Brian August 4, 2022 11:48 am
Although others are closing the gap, the 2020 DeMarini CF is the best baseball bat for 11 year olds.
Amazon
Despite our love for DeMarin's Voodoo in the USA space, we choose the more popular 719 Select from Slugger as the best USA bat for 11U. So far in the USA experiment our data shows hybrid bats to be the best and the Select checks all the boxes.
Amazon
Although a couple years old, we can still find several 2018 Slugger Omaha's for really good discounts. Those drop 10 bats in a 30/20 make for a perfect budget bat in the 11U space.
Amazon
Update August 22: We’ve now hit with most 2020 youth baseball bats. That data collection, with our years of data collection in previous years, make up this list of best youth 11U baseball bats.
The right baseball bat size for 11 year olds is, on average, the 30/20. Based on our research and survey data with over 200 respondents, almost 30% of 11 year old baseball player use a 30/20. The next three sizes, which make up 60% of the respondents, are the 31/21, 29/19 and 30/22. You can see more details no the 11 year old bat size market here.
Here is one 11 year old bat size chart we made from the data.
| Best Bat for 11 Year Old | Best USA Bat for 10U | Best Budget Bat for 11U | Best Softball Bat for 11 Year Old | Top 11U Baseball Bat - Runner Up | Top 11U USA Bat - Runner Up | |
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| Brand | 1. DeMarini | 2. Louisville Slugger | 3. Louisville Slugger | 4. Louisville Slugger | 5. Marucci | 6. DeMarini |
| Model | CF | 719 Select | Omaha | LXT | CAT 9 | Voodoo Balanced |
| League | USSSA | USA | USSSA | Fastpitch | USSSA | USA |
| Rating | 4.8/5 | 4/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.9/5 | 4.9/5 | 4.9/5 |
| Price | $$$$ | $$ | $$$$ | $$$ | $$$ | |
| Year | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2020 | 2021 | 2019 |
| Type | Two Piece Composite | Hybrid | Single Piece Aluminum | Two Piece Composite | Single Piece Aluminum | Single Piece Aluminum |
| Weight | Balanced | Balanced | Light | Balanced | Balanced | |
| Barrel | Composite | Aluminum | Composite | Aluminum | Aluminum |
At the time of this writing there is nothing new on the horizon. Most bats have been released for 2020. Usually, especially as the holidays near, big manufacturers release a few bats with a new and fresh look. Those bats won’t perform any differently than what is on the market now but they do look cool. So, if you’re down for paying a premium on a major stick you already like you might want to wait towards the holidays to see if your choice drops in an updated look. We usually expect a CF and a CAT to drop with some color up, but we don’t this year.
11 years old is when baseball players tart to get very serious towards their baseball pursuits. Going with that is an increase in bat type and feel. Players start seeing better pitching and develop better swing speeds too. As such, we find our softball and baseball bat recommendations becoming more expensive (unlike our 10U and below recommendations). It’s why we are comfortable putting a $350 bat as the number one spot in the CF, a $300 bat in the USA spot and several other multiple Benjamin sticks.
Even our cheap bat isn’t very cheap. Still though, we think it time for most serious players to be more serious about their bat choice. Granted, a bat doesn’t change a terrible swing, our YouTube channel comments do a great job of pointing that out every 10 seconds. But, a good bat can mean all the difference for a baseball or fastpitch player committed to the craft.
Best Bat for 11 Year Old
Sizes: -inch | Drop: 10 | Bat Type: Two Piece Composite | Barrel Type: Composite | Price: $$$$ | Swing Weight: Balanced | Rating: 4.8/5 | Models: WTDXUFX20, WTDXCBC20, WTDXCB520, WTDXC8Z20, WTDXCBZ20 | Features: Huge Barrel, Long Sweet Spot
The drop 10 DeMarini CF (Zen) has a lot of haters in youth baseball. The vast majority of those had a tough experience with the durability of the CF Zen in year’s past. DeMarini’s 2020 version doesn’t look to have solved all those issues. But, it is still committed to being the hottest drop 10 USSSA bat on the planet and that it is. If you’re not up for dealing with a bat that might break then this isn’t for you. If you do buy it we suggest you don’t use the bat for batting practice and absolutely never hit the bat with yellow dimple or weighted balls.
The bat is made for the very serious youth baseball player looking for the most out of their bat. It’s a balanced swing and a super smooth smash which is dialed in for a great feel across the entire line. The drop 10 is dialed in for ultimate performance and is among our top exit speed tests year in and year out.
For an 11 year old, we suggest the 30/20 for most players. See above for our conversation on the right size bat for an 11 year old.
The major disadvantage, aside from its durability, is the price tag. But, it prices out like other ridiculously priced bats on the market.
MORE: 2020 DeMarini CF Review
Best USA Bat for 10U
To date, the most popular and highly rated USA bats have been aluminum barrels. We think it has something to do with composite bats struggling to justify the price tag they carry and aluminum’s ability to meet the USA bat standard. Hybrid bats also feel great on younger hands and have some give in the event the ball is mishit. As such, the 719 Select USA checks all the boxes as the best USA youth baseball bat for 11U.
It’s possible your size is not available; although at the time of this writing there are plenty. If you find yourself without a size then look for the new 2020 version of the bat which has the same exact makeup as the 2019. Both are balanced drop 10 bats with a big barrel, great feel with a proven connection piece that Slugger uses in its top line bats, and some of the best user ratings in the industry. Serious players looking for a great USA bat should have the Select on their short list.
If you need more proof, check out the favorite bats of 12 and 11 year olds at the Little League World Series in 2019.
MORE: 2019 Louisville Slugger 719 Select Review
Best Budget Bat for 11U
Sizes: -inch | Drop: 10 | Bat Type: Single Piece Aluminum | Barrel Type: Aluminum | Price: $$ | Swing Weight: Balanced | Rating: 4.7/5 | Models: WTLBBO520B3, WTLSLO5J1020, WTLSLO5X1020, WTLSLO5B520, WTLUBO5B1020 | Features: Durable
Although it lacks the prestige of a DeMarini CF or Slugger Select, Slugger’s 518 Omaha is one our favorite all time bats. The drop 10 version swings light and it has a considerable barrel. It’s single piece aluminum make up makes it a stiff swing so there is great power transfer to the ball when you can square it up. With the big barrel squaring it up is a reasonable proposition for most hitters.
The bat was originally $179 but, at the time of this writing we could find it for less than a hundred dollars (like $65) in a few places like here and here. Like the other bats on this list we recommend a 30/20 for most hitters and a 29/19 for just above everyone else. The occassional hitter can swing a 31/21 but, when in doubt, go lighter.
All that said, when our budget is less than a hundred dollars we usually look to buy used bats in our favorite secondary market places like SideLineSwap or eBay. As an example, at the time of this writing, it took us about 30 seconds to find a youth CAT 7 in drop 10 30/20 USSSA on SideLineSwap. As much as we like the 518 Omaha we’d settle for a used CAT 7 all day at $100.
MORE: 2020 Louisville Slugger Omaha Review
Best Softball Bat for 11 Year Old
Although nothing resembling cheap, the drop 10 30/20 2019 LXT is what we consider the best softball bat for an 11 year old. It’s an ultra light swing with a massive barrel and almost a decade iterations to perfect. At the time of this writing the 2019 version was readily available in every size was well as over $100 off the 2020 version which isn’t much different.
At younger softball ages the soft feel on the hands is a big deal. Its why bats like DeMarini’s CF and Slugger’s LXT dominate the younger market. Xeno’s and Ghosts either swing too heavy or feel too stiff. But, the Slugger LXT is a perfect blend of a give, balance and barrel size. We’ve never seen a younger fastpitch player use the LXT and not come away impressed. The LXT is the best selling fastpitch bat in the market in large measure because it convinced both younger and older fastpitch players to partake.
MORE: 2020 Louisville Slugger LXT Review
Top 11U Baseball Bat - Runner Up
Sizes: -inch | Drop: 10 | Bat Type: Single Piece Aluminum | Barrel Type: Aluminum | Price: $$$ | Swing Weight: Balanced | Rating: 4.9/5 | Models: MSBC88, MSBYC78, MCBC8 | Features: Anti-vibration knob, 8 wall thicknesses in barrel, Stiff Swing
If we were not going to buy the 2020 CF for our serious USSSA 11U player then we would settle on the Marucci CAT 8. (Or the Posey28 which is the same bat but with a different color up). The price point, sound and performance on the CAT 8 is world class and it really is the only bat in the USSSA space that challenges the market share of DeMarini’s CF.
It’s also really helpful the CAT 8 is remarkably durable. You’ll get that from most single piece aluminum. Add that durability to a more reasonable price point and some tech in the handle which helps dampen sting and you have yourself a winner. In many circles, the drop 10 USSSA Marucci CAT 8 is a monster.
If it were us, we’d look for the 30/22 over the 30/20 if our player could swing it. The extra two ounces on the CAT 8 is well worth the lesser hand sting and bigger performance.
MORE: 2021 Marucci CAT 9 Review
Top 11U USA Bat - Runner Up
For all the same reasons we love the Select we love DeMarini’s Voodoo Balanced in a drop 10 USA. It’s hybrid nature makes it a perfect USA bat with its hot out of the wrapper barrel and smooth feel on contact. Our exit speed tests showed it as good as it gets in the USA drop 10 space.
Earlier in the year we rated it as the best USA bat for 2019 and we stand behind that. To give that some credence, the Louisiana team that won the Little League world series in 2019 used, in the regionals, the DeMarini Voodoo about 50% of the time and more often than any other bat. The proof, we like to think, is in the pudding.
The reason it isn’t on the top of this list is because the price has not come down as much as the Select (at least at the time of this writing). But, if we were looking for the best 11U USA bat then we’d buy the cheaper of the two—assuming, of course, they had your sizing. At the time of this writing Amazon was full in stock at better prices than we found the Select, but it changes quicker than we can get to it here so make sure you check.
MORE: 2019 DeMarini Voodoo Bat Review | BalancedThe answer, to some extent, depends on what you can afford. Never spend more than that as going into debt for a baseball or softball is a silly financial move.
Otherwise, we like to use the age x game rule for knowing the highest price we’d potentially pay. Simply, multiple the age of the player by the number of games they will play with the bat. For example, an 11 year old playing in 20 games this year shouldn’t spend more than $220 on a bat. That would take most on this list off the table. And that is a good thing.
The excitement behind an 11 year old using a wood baseball bat is reasonable. Young kids, really starting to get into the sport, will love the idea of a wood bat. In the vast majority of cases, we think it makes sense to have one in their bat bag. Start, for example, with our favorite youth wood bats.
But, in reality, the performance of a wood bat (and its heavier swing weight) make any player struggle. Even when compared to a USA Bat, whose pop is restricted from the USSSA counterparts, the barrel profile, swing weight and durability (warranty) of an aluminum or composite bat make it the more reasonable option.
In other words, we don’t suggest a wood bat as the main game bat for any 11 year old player. But, have one in your bag for the occasional at bat and strength condition batting practice.
Our experience with 11u baseball players is the vast majority of them prefer a composite barrel. These tend to have a bit more forgiving feel on hits and mishits. As well, the barrel profile of composites tend to be bigger and younger players prefer as much plate coverage as possible.
However, do note, aluminum barrels tend to do better in cold weather as well as cost less. If you’re going to go the aluminum barrel route, we suggest you look for a two piece (often called hybrid) aluminum barreled bat.
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