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July 3, 2020 | by Brian Duryea | @BatDigest
After over 100 hours of testing and writing about drop 10 baseball and softball bats we have whittled down our lists to the best. Our big barrel USSSA pick is DeMarini’s 2018 CF Zen; in baseball’s new USA bat space we really like the Louisville Slugger’s 718 Select; our fastpitch favorite in the drop 10 space is DeMarini’s CF9 Slapper.
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It has been a while since we’ve been truly excited about a USSSA bat. But, and we’ll make a prediction here, the 2019 CF Zen will go down as one of the best USSSA bats. The drop 10 is brilliant. Stock up. Price check: Amazon.com. Our Review: 2019 CF Zen Review.
A drop 10 bat means a bats whose length (in inches) is 10 units higher than the bat’s stated weight (in ounces). So a 31 inch drop 10 bat has a scale weight (roughly) of 21 ounces.
Bats are categorized by their “drop” to help players find similar bats across brands. However, as we note elsewhere, scale weight, stated weight and swing weight are all different things.
There are a few really good USA bat choices for 2018. We really like the Easton Beast X Hybrid. Although that bat is categorized as a drop 10 it really swings quite heavy and should be a drop 8. As well, Sluggers 617 Solo is a great USA Bat. However, it is a drop 11. That leaves us with a few options to choose from in the drop 10 space and our favorite, although it’s close, is the 718 Select. Price check: Amazon.com. Our Review: 2018 718 Select USA Review.
Take a look at our bat size chart to find what size/age player should be swinging what size bat.
In terms of expectation, remember that young baseball players will be in BBCOR leagues soon enough. Most, around the age of 13 or 14 need to swing a drop 3. If you are still swinging a drop 10 at age 12 then expect even more difficulty in the transition.
Drop 10 bats in the baseball space are tailored to that 9, 10 or 11 year old.
In fastpitch, a player could swing a drop 10 all the way through college. Most players truly swinging a drop 10 are 12+. It is not uncommon to switch to a drop 9 or 8 as you get into highschool, but many stick with the drop 10, forever.
Drop 10 bats are the wheel house of high end performance fastpitch bats. There are a lot to love here. If we were forced to choose for the average player looking for a nice balanced swing, we’d choose the CF9 Slapper. This bat works for players who are NOT slappers too. And the massive barrel, real light swing, and great transition makes it one of the best bats ever. Amazon: Price check. Our Review: 2018 CF9 Slapper Review.
Every bat that made this best drop 10 bat is, relatively, expensive in the bat space. We are asked all the time if it is worth the money.
Is it?
The answer, of course, depends. In terms of performance, feel and general swagger the bats are improvements over less expensive options you generally find in a big box store.
But, asking if the extra cost is worth it depends on your budget. No one can make that determination but you. And we won’t pretend as if we can decide that. We do know for a fact the bats are better, and reasonably so. But, is it worth the extra cost in your situation? Good question.
If you want to see some less expensive best bat articles:
Best Cheap USA Bat
Best Cheap BBCOR Bat