Disclaimer: This site uses affiliate links. Learn More.
My 10u son plays LL, so he has to use a USA bat. He is currently using a 2019 Rawlings Threat. He swings the bat very quickly. Two years ago, he used another Rawlings bat, which he was able to swing, but it was very end-loaded. He prefers the balanced bats, but I noticed he swings the truly weighted 17oz very well. I know that most bats have an over and under ratio for the weight.
I am looking for a better performing balanced bat for a kid with gap power. He currently swings a 27inch 17oz (listed as 15oz).
~Franco
Franco,
Thanks for the question. We get a lot of questions here about bat weighting. Unfortunately, as we’ve explained elsewhere, total bat weight doesn’t mean much when it comes to how hard a bat is to swing. What matters is the distribution of the load along the length of the barrel.
Imagine, for example, a sledgehammer. If you hold it by the head, the handle is pretty comfortable to swing. If you hold it by the handle, then the head is pretty challenging to wield. The sledge doesn’t change weight but, instead, it changes its weight distribution.
So, a 15 ounce or 17 ounces or 23-ounce bat means relatively little when it comes to choosing the right bat for your son. Our dependence on total weight is what has caused your problem.
If you are looking for a balanced 27-inch bat, we suggest anything below the Voodoo One in the chart above. However, not all those bats come in a 27-inch. But, lucky for you, the drop 11 ADV 360 does.
Unfortunately, that is also the most expensive bat up there. But, we think it the best USA bat in terms of performance and feel. If were our money and we were in your situation, we’d buy the 27/16 ADV 360 Drop 11 USA Bat from Easton here.
If you do not want to spend that much money, check out the Axe Avenge. This bat is a drop ten but swings ever so LIGHTER than the drop 11 ADV 360. Because, to the point above, the distribution of the weight in the bats are different.
If we could make one more suggestion, we think a 27-inch bat for a 10U is pretty small. The average 10U is swinging a 30/20. We don’t know the size or skill level of your son, but if you can get him up to a 29-inch bat, we’d recommend it (in the same models).
In any event, good luck this year and glad to see we can get back to playing baseball.
Updated October 27, 2020
October 27, 2020
By Brian Duryea | @BatDigest