Drop 8 or Drop 5

Justin,

Couple things come to mind as we read through your situation.

Bat Sensor Accuracy

For starters, we agree with you on the Blast Motion (or any swing sensor for that matter). We feel like anyone we’ve tried is marginally repeatable. This is somewhat helpful for practice and progress but we find it hard to be useful in terms of bat fitting. (We also really like the Garmin Impact in terms of accuracy—but they all struggle).

In other words, we hesitate making bat recommendations based on swing sensors—although they are fun.

Drop 8 or Drop 5

As well, a general bat size chart suggests his optimal swing weighted bat is a 23.5 ounce stick. However, these bat size charts (like all bat size charts) tend to forget about the fact bats swing differently based on their load out.

Although I’ve yet to see your son swing, I’d be more likely to put him in a 32/24 with an end load before I’d drop him to the drop 31/26 or 30/25. It is temping at 12u to go heavy especially if he’s been swing a drop 5 woody all winter. But, the pitch speeds they see at 12 at short distances really rocks the house. I’d be more interested in him gaining the length of a 32 then the girth of a drop 5.

If he really likes stiff bats and wants to try something a bit off the beaten path then check out the drop 8 DSB KAMO. It has a little bit of an endload, swings pretty stiff, but still gives a nice smooth smash with a huge composite barrel. That bad boy at a 32/24 in the right hitter’s hand will make holes in the clouds.

If you go with a drop 5 then there are few we really like.

Good luck and thanks for the note!

Bat Guy