What Type of Bat Is Best for Little League?

As with any other piece of sports equipment, selecting a baseball bat for your Little Leaguer is a matter of personal preference. Have your child borrow a friend's bat during a game to see how it feels. Let him take a few swings at the sporting goods store (watch out for other customers!) to determine which bat feels best. Some guidelines and restrictions exist that may help get you started.

  1. Wooden Bats

    • Wooden bats are allowed in youth leagues but feature disadvantages.

      Wooden bats, as the professional players are required to use, are allowed in youth baseball. Cheaper per bat than the metal alternatives, wooden bats also have the safer advantage of slower ball speed off the bat, according to a study published by Crisco and Greenwald. However, there are several drawbacks to wooden bats at the Little League level. Their weight and fragility make them less than ideal for younger batters. The weight distribution makes them more difficult for young players to swing. More easily broken than other options, wooden bats create safety concerns for the players and financial concerns for you.

    Aluminum Bats

    • Aluminum bats have been a staple in youth sports for years.

      Also allowed in all youth leagues, aluminum bats have been the norm in Little League for years. They are sturdier than wood bats; they may cost more initially, but you will likely make it through the entire Little League season without purchasing another. The barrels of aluminum bats are hollow with the weight distributed more toward the handles, making them easier to swing. Balls come off of aluminum bats faster than wooden, creating more danger for the players in the field.

    Composite Bats

    • Little League International put a partial restriction of composite bat use.

      A more recent option for youth baseball, composite bats are created with a graphite-fiber material or an aluminum core surrounded by graphite. As of March 2011, Little League International had a moratorium on all composite bats not granted a waiver by their organization due to questions over the bats' performance standards. Those composite bats allowed in Little League are more expensive than most aluminum bats. They are also susceptible to breaking in temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. While they take longer to break in and require real baseballs to do so, composite bats are lighter and feature bigger barrels, making them more forgiving of bad swings.

    Bat Length and Weight

    • Consider your child's age and height when choosing a bat.

      Check with your local Little League chapter for specific restrictions on bat weights and heights for the division in which your child will participate. Worth Sports and the University of Arizona conducted a study for the best bat weight based on the hitter's height. For youth baseball, they found that batters up to 50 inches do best with bats up to 16.5 ounces. Players from 50 to 54 inches did the best with bats weighing up to 17.5 ounces. For hitters over 54 inches tall, a bat over 17.5 ounces worked best. Although height will also play a part in determining the best bat length for your child, age guidelines are a good place to start. From 5 to 9 years, look at bats from 24 to 28 inches; 10- to 14-year olds should consider 28- to 32-inch bats; players 15 and up will most likely use a bat between 32 and 34 inches.