Looking for a Youth Bat?

Considering a bat for your baseball player? Baseball Monkey shares some tips on how to get the bat that will best fit your young athlete.

1. Know your child's height.  Start with a 26-inch bat, if your child is between 3’ and 3’4”.  Another way, to get the right measure is have your child stand next to bat with their cleats on, the bat should reach, but not exceed their hip. If it reaches past their hip area, it will be too long to swing.
2. Your child's weight and height help determine the best bat choice.  Both measurements contribute to deciding what type of bat they should swing.  The little league bat size chart uses a combination of weight and height to determine the best bat choice. In general:

• Children under 60 pounds should swing a bat between 26 and 29 inches long
• Children weighing more than 70 pounds should swing a bat ranging from 28 to 32 inches long

Bat drop should also be a factor to look into.  "Bat weight is measured by the minus or drop weight. Drop weight is the difference between the length and weight of the bat, so a bat that is 30 inches long and has a drop weight of -10 will weigh 20 ounces. The bigger the drop weight is, the lighter the bat will weigh."   Please note that there are regulations for high school and college baseball bats.

Keep in mind that your choice of bat weight and length does effect the physics of the swing. For instance, consider the following:

•  If you have a long, light bat, you can swing it very fast, but it will not have much inertia behind it.
•  If you swing a short, heavy bat, you will not have the fastest bat speed, but will have plenty of inertia.

Picking the right bat that will enhance your child's baseball abilities will be a personal one. Use some of these tips to make the decision that is best for your child and their comfort.

For detailed information on bat drop: How to Choose a Bat

Check out:  Future Stars Baseball Camp

Image Credit:  Future Stars