Selecting a wood baseball bat that is to short or to long can affect your game in a big way. Choosing the right length of bat is very important. Start by referencing a widely used Bat Size Chart for Youth and Adults included on our website.
Choosing a wood bat can be a fun, learning process for a player. In the beginning it can take time to figure out your strengths, what kind of hitter you are, and the type of wood bat that works best for you. The bat guide information we have provided below will help you find the right wood bat.
Note: Most players today have used light aluminum bats all of their lives. Annex recommends that aluminum hitters of all ages, working on proper form, use a wooden bat for practice. It may take some time in the gym and batting practice in the cage to get used to swinging a wood bat, but it is well worth it. We believe that wood bats make better hitters!
Thank you for choosing an Annex Wood Bat, now lets keep your bat strong and lasting a long time!
Small: 15/16″
Medium: 31/32″
Large: 1″ and greater
Choosing a handle size comes down to individual preference and hand size. Typically, someone with smaller hands will choose a smaller handle, and someone with larger hands will choose a larger handle. However, some players like thin handled bats even though they have big hands, and vice versa.
Rule of thumb: A thinner handle will help a player swing the bat through the batting zone faster. Reason: It takes less strength with forearm and wrist muscles to get the thinner handle moving through the batting zone. Note: a thinner handle makes the wood bat more prone to breaking.
Youth: 2-1/4″ to 2 3/8″
Medium Barrel: 2 15/32″
Large Barrel: 2-1/2″ to 2-17/32″
Extra-Large Barrel: 2-9/16″ to 2-19/32″
– Are you more of a power hitter? Is your game to hit homeruns?
If you’re a power hitter, and your game is to knock the ball out of the park, the right barrel size for you is large to extra-large. Power hitters like a heavier piece of wood and an end-loaded bat as this creates greater momentum to propel the ball away. This wood bat takes strength to swing and adapts less quickly to a pitch. Because of its slim handle and larger barrel design, it can be more prone to breaking. However, in the right hands this bat can last a very long time and crush many a ball out of the park.
– Are you more of a contact hitter? Is your game extra base hits and average?
The typical wood bat for the contact hitter is more evenly balanced. Designed with more weight distributed
in the handle and midsection, it delivers both speed and accuracy, and will allow a change of swing during the pitch. A medium to large size barrel will get the results you want by attacking the gaps and punching ground balls through the infield.
*Be advised if your league has barrel limits.
Little League maximum barrel size: 2.25 inches
High School/College/Amateur maximum barrel size: 2 5/8 inches.
Professional MLB maximum barrel size: 2.61 inches.
Annex has wood bat options for all league barrel regulations.
When picking out a wood bat for youth players; your height and weight are the main components when choosing the right bat. If you are purchasing a wooden bat for someone, we also have a bat sizing chart which is above, to help guide you to the right wood bat for your youth player. Youth maximum barrel size: 2-3/8″ inches in diameter.
We suggest using nothing heavier the a -3 drop for youth players. Anything heavier than that will make it too tough to swing. A great rule of thumb is, if you hold a bat straight out in front of you and the barrel drops towards the ground, it is to heavy.
When choosing a bat to be the right length there is one simple technique. Place the bat right next to you leg, and a good wood bat length will measure up to your mid hip area.
Natural: No finish on the bat. Natural wood will allow you to bone your bat if it ever receives dents. Boning your bat is when you use a hard object like a piece of bone, to rub over your wood bat to smooth out any dents. Natural wood bats are also great for players who like a more natural grip.
Natural Handle/Clear Barrel: Only the barrel is sealed in Clear Finish, leaving the handle natural.
Full Dip Clear Finish: The bat is completely dipped in a clear finish which seals the grain and pores (the bat will not gain moisture).
Stain Colors: Handle/Barrel is dipped with smooth Glossy Finish.
Matte Finish: Handle/Barrel is dipped with a Matte (non-shinny) Finish.
Cupping: A bat that is cupped at the barrel is more evenly balanced. Transferring the center mass towards the handle. Allows you to swing through the batting zone a fraction faster.
