Youth bats are designed for baseball players who are between seven and 12 years old. They’re approximately 26-32 inches long and feature a two-inch barrel diameter.
However, not every youth baseball bat is equal. For instance, a too heavy bat can prevent the hitter from controlling the ball’s direction and cause too many foul balls. Therefore, you need a well-balanced, relatively lightweight product that can meet all your needs.
To narrow down the choice, we’ll give you a list of the five best youth baseball bats.
Youth Baseball Bats
Easton 2021 SPEED COMP -13 USA Youth Baseball Bat
The first entry on our list boasts a one-piece construction to help ensure ultra-fast swinging. The handle is carbon fiber and offers a zero-degree layup, creating a solid feeling and minimal vibrations.
Another great thing about the bat is the speed cap. It delivers excellent flexibility, responsiveness, and natural sound upon impact.
The manufacturer also offers a solid grip that’s cushioned model to maximize comfort.
In addition, this youth baseball bat is certified for all USA Baseball League members.
That said, there are a few notable downsides. Primarily, it might be too lightweight for some players (0.5 pounds), and most of the weight is located at the end of the barrel. Consequently, you may experience some drag on your swings.
Pros
- Carbon fiber handle that reduces vibration
- Speed cap for outstanding flexibility and responsiveness
- High-quality grip
Cons
- The bat could be a bit heavier
Easton 2021 ADV1 360 -12 USA Youth Baseball Bat
The Easton 2021 ADV1 360 is overall a solid youth baseball bat. It boasts launch composite technology and 360 engineering, ensuring barrel-tuned precision at any angle. The cutting-edge tech also optimizes your barrel profile to help increase your performance.
You also get the Soft Knob technology to provide you with more power potential and leverage. It also helps improve comfort for your bottom hand and reduces vibration.
The handle is made of the same material as the previous entry – carbon fiber. In addition, it comes with a zero-degree layup, delivering stiffness to the handle to further lower vibration.
Furthermore, the speed-balanced swing weight creates a perfect point for your fast swings.
Although the ADV1 360 is well-designed, it has some issues. Most notably, many users report cracks developing halfway through their Little League seasons (this problem doesn’t affect all models).
Pros
- Barrel-tuned precision at multiple angles
- Improved comfort and reduced vibration
- Robust handle
Cons
- Susceptible to cracks
Rawlings 2021 Exclusive Chaos USA Youth Baseball Bat Series (-11)
The next item on our list is the Rawlings 2021 Exclusive Chaos. This youth baseball bat features an upgraded sweet spot designed for users who want to hit their ball harder. It uses Rawlings’ aerospace-grade alloy to deliver first-rate responsiveness.
Another strong suit of this bat is the big barrel design. The 2 and 5/8-inch model was specifically built to help batters connect with the ball more easily. At the same time, the entire bat is relatively lightweight to generate high speeds.
Moreover, the style is highly appealing. The black, white, and lime green exterior will help you stand out on your pitch.
While some performance aspects of this youth bat are impressive, distance isn’t one of them. In addition, the upgraded sweet spot doesn’t seem to do much for the range of your shots. Consequently, the model may not be ideal for competition.
Pros
- Top-notch responsiveness
- Big barrel for effortless swings
- Sleek design
Cons
- Not ideal for long-distance batting
Rawlings 2021 Exclusive Remix USA Youth Baseball Bat Series (-10)
The Rawlings 2021 Exclusive Remix youth bat is an excellent choice for entry-level players. It helps you learn baseball fundamentals quickly due to the -10 drop weight. In addition, it enables you to swing effectively after just a few practice sessions.
The bat comes with a proprietary X-tended Sweet Spot and a 2 1/4-inch barrel. It’s approved for use in USA Baseball League-sanctioned games and displays high durability in various conditions. The robust one-piece alloy construction helps the bat withstand the elements, whether you’re playing a backyard or park game.
On top of that, the stylish graphic (metallic silver, black, and white) boasts unique patterns to make the surface extremely attractive.
There are a few noteworthy downsides of the Rawlings Exclusive youth bat. Namely, some models are susceptible to bending after only a few weeks of intense practice.
Another potential problem is the end cap. Sometimes, it may pop off and fall into the bat even with minimal use.
Pros
- Durable sweet spot
- Perfect for beginner
- Eye-catching patterns
Cons
- Questionable end cap
Louisville Slugger
The Louisville Slugger Meta 2021 is one of the best youth baseball bats with BBCOR certification. The feeling is fantastic, mainly due to the grip. It’s slightly thicker than its predecessors, offering more control. Plus, it provides a perfect combination of cushioning and traction.
The bat boasts a three-piece composite system and a 3FX connection. It lowers the vibration when making contact with mishit balls. Additionally, it helps improve the bat’s performance by stabilizing your shots, which can help them travel farther.
This youth bat comes with a 2 and 5/8-inch barrel diameter and a -3 drop-weight ratio. In addition, the tapered handle comes in two sizes: 31- and 32-inches.
The proprietary GT1 end cap is another nice touch. It provides optimal barrel length according to your needs and helps maximize your swing speed.
The design is lightweight but well-balanced. Therefore, you can generate faster speeds, improve contact rates, line drives, and batting averages.
The Louisville Slugger Meta 2021 is a highly polished youth bat, but it’s not perfect. Most of the issues stem from the grip. Even though it’s meant to facilitate your performance, it tends to peel off after a short period.
In some cases, the bat may also develop small cracks after approximately 1,000 swings. Still, this seldom happens.
Pros
- Optimal control
- Minimal vibration
- Lightweight, well-balanced design
Cons
- The grip material could be better
Get Your Hands on the Best Youth Baseball Bats
All five items are deservedly on our list of the best youth baseball bats of 2021. However, the Louisville Slugger Meta 2021 stands out with several admirable features. It helps improve your performance dramatically due to its GT1 end cap, 3FX connection system, and balanced weight. The grip materials could have been better, but it feels fantastic so long as it’s in good condition.
Thanks for stopping by ~Jeremy