More baseball players than ever are using wood bats. Not long ago, wood bats were reserved almost exclusively for professionals. Now, players of all ages are using wood baseball bats when they can, even if it’s just for batting practice. That is why it is important to have the best wood bat for you.
Wood baseball bats are made from three different types of wood: maple, birch, and ash. Each type of wood has its unique characteristics, pros, and cons. Knowing the ins and outs of these three species allows players to make a more informed decision when it comes to choosing a wood bat. Baseball Savings put together this handy guide to make that process easy!
Maple
Maple is the popular type of wood used in baseball bats today. This is because it is an extremely dense wood. That density lends itself to harder, more durable baseball bats. Bats that are made with harder, more durable wood have more pop, making them a good fit for power hitters. Due to its close grain structure, maple bats hold up well under high-speed impact so they do not break easily either. This also means that the more you hit with a maple bat, the more grains will compress together. A maple baseball bat will actually get harder throughout its life, making it a durable, power-packed option.
On the downside, maple bats need to be dried to an incredibly low moisture level. This, paired with its close-grain structure, makes a maple baseball bat more susceptible to taking on moisture during its lifespan, making it heavier than it originally was. Also, because maple is a more rigid type of wood with less flexibility, it can be less forgiving and break easier when you hit the ball out near the end of the barrel.
Birch
Birch is a softer type of wood, making for a more flexible baseball bat. All types of hitters like this feeling because it allows them to whip the bat through the hitting zone and increase the speed of their swing. That softness and flexibility allow birch baseball bats to be more forgiving than a more rigid type of wood. Birch is also a curly grain wood similar to maple and holds together much the same way. Just like a maple bat, a birch baseball bat will become more durable through its lifespan.
The downside to a birch baseball bat is that it requires a longer break-in period due to the softness of the wood. Because it dents slightly at first, these bats need to be properly broken in to compact the grain and get it into game shape. Birch bats need repetitive contact to compress the grains to a density where it can withstand the speed of a game. For more information, be sure to read our guide to breaking in a new baseball bat.
Ash
Before the more recent rise in popularity of maple bats, the majority of traditional baseball bats were made of ash. Ash wood is more similar to birch in that it makes for a softer, more flexible baseball bat. Players can swing this bat faster and whip the barrel through the zone. Ash bats also tend to be more forgiving than those made with more rigid wood.
Ash, just like maple, needs to be dried to an extremely low moisture level. That along with ash’s open-grain wood structure means that the bat will continue to dry out over its life. This continued drying can cause the grains to flake and splinter, making ash bats less durable than other constructions. Ash baseball bats are also less durable when hit off the face grain, or the grain where the logo is stamped. This makes them a less than ideal choice for players who are inexperienced with hitting wood bats.
No matter which type of wood makes the best baseball bat for you, Baseball Savings has a large variety of wood baseball bats to choose from. We carry the top brands like Mizuno, Louisville Slugger, Marucci, and Rawlings. Find the latest models from the best brands right here at Baseball Savings.
