What size bat do most high schoolers use?

High school baseball bats come in various sizes. Consult all local and national rules and regulations before deciding on a baseball bat size and weight.

Looking to purchase a high school baseball bat? You’ll want to check out our list of the best baseball bats for high school players.

Category

• Play by the Rules
• Finding the Right Length
• Types of Baseball Bats
• Barrel Size
• Final Word

Play by the Rules

High school bat regulations differ depending on your age and location. There might be restrictions on bat length, barrel size, and one or two-piece bats depending on your age. 

Note that high-school and junior leagues may differ in their regulations of bat sizes and types. You can find more about regulatory requirements for your high-school-age group via USA Baseball.

Finding the Right Length

The most important measuring tool for high-school baseball athletes is finding the correct length of a baseball bat to fit your frame. 

A simple technique to find the best bat length for your body type is to let the baseball bat’s barrel top sit flat against the ground. If the handle reaches up to your palm when your hand is comfortably at your side, this bat length is proper for your height and arm length.

You can see a demonstration of this technique in this YouTube video.

High-school and collegiate baseball requires that bats be no shorter than 31” and no longer than 34”. 

Types of Baseball Bats

There are various types of baseball bats. These bats vary in size, weight, and material. Some baseball leagues may require or restrict the use of wood or two-piece bats depending on the league regulation.

Currently, all high school bats must be BBCOR regulated in order to adhere to elasticity and safety protocol. High school regulations allow for both wood and specific two-piece bats if the bat has a BBCOR certification.

Under recent regulation, high-school baseball bats must also have a smooth cylinder from the top of the cap to the bottom handle of the bat.

Barrel Size

The length of the bat is not the only size to consider when purchasing a new baseball bat. For high school athletes, BBCOR standards also restrict barrel size to 2 ⅝” and require a drop weight of -3.

Drop weight for baseball bats refers to the length of the bat in inches compared to the weight of the bat in ounces.

Final Word

When purchasing a new baseball bat, make sure you check with all local and national regulations. Once you consider regulations and restrictions, measuring each bat for personal comfort ensures high-school athletes have safe and effective equipment.

Success at the plate often comes down to this: making consistent hard contact against live pitching. To do this, it’s important to swing the right bat for you. That means a bat that’s long enough to cover the strike zone, light enough to swing with ease, heavy enough to generate power, and, of course, permitted in your league. In order to find the ideal size for you, consider the following guidelines:

LENGTH

Bat length is measured in inches from knob to end cap. A longer bat gives you greater reach, allowing you to hit balls on the outside part of the plate. However, longer bats also tend to have more mass towards the end of the bat that requires more power to swing them. We recommend swinging bats of different lengths to decide what option best suits your swing. The right combination of length and weight will help you reach your peak performance.

Baseball bats most commonly are found between 24-34 inches. Please check the size chart for examples of what length may be appropriate for you.

Many baseball players mistakenly believe a longer bat means more plate coverage, but this is not always true. Since a longer bat often means a heavier feeling bat, a bat that is too long for you can slow down your timing and prevent you from catching up to and hitting inside pitches. Even some Major League players swing bats as short as 32 inches. When choosing your bat length, you should keep plate coverage in mind. You should also consider your swing and stance relative to the plate. 

WEIGHT**

Bat weight is measured in ounces (oz.). A bat’s weight is often tied to its “weight drop” -- its length in inches versus its weight in ounces. For instance, a 32-inch, 22-ounce bat would be referred to as a -10 bat.

BAT LENGTH (IN.) – BAT WEIGHT (OZ.) = WEIGHT DROP

As a general rule of thumb, the higher the competition or league level (meaning, from youth league up to the pros) the lesser the weight drop. A lesser weight drop means the bat feels heavier. So a -5 bat will feel heavier than a -10 bat.

Selecting the right bat weight depends on three main factors: sport, league rules, and player preference.

• Leagues have rules identifying which weight drops are permitted for play. Prior to choosing a bat, we recommend finding out if your league has a specific standard for bat weight drops in order for them to be permitted. 

• Players with less experience generally swing lighter bats in order to have better bat control. More experienced players generally swing a heavier bats to help maximize power. A way to tell if a bat is right for you is your swing speed. A bat that is too heavy is harder to swing, causing a loss in momentum, reduced distance or a miss altogether. If a bat is too light for a player, the player could miss out on the extra force they could generate from a heavier bat. A happy medium needs to be found. It is highly recommended you demo a bat against live pitching speeds in order to find the best weight for you.

Most common weight drops in various baseball leagues are -12, -10, -9, -8, -5, and -3. As you progress toward high school baseball, the weight drop lowers (the bats become heavier). When moving to a heavier bat, you may then decide to drop an inch in length to more easily handle the additional weight. This is a matter of personal preference and comfort at the plate as you advance in age, league and skill level. 

LEAGUES

GOVERNING BODIES

Governing bodies (for example, the USSSA and USA Baseball) set unique standards for bat performance. Bat manufacturers make bats to meet these standards. Each standard, however, is different. So, bats meeting one standard may not meet another. Bats are marked with logos identifying the standard which they meet.

Leagues adopt the standard they deem appropriate for play under their particular rules. League adoptions vary region by region, so we highly recommend consulting your coach and/or league official to understand the standard adopted by your league prior to purchasing a new bat.

The following information will help you understand in the standard adopted by your league.

Select your governing body or league*:
*Regulations for each league are subject to change. In order to have the most up-to-date information, please contact your coach or league official.

BBCOR

College and High School Baseball

• -3 Drop Weight
• Barrel Diameter 2 5⁄8” or less

USSSA

Senior League Baseball

• Wide Weight Drop Range
• Wide Barrel Range Diameter

USA BASEBALL

USABat Standard

• No Weight Restriction
• Maximum Barrel Diameter of 2 5⁄8”

BBCOR

COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

• Maximum drop weight of -3
• Maximum barrel diameter of 2 5⁄8”
• Most wood bats are allowed under BBCOR rules

There are multiple ways to recognize a BBCOR bat. The easiest way is to look for the BBCOR certification stamp where the handle meets the barrel. Another way to identify a BBCOR Louisville Slugger bat are the knob and the packaging sticker, both of which are blue.

Wood bats are also legal for BBCOR play and do not need the BBCOR mark. Wood composite bats on the other hand do need the BBCOR mark to be legal for play.

Not all -3 BBCOR bats feel the same. Often, a line of BBCOR bats is made with varying swing weights, from light-swinging to balanced to end-loaded. The swing weight is influenced by how the bat’s weight is distributed. End-loaded bats have more weight toward the end cap, more and have a relatively higher swing weight for that reason. More balanced bats have their weight distributed more evenly and have a relatively lower swing weight for that reason.

USSSA

USSSA - UNITED STATES SPORTS SPECIALTY ASSOCIATION

USSSA (United States Sports Specialty Association) is one of the largest baseball associations in the United States. USSSA separates their regulations by age group, with a range of permitted weight drops and barrel diameters. In order to find the most accurate information about what can be used in your USSSA league, we recommend contacting your coach and/or league official, or checking the USSSA website.

Ways to recognize bats certified for USSSA play include the USSSA logo on the taper of the bat, and the red knob and packaging sticker.

Weight drops vary in Senior League baseball, but players 10 years old and under often use -10 weight drop bat. Players 12 years old and under often use a -8 weight drop, and 13 year old players often use a -5 weight drop.**

**These are recommendations. Check with your coach/league official to find out what your league rules allow.

USA BASEBALL

YOUTH BASEBALL

Effective January 1st, 2018, USA Baseball will adopt a new bat standard for youth baseball bats. All players participating in leagues that have adopted the USA Baseball bat standard will be required to use a USA Baseball-certified bat (a “USABat(s)” Standard). On January 1, only bats that have the USA Baseball mark will be legal for play in these leagues.

The following national member organizations will be adopting the USA Baseball bat standard beginning January 1, 2018:

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