How To: Choose an Alloy vs. Composite Baseball Bat

The evolution of the baseball bat has involved many new technological improvements since the days of only wood bats. Bats are now made of aluminum and composite materials. There are strict regulations for bat use depending on the league and level- before purchasing a bat you need to know which are legal to use.

Bat Restrictions

Two factors that impact the restrictions on a baseball bat are the level of play and the governing-body (or league) that a player plays in. Be sure to check your provincial baseball organization to confirm their specific bat regulations:

Baseball Ontario

Baseball Alberta

Baseball Saskatchewan

Baseball British Columbia

Baseball Quebec

Baseball Nova Scotia

Baseball Newfoundland

Baseball PEI

Baseball New Brunswick

For full Canadian bat regulations, check out:

Canada Baseball Regulations

Weight Distribution of a Bat

The weight distribution from the force of the bat transferred to the pitched ball is known as the MOI (Moment of Inertia). Where the weight is distributed in the bat will impact how much power can be generated from a hit. The lower the MOI, the faster a batter’s swing speed will be. The higher the MOI, the more power they will have upon ball contact. Bats can come in either one or two pieces. One piece bats are stiffer, more balanced, and do not have good vibration control on miss hit balls. This will benefit a batter simply looking for contact and to get on base. Two piece bats have increased flex with less vibration but carry a heavier swing weight. This will benefit batters that want more power to push balls farther into the outfield. 

Types of Weight

1) Dead Weight – how heavy a bat is on its own 

2) Swing Weight – how hard it is to swing a bat, used to measure MOI

Composite Bats VS Alloy Bats

Composite Bats

• Will give players the best performance 
• Lighter than aluminum bats
• Maximized sweet-spot, swing weight, and barrel length
• Made of carbon fiber like material
• Easier to control weight distribution, will make the bat more balanced and the end more loaded
• Reduced vibration to hands on miss hits
• Increased “pop” upon ball impact
• Needs to be broken in (over 200 baseball hits)

Alloy Bats

• Also known as metal or aluminum bats
• Cheaper, lower grades used for recreational/beginner players
• Higher grades are more costly but deliver better performance due to a longer barrel, more balance and increased drop weight (for more power)
• Lower MOI = Faster swing speed
• No break in time
• Longer bat life than composite
• Smaller sweet spot = less “pop” off the bat 

Hybrid Bats

A mixture of both composite and alloy bats. The bat will typically feature a composite-handle to reduce vibration and an alloy barrel to increase bat performance.

From beginner to pro, we have the bats to elevate your performance. At Source for Sports, we know our stuff.

For expert advice on baseball gear and equipment that is right for your game, level of play, and budget, come see us at your local Source for Sports baseball store near you. We Fit Your Game.