Maple Magnum XLITE

Dense and hard, the most common pro wood. Hits hard and holds up when the player squares the ball up; breaks rather than flakes when mis-hit. Quality varies a lot by maker.

Tip: Maple from a good maker is the best wood bat money can buy; maple from a cheap one is the worst.

Drop is length minus weight: a 30 in, 20 oz bat is a -10. A bigger drop number means a lighter bat for its length. Younger players use -10 to -13; USSSA 13U is usually capped at -5; high school and college are -3.

Tip: Check the drop your league allows before you look at anything else.

A big barrel (about 2.56 in and up) gives the most hitting surface. Its size does not decide the balance: some big-barrel bats are balanced.

About 0.93 to 0.96 in. The usual choice: enough whip, enough strength.

Tip: Most players never need to think about this one.

A cone-shaped transition from handle to knob, somewhere between standard and flared.

An ink dot on the handle shows the maker tested the grain slope. It is required for maple and birch bats used in pro ball and is a good sign of wood selection on any bat.