LAW30 Wood Baseball Bat

Maple. 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.

Birch. Softer than maple and more forgiving of mis-hits; hardens with use. A good choice for a first wood bat and for younger players.

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.

The middle of the range (about 2.45 to 2.55 in). Most pro turn models live here.

Tip: A safe default when you are not sure.

A handle near 1 in or more. It feels closer to a metal bat, takes sting out of mis-hits, and in wood it lasts longer. Makers recommend it for players moving from metal to wood.

Tip: If your player is switching from metal to wood, start here.

The handle widens into the knob like the bell of a trumpet. Players who choke up or want leverage like it; it also keeps the bottom hand from sliding off. Popular from high school up.

Extra weight toward the end of the barrel, so the bat swings heavier than its number. For some players it gives a better feel for where the barrel is; whether it suits yours depends on how consistently they deliver the barrel. End load is not barrel size: some skinny-barrel bats are end-loaded.

Tip: An end-loaded bat that feels heavy is the most common sizing mistake we see.