Deciding what size bat can be tricky for all ages. What size? What length? What weight? The first thing to check is your league rules. Most follow USA Bat and USSSA Bat Guidelines. From there, what does the minus (-) mean on a bat? The minus (-) simply means the length of the bat minus the weight of the bat. From ages 15 and up, usually it’s -3. For example, a very normal bat size is 33/30 or -3. 33-30 = 3. That’s what that means. Other ages, like in little league, you will see -10 or -12. So those bats are typically 27/15, or -12. 27 is the length, 15 is the weight in ounces, therefore the “drop” is -12.
Looking beyond all that, the first step is where do you start? As with gloves that we recommend trying on first, the same goes with a bat. Try swinging the bat first before purchasing. Some feel more balanced, some feel top heavy, and some just simply feel different. It all depends on you or your childs’ preference. Not everyone the same height and weight swings the same size bat.
That said, our baseball bat size chart will help you get a starting point when trying to determine what size bat you should be swinging. One rule to also follow, if your child is new to baseball, and learning to swing a bat, start with someone lighter over heavier. It will help them learn proper swing techniques.
