There are several different manufacturers of baseball and softball bats in the United States. Some, obviously, are more frequent than others. What I will try to do in the article is to give a rundown of the most notable baseball bat manufacturers and also bring to light some of the lesser known companies. Note that most of these manufacturers also make softball bats.
Based in Louisville, KY, Hillerich & Bradsby has been around since 1884. It is probably the most popular and well-known manufacturer of baseball bats in the world. You’ll see countless professionals using the famous trademark wooden bats every day and night during MLB games. Louisville Slugger’s TPX and TPS brands are incredibly popular with amateur baseball and softball players, respectively.
Nike is fairly new to the baseball bat game. But, due to their popular trademark swoosh, they have become a definite force in the product space. Nike has recently released two new models of wood bats to accompany its already impressive line of composite/metal bats.
Easton has been in business for more than 80 years and its baseball brand has been one of the industry leaders for more than 30 years. Easton is credited with making the first aluminum bat in 1969 and they continue to bring innovative technology into the bat they make today.
Softball giant Ray DeMarini founded this company in 1989 and is credited with manufacturing the first double-walled bat in 1993. Today, they are considered a major force in the game. Watch any NCAA baseball or softball game and you’ll be sure to see their trademark Voodoo or CF bats being used.
The Combat Sport Group is active in baseball, softball, lacrosse, and hockey. Since 2004, Combat has been the fastest growing company in this space. At one point, the company made beats for the likes of Rawlings and Worth before splitting off and creating their own identity.
Sports Illustrated states that Marucci is the fastest growing bat manufacturer in the United States today. Marucci claims that 70% of the top prospects in the country are using his bats. One of the reasons for the popularity of his bats is the fact that St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols uses and endorses his bat. Phenom Bryce Harper is also hitting a Marucci bat in his first season of professional baseball. Marucci’s new squared Cat 5 is becoming popular with hobbyists.
Founded by former New York Yankees great and current Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, Mattingly Sports is a fairly new entry in the bat-making space. They’re best known for their V-Grip technology, which takes the normal rounded handle and turns it into a V-shape, correcting what Mattingly found to be the most common problem hitters face…the position of the hands around the handle. . The V-Grip aligns the knocker knuckles, positioning the bat away from the palm and toward the fingertips.
Known more for its baseball gloves and cleats, Mizuno remains an active manufacturer of baseball bats. They have put most of their stock into the growing popularity of maple bats. Lighter than traditional ash-born bats, the maple bat has really gained a following among the major leagues. Mizuno has also recently introduced a line of bamboo bats.
While Rawlings is best known for their fantastic line of baseball gloves and the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, they have quietly been churning out one of the most popular bats in the game, the Rawlings Big Stick. In the amateur space, their 5150 line of bats has been a very popular bat for the Rawlings company.
Worth is a powerhouse in the softball arena. Watch any NCAA women’s softball game and you’re sure to see Worth products being used. Also popular in the game of baseball, the Worth Copperhead has been an incredibly popular bat since the 1990s.
others
Other manufacturers include Warstic, Baden, Miken, Rip-It, Brett Brothers, Glomar, Insignia, and M Powered.
