As I mentioned in the gloves article, tee ball equipment is more about what makes your child comfortable playing baseball than it is about performance. So this guide will focus on each bat’s ability to do just that: make your boy or girl enjoy playing America’s game.
So before listing some of the best t-ball bats available right now, let’s make sure you know some of the common terms and questions you’ll encounter while shopping.
What is the appropriate weight and length for a tee ball bat?
The actual best weight and length will depend on your child: how tall are they and how much strength do they have?
All t-ball bats, though, are often between 24 and 28 inches long; and they are generally between 13 and 18 ounces.
Many bats will be described by their drop, which is the difference between the bat weight and bat length. Many t-ball players end up with a bat drop between -10 and -12.
What material are t-balls made out of?
Most t-ball bats are made out of aluminum–sometimes called alloy bats–but composite (reinforced carbon fiber polymer) is becoming more common.
For a t-ball player, the difference between the two does not matter much. If your child begins playing Little League, or especially high school or higher, then you should start giving consideration to the materials in the bat.
What bats are legal for TBall?
You should absolutely check with your local league to verify all equipment is legal. That said, the most common stipulation for bats is that they must have the USA designation on the bat.
All bats on this list have this designation, and should be legal. But, again, you can always check with league officials to be sure.
Franklin Sports Venom Aluminum Bat
Too bad design does not factor into hitting, as this bat brings the heat over other more basic color design bats. The Venom comes in three different stylings: green base (Venom 1100), blue base (Venom 1000), and white base (Venom 1200).
The color is not the only thing different with each style, as the color correlates to the drop for each bat: Venom 1000 has a -10 drop; Venom 1100 has a -11 drop; and Venom 1200 has a -12 drop.
The Venom series features pro-tack grip, which is a perforated material that helps increase bat handling.
Easton Ghost X Hyperlite (-13 drop)
The Ghost X Hyperlite is a one-piece carbon composite with a -13 drop. Though unlikely a t-ball player (5-7 years old) will really notice, one-piece bats offer very little flex; this makes them more ideal for power hitters rather than contact hitters.
The big barrel (2 5/8″) and single-piece construction help remove much of the bat sting that can occur in other bats. Further, the Easton Ghost X Hyperlite includes the All Sports Grip which creates additional comfort for players when they swing.
The primary disadvantage of this bat is the price tag: it is the most expensive featured on this list.
Rawlings 2019 Raptor TBall Bat
Disappointingly, the Raptor bat does not depict any dinosaurs on the barrel, nor does it grant young baseball players jurassic strength.
What it does do is offer a solid aluminum bat at a more than reasonable price.
The -12 drop rate stems from three different configurations:
- 24 inch / 12 oz
- 25 inch / 13 oz
- 26 inch / 14 oz
The -10 drop rate version has four different configurations:
- 27 inch / 17 oz
- 28 inch / 18 oz
- 29 inch / 19 oz
- 30 inch / 20 oz
From product description: features a durable alloy for consistent performance and a perimeter-weighted endcap that transfers energy and reduces swing weight
Easton Beast with ALX50 Alloy
The Easton Beast is designed to help hitters find the bat’s sweet spot: it features an end cap to make the bat feel lightweight, alloy barrel that also contributes to the lightweight feel, and the All Sports Grip to help with grip.
Rawlings Velo TBall Youth Baseball Bat
The Rawlings Velo bat is a fairly standard t-ball bat: very lightweight making it easy for younger players to swing and and constructed from durable allow to ensure it lasts for multiple seasons.
Available Configurations:
- 25-inch / 12 oz
- 26-inch / 13 oz
One to Be Cautious About
Rawlings Quatro USA 2019 Tball Bat
The Quatro has received good review, but there seems to have been problems with the 2019 tball version: reports of the bat denting/flattening after limited number of uses. Enough at least that I would take a pass on this bat and choose one of the others on this list.
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