… Looking forward to your test results. When he gets through the 30/20, then look at a 30/22 or 31/23. DeMarini removed some bulk in the D-Fusion handle to make it slimmer. We most likely earn a comission from companies we link to on this site. If you want a really good bat that you can count on, CAT 8/9 all day. My guess is he’ll be fine with a 31 and he’s used to that in terms of relativity to the plate. My 8 yr old son has a few bats I got used. See our swing weight charts. As such, it probably does not deserve a strong recommendation. via JBR YouTube Channel August 6, 2017 at 07:10PM . DeMarini 2019 Bustos (-13) 2 1/4" Fastpitch Bat, 29"/16 oz By DeMarini (Aug 6, 2018) $89.99 $119.95. Maybe some can? At 12U, he might really like the drop 8 or 5 if he can swing it. All of these fastpitch bats performs well. Each of these bats run on their own merits as some of the best composite bats in the high school/BBCOR ranks. Most bat companies do not take the drop 12 space seriously. Of some note, USSSA buyers and players are generally pretty happy with their bat. So, you might do better by sizing down an inch to the 28/17 instead of the 29. Below is a highlight of our 2018 best big barrel bats. It’s a very legit choice for under $100. By Easton. Here’s what we did to find the best USSSA bat for 2020. But the bomb-making ability of the CF Zen is unmatched. Those who prefer one-piece bats and Combat fans will be utterly pleased with this green monster. This new version is called the 3-Fusion. USA Bats now, and you can read all about that stuff here, The average 11-year-old is swinging a 30/20, https://dicks-sporting-goods.ryvx.net/AM07N, https://www.justbats.com/product/2020-louisville-slugger-solo–10-usssa-baseball-bat–wtlsls6x1020/31775/, https://www.justballgloves.com/product/wilson-a2000-superskin-11-75–baseball-glove–wta20rb191787ss/30483/. That is, a single piece of aluminum shaved down to offer a light swing weight. Senior barrel realm, there are only a few that compete with bats longer than 28 inches. That there is our solution, too. But, at a 31-inch, you could even go with the Quatro, CF, or META. I’m willing to buy a new bat and pay up to $300-350. But, don’t expect the vast majority of vendors and manufacturers to make the distinction. As always, our list above might help if you’re still looking. I’m a 5 hole hitter and I dont know what to buy between a cf zen black and Cat 8. If things go to form, expect a 2019 CAT 8 (or something like that. We admit this choice is predictable, but how do we leave off what is probably the most popular bat off the best bat list? It is our favorite drop 5 bats, maybe ever. The 2018 CF Zen is a perfect bat. It wins our best youth bat of 2020 award as well as a diamond status bat—with only one other in the USSSA bat world. Our hitters couldn’t find the barrel on that thing, although it is bigger and feels better than previous versions. Based on your description, and assuming we had to buy new on DSG’s website (all of which is not true, but that helps us narrow some things down), then we’d buy a 30/20 Marucci CAT 8 in USSSA (https://dicks-sporting-goods.ryvx.net/AM07N). What do you suggest? The marquee bat from the most prominent metal and composite bat company is predictably tremendous and is easily a top 5 big barrel bat for 2015. If you are talking about the official Little League, then the answer is no. He hasn’t had trouble catching up to faster pitchers so I wanted to get a bigger bat. The most significant change from past Zen models is the change in the connective piece. If you don’t like that idea for whatever reason, then the only other idea would be to size up in the Beast Speed Hybrid that you do like. We tracked the exit speeds of those hits, measured barrel sizes and swing weights as well as detailed our testers’ feedback. This bat is straight ridiculous. So you're trying to decide between a Ferrari and a Lamborghini? I have noticed in slow-mo video that his bat slows on contact with the ball. Every single player who used the bat sang its praises. See our Rawlings VELO review. However, the barrel performs well and is considered one of Slugger’s top end bats. In the Big Barrel, a.k.a. Our experience with 8U bats is that the brand and model rarely matter. The technology in the knob to help dampen sting is still there. This Easton Ghost Double is a drop -3 bat and is also available in drop … We like the ADV 360. The Easton Ghost X and the Demarini CF... Easton XL3 Swing Weights for 2 1/4 vs 2 5/8. The Drop 5 CF7 from DeMarini may be our favorite bat of the year in any category. Under $75 are about the same. My son has been using a USSSA Easton Beast Speed Hybrid for the last couple years in a 30 and 31 lengths. There are a ton of reasonable drop 5 bats on the market. The new 2019 Demarini CF Zen Balanced (-10) 2 5/8" USA Baseball Youth bat from Demarini is the best of the best. *Owner Happiness: Players were asked how happy they were about their bat purchase on a scale from 0 to 100. Coincidentally, my brand spanking new Pocket Radar Smart Coach arrived today as well. What it will really come down to is swing weight. I thought I had narrowed it down to the 2017 Marucci CAT 7 but then noticed it is a drop 8. If you’re talking USSSA, nothing really beats the Zen—although the CAT is a close second. Anyone who reads this blog knows we are in love with the drop 10 2015 Marucci Hex Composite. That's a difficult decision. 2018 DeMarini CF Zen BBCOR Review. Top 8 Composite Bats If you are looking for the best 2018 drop 12 bats, and money is not an option, then the two-piece Rawlings VELO is a fantastic option. The VELO drop 5 swings very, very light—drop 10 light so its almost weird. The drop 8 CAT 7, however, does. That assumes he can swing both bats at the same speed. For example, DeMarini and Marucci are the most popular USSSA bats. 1. It’s also a single piece and has that sort of balanced swing and big barrel. Both the Easton Ghost X and CF Zen come in lovely drop 8 options. We’ve always loved the Axe Handle but always struggled to find the barrel. Taking everything into consideration, I think DeMarini’s CF is one of the best fastpitch bat for 2020. After hitting with every 2020 USSSA big barrel bat on the market, we think the 2020 DeMarini CF in a drop 10 is the best USSSA Big Barrel bat for 2020. We dedicate an entire page to those best junior barrel baseball bats. They did make some upgraded bat designs in 2018 with the CAT 7 chassis. They upgrade their traditional single piece Rawlings VELO into a two-piece composite with a huge barrel and a great feel. If you want the best girls softball bat (and by girls, we think you mean younger players---not so much advanced high school gals), then our testing shows the 2020 LXT is almost always a great fit. has more leverage to whip the barrel later in the swing. The only reasonable consideration to avoid the CF Zen is because of the price point. If it’s a function of the bat being too heavy for him, then you might want to get a lighter swinging bat. *Rank: The bats are ordered based on their popularity. Demarini vs Easton Softball Bats: So you’re attempting to make a … So, going from the 2019 to the 2021 might make his problem worse—if, in fact, it is because of too heavy a bat. Those are also great feeling bats with outstanding performance. I’m not really a home run hitter, I’m more of a double and single hitter. But, we do love that handle—especially in the bigger BBCOR and for the right kind of USSSA kid. But, if your player is new to the sport and you are just looking to get through a couple of games before diving into the deep end, we like the Easton S450. But, even after the retooled 2017 version was released, we still loved it. DeMarini has dialed in the feel and barrel performance better than anyone in the USSSA space. If he’s catching up to the ball just fine, then he might be able to handle more weight. If you want to go for something less expensive and cliche’, then there are many two-piece bats out there. (Check pricing here). The reason his bat is stopping, as we’re sure you realize, is there isn’t enough force on the ball at contact. Combat’s 2 5/8 drop 12 Portent G3 puts a stamp on the phrase “big barrel bat.” This stick should make any list of top-shelf big barrel youth bats for 2015. He is 5 feet and 90 pounds. The difference between a drop 8 and drop 10, all other things being equal, is from 15 to 25% heavier swing depending on the model. He has a 2016 -11 Easton Mako and a 2019 Cat 8 Composite. Easton Ghost X vs DeMarini CF Zen | 11 Year Old Case Study. Am I wrong in assuming that moving up to a 29″ drop 10 would have less effect on “stopping the bat” at contact…and more negative effect of bat control that keeping the 28″ but moving to a drop 8? We like the grip, tapered knob, and several size offerings (drop 10, 8, and 5). We hit the new Cat 8 and Cat 7 side by side for a few days to […], 2019 DeMarini CF Zen BBCOR Baseball Bat Review, 2019 DeMarini Voodoo Balanced BBCOR Bat Review, 2019 DeMarini CF Zen vs 2019 CF Zen Black – Bat Comparison, 2019 DeMarini CF Zen Black USSSA Travel Ball Bat Review, 2019 Louisville Slugger Meta Prime vs Prime 919 BBCOR Bat, 2019 DeMarini CF Zen vs 2019 Easton Ghost X USSSA Travel Ball Comparison, 2019 Rawlings Threat USA Baseball Bat -12oz Bat Review, 2019 Louisville Slugger Prime 919 BBCOR Bat Review. Easton also has made the knob out of a slightly squishy, rubbery material just soft enough to provide an extra layer of comfort on the sensitive bottom part of your hand. That’d be our bet. No bat space in the baseball bat market is more competitive, save BBCOR than the drop 10 big barrel space. Great for kids who can handle a drop 5, but who don’t think an end-load is the feel for them. We would stay away from heavier swinging BBCOR bats like The Goods or CAT 9. He’s swinging the Cat 9 28/18 pretty well, but as with most young players, he’s got a little bit of elbow drag. He likes the lighter bats, his USA bat is 29” drop 11. I finally had the chance to hit the 2019 Easton Ghost X Evolution Travel Ball Bat today. This Video is of the 2020 DeMarini Prism vs USSSA Easton Ghost in a head to head hit off. Ads by Amazon. The at is dynamite for all the same reasons the drop 5 bat is incredible. *Player Rank: Player rank adds up how many self described USSSA players or parents think a certain bat is the best. 2020 Louisville Slugger LXT X20 -11 Fastpitch Softball Bat: WTLFPLXD1120. we are leaning toward the adv 360 but what would you recommend for him. The Easton Ghost X and the Demarini CF Zen are the top of the line bats and their price tags reflect it. Hope that helps and thanks for reaching out. I think a 13-Year-old swinging a 31/26 is reasonable. The bat swings well, and it benefits the player who has good bat speed. thank you very much for the detailed response. We got that too. Would you agree with that? In our Easton Ghost X vs DeMarini CF Zen write-up we break down our experience as well as some secrets to assisting you make a decision. 5. 2021 Easton Maxum Ultra vs 2021 DeMarini The Goods Single Piece via JBR YouTube Channel We thought going single piece vs single piece would be an interesting take. It will just be a matter of trial and error. Is the Meta Prime BBCOR better than the Prime 919 BBCOR? Thanks, Brian. We don’t like the Connect better than the CF, unfortunately. Easton Ghost Double barrel was the hottest Fastpitch Softball bat and Yes its 2020 model is still the hottest model again. Today’s iteration of the Attack is called the Slugger Prime. Those exit speeds might be more a function of the bat’s swing weight and length (it was a 30/20). Other than the weight distribution, the two models are identical in these two BBCOR bats. In terms of popularity in the elite fastpitch bat space, no bat does better than the 2020 Easton Ghost Double Barrel. Goes the other way really well. (Check pricing here). He is swinging a 31/23 but uses a 31/28 for wood in the cage… Should I get him a 31/26 USA bat or a Solo Bbcor (light swinging) as his next bat… Would the lightest swinging BBCOR be better than a -5 USA bat? Easton’s has a group of bats called the ADV 360. By on November 14, 2020 0 November 14, 2020 0 In terms of those particular bats, we think that the 9u age group generally prefers two-piece bats, and the Beast Speed Hybrid would be a decent choice in a 29/19. Wondering about alloy vs. composite and any other recommendations. Again, he’s small for his age, 11. But, a more significant proportion of Marucci owners think DeMarini is best when compared to the portion of DeMarini owners that think Marucci is best. We did a quick search at Dicks Sporting Goods and found the CAT 8 for $229. We really like the CAT 9 Connect in USSSA. It’s also cheaper and more durable, which is enough reason, in our mind, to get the Connect instead. That said, sizing down an inch gets you half that back. 1. Thanks. (Below are some bats you can rarely find new anymore. I don’t want to sacrifice bat control, so I’m thinking of keeping the same 28″ length but moving to a 20 ounce bat…limiting me to either Marucci or Victus…same company anyway. Likes the Bonesaber (hasn’t hit yet), Rawlings Velo ACP, and Cat9 (loves hitting a -8 Cat7 this Summer). Retailers know people are opening up their wallets, and deals are very hard to come by. You can prefer an end-loaded bat but get a low swing weight by only getting a shorter size. Many of the USA bats on the market feel heavy, like wood, but the Threat is balanced and light weight. There is no change to the bat other […] 2019 DeMarini CF Zen vs 2019 Easton Ghost X USSSA Travel Ball Comparison. My main question is what your thoughts were on weight versus length. 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