The first step to hitting homers is choosing the appropriate bat length and weight, determined by your height and weight. These factors will determine the bat sizing you feel most comfortable swinging, giving you confidence and control at the plate, and allowing consistent contact with the ball.
A bat that is too heavy makes it challenging to swing through the zone and ultimately teaches poor swing mechanics, while a bat that is too light won’t give you the most out of your swing. Your best pick will be the heaviest bat that feels both comfortable in the hands and can be swung comfortably.
The guide below provides charts to help you find the best bat length by height for both kids and adults.
Let’s dive right in!
Baseball Bat Size Chart Sizing Guide
The bat sizing charts below will give you a good idea about the ideal bat length you should look for depending on age and league and the batter’s height.
Baseball Bat Size Chart by Length & Weight
| Weight/Height | 3’5″- 3’8″ | 3’9″ – 4′ | 4’1″- 4’4″ | 4’5″- 4′-8″ | 4’9″- 5′ | 5’1″- 5′-4″ | 5’5″- 5′-8″ | 5’9″- 6′ | 6’1″- Over’ |
| Under 60 lbs | 27″ | 28″ | 29″ | 29″ | |||||
| 61 – 70 lbs | 27″ | 28″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | ||||
| 71 – 80 lbs | 28″ | 28″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | |||
| 81 – 90 lbs | 28″ | 29″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | |||
| 91 – 100 lbs | 29″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 31″ | ||
| 101 – 110 lbs | 29″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | ||
| 111 – 120 lbs | 29″ | 29″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | ||
| 121 – 130 lbs | 30″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 32″ | 32″ | 33″ | ||
| 131 – 140 lbs | 30″ | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 32″ | 32″ | 33″ | 33″ | |
| 141 – 150 lbs | 30″ | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | 33″ | 33″ | 33″ | |
| 151 – 160 lbs | 30″ | 31″ | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | 33″ | 33″ | 34″ | |
| 161 – 170 lbs | 31″ | 31″ | 32″ | 32″ | 33″ | 33″ | 34″ | ||
| 171 – 180 lbs | 31″ | 32″ | 32″ | 33″ | 34″ | 34″ | |||
| Over 180 lbs | 33″ | 33″ | 34″ | 34″ |
Little League / Youth Baseball Bat Size Chart by Age (7-13 years old)
| Age | Under 7 | 8-9 | 10-11 | 12-13 |
| Length | 24″ to 26″ | 26″ to 29″ | 28″ to 30″ | 29″ to 32″ |
| Drop | -13.5 to -12 | -13.5 to -10 | -13 to -10 | -10 to -9 |
The chart above details youth baseball bat sizes by league and age. Your child’s measurements may differ depending on their height, weight, preferences, and league regulations.
Regarding league regulations, in 2018, youth leagues, specifically T Ball, Little League, Babe Ruth, Cal Ripken, American Amateur Baseball Congress, PONY, and Dixie Youth leagues, adopted the USA Bat Standard aimed at making the game safer. The USA Bat Standard features bats with barrel sizes ranging between 2 1/4″ to 2 5/8″ and drop weights between -13.5 and -5.
USSSA, on the other hand, did not switch over to the USA Baseball Bat standard, opting instead to stick with the “USSSA 1.15 BPF” U-trip bats. These bats bear a USSSA sticker and have barrel sizes ranging between 2 5/8″ to 2 3/4″ and drop weights of -12 to -5.
High School and College (BBCOR) Bat Size Chart by Age
| Age | 14-15 | 16-18 | 18 and Over |
| Length | 31″-33″ | 32″-34″ | 32″-34″ |
| Drop | -3 | -3 | -3 |
High school and college bats all carry a BBCOR (Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution) stamp, a calculation that came in to replace the old BESR (Ball Exit Speed Ratio (BESR) standard. It works to measure the energy lost as the ball comes off the bat, AKA the trampoline effect, as opposed to the old BESR standard, which measured how fast the ball left the bat on contact. The switch was meant to give BBCOR bats a more wood-bat-like performance.
Other Factors To Consider
When choosing a baseball bat, it’s essential to consider several other factors, such as level of play, material, construction, etc. Younger players, for instance, prefer aluminum and composite baseball bats over wooden bats because they’re lighter and a lot more durable.
Level of Play & Regulations
Always consider the level of play when selecting a bat due to varying regulations regarding what’s allowed when it comes to baseball bat size and materials.
For instance, college and high school bats are restricted to a length-to-weight ratio of -3, AKA drop 3. These restrictions exist for safety reasons since a burly collegiate or high school player swinging a light drop 5 bat would swing and hit with far too much power, posing a danger to other players on the field.
Sizing differs between leagues too. Tee-Ball bats used in tee-ball and coach pitch leagues by players ages 5 through 7 have a 2 ¼ inch diameter barrel and lengths that range from 24 inches to 27 inches. Little League Bats are used in Little League, Babe Ruth, Dixie Youth, PONY, and AABC leagues by youth baseball players ages 7 through 12, have a 2 ¼ inch diameter barrel and lengths from 28 to 32 inches.
Big barrel youth bats, AKA “Senior League bats,” come in a -5 length-to-weight ratio and are the perfect bats for young players looking to build strength and improve swing speed before transitioning to heavier drop 3 bats. They are used in travel and tournament leagues by players ages 10 to 14, with lengths that range between 26 to 32 inches and drop weights between -5 and -11. Big Barrel youth bats can have a barrel diameter of either 2 ¾ or 2 ⅝ inches (the 2 ¾ inch barrel is slightly larger), so check your league’s regulations before buying a Big barrel youth bat.
High School / College Bats are for ages approx 13 and older and have a 2 ⅝ inch barrel and lengths that range between 29 to 35 inches. Drop weight, as mentioned, must be -3, and the bat must bear an approved BBCOR stamp.
Material
With length, weight, and league regulations figured out, it’s time to pick your bat’s material. There are 3 options for younger players, i.e., aluminum/alloy, composite, hybrid, or wood.
Composite bats are great for players swinging USSSA or USA baseball bats since manufacturers can easily control the weight distribution to suit player preference. Younger players also benefit from a bigger sweet spot and more pop which boosts performance and helps make consistent, solid contact with the ball. However, composite bats can crack or break in colder temperatures and require break-in with about 150-200 hits to reach their full potential. Additionally, composite bats are often pricier than alloy bats because a lot more innovation goes into manufacturing.
Alloy bats, AKA metal or aluminum bats, are less expensive than composite bats, are hot out of the wrapper, thus do not require break-in time, and are much more durable than composite bats. They’re suitable for use in any temperature, and when used in colder temperatures, they dent rather than crack and thus do not suffer a dip in performance. Even so, alloy bats typically have a smaller sweet spot and less pop than composite bats.
Read more: Composite vs Aluminum bats
Hybrid bats give players the best of both worlds by harnessing the benefits of a durable, zero-break-in alloy barrel paired with a light composite handle.
Wood is typically mostly reserved for use by the pros or fungo practice bats.
Construction
One other thing you need to consider when picking out a baseball bat size is choosing between a one-piece or two-piece design, with the key difference between these options being the amount of flex and energy transfer they allow. The choice between a one-piece vs. two-piece bat comes down to personal preference and hitting style.
Because one-piece bats are made from a single piece of metal, they are typically stiffer with little flex or “give” on hits. They don’t have a collar (the bit that joins the barrel and the handle) that helps with vibration control, so they will often sting the hands on mishits.
On the other hand, two-piece bats are made from two separate pieces joined together via a connector piece/collar, allowing them more flex or “whip,” resulting in faster swing speeds. The connector piece dampens sting in the hands, which is excellent for beginners still learning the fundamentals.
Read more: One-piece vs two-piece bats
Contact hitters benefit from the more forgiving two-piece bats for their sting reduction and flex, which allows them to generate faster swing speeds.
In contrast, power hitters benefit from the stiff setup offered by one-piece sticks, which allows them to get maximum power behind the ball without any energy loss caused by flex.
Weight
Choosing your baseball bat’s weight depends on player strength and hitting style, where bigger, stronger, more experienced players, AKA power hitters, will swing an end-loaded bat, which gives them the heft they need to get power behind the ball.
Smaller players who aren’t as strong, AKA contact hitters, will prefer a lighter bat that allows them to swing the bat faster. Lighter bats are also great for singles hitters because they give players increased control at the plate.
Read more: End loaded vs balanced bats
When choosing a bat, figure out the right length first, then pick a weight. Lighter bats may allow players to swing a longer bat (to be safe, only go up one inch at a time). However, depending on player strength and experience, a longer bat might make it difficult to control at the plate.
Conclusion
Buying a new baseball or softball bat can be overwhelming, with new technology changing how baseball and softball bats function and drastically changing the options on offer. With the above information, we hope we’ve made the baseball bat sizing process more straightforward.
