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 give a rundown of the most notable baseball bat manufacturers and also bring to light some of the lesser known companies. Keep in mind that most of these manufacturers also make softball bats.
Headquartered 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. The Louisville Slugger brands TPX and TPS are incredibly popular with amateur baseball and softball players, respectively.
Nike is pretty new to the baseball bat game. But, due to their popular trademark swoosh, they have become a definite force in the merchandise space. Nike has recently released two new wooden bat models to accompany their 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 making 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 signature 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 companies like Rawlings and Worth before breaking away and creating their own identity.
Sports Illustrated claims that Marucci is the fastest growing bat manufacturer in the United States today. Marucci claims that 70% of the best prospects in the country are using their 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 swinging 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 into the bat-making space. They are best known for their V-Grip technology, which takes the normal rounded shaft and turns it into a V-shape, correcting what Mattingly found to be the most common problem hitters have…the position of the hands around the shaft. . The V-Grip aligns the knuckles to the knocker, positioning the bat away from the palm and toward the fingertips.
Known most 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 bats born of ash, 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.