Best Youth Baseball Bats (2022-2020)

Whether you are a youth baseball player in little league, play on a travel team, or somewhere in between, finding the best youth baseball bat can be game-changing. At BatSmash.com, we want young players to feel empowered in the box. We dig deep into bat features to find the best 1 and 2 piece bats available.

Also, check out our reviews for the best BBCOR bats.

Best Youth Baseball Bats 2020 – Top Bat Picks

Researching the internet to find many mixed reviews and in-personal analysis, we found 2021 best youth baseball bats, so you don’t have to.

What are Youth Baseball Bats?

USSSA stands for the United States Specialty Sports Association, and they are essentially the governing body for youth baseball around the country. For youth bats to meet USSSA standards, it must meet a particular set of rules, such as having the 1.15 BPF USSSA taper or having the certified .50 BBCOR stamp (-3). USSSA standard for youth bats ensures that youth leagues allow the same level of bat performance for each team in a given league.

USA baseball bats, alternatively, are a new youth baseball bat standard introduced in 2018. It closely mimics the BBCOR standard that aims to make alloy bats closer to wood bats in performance, affecting players who are not in USSSA bat standard leagues.

In the following blog, we will choose our picks for the 2021 best bats for youth baseball on the market and best bats reviews from 2020. We hope this will serve as a useful guide for people looking to purchase the best baseball bats for youth players in 2020 and even 2021.

10 Best Youth Bats for 2020

Including the best USSSA baseball bats and little league bats – jump right in to the top rated bats of the season.

DeMarini Voodoo – 2020 (-10)

  • Lightweight with unmatched durability
  • Has a balanced swing weight with tremendous bat speed
  • Composite handle allowing for a balanced swing

This DeMarini youth baseball bat is much lighter swinging (as opposed to end-loaded) and more durable than the average bat on the market. The Voodoo’s swing weight allows for higher bat speed and a balanced swing, making this model probably more ideal for contact hitters. The composite handle is an excellent and interesting touch that is comfortable while setting it apart from other bats. When buying a bat for it’s lighter weight, your goal should be to perfect your bat speed and swing while directing balls into gaps. If the sweet spot is hit just right, the power is there, but this bat is primarily for hitters looking to hone their craft in timing and ball placement.

Easton Maxum 360 (-12, -10)

  • Long barrel and handle with a giant sweet spot
  • Lightweight wall for optimal swinging
  • Strong balance point for faster swing speed
  • Available in drop 12 and drop 10

The Easton Maxum 360 is an excellent bat for a power hitter with its long barrel and sweet spot.  Easton has been a leading brand in BBCOR bats for years, and they show no signs of slowing down with their innovation.  Many reviews have commented on how the bat is lightweight, thus giving the hitter not only power but great bat speed at the same time. Although it is light, the barrel is designed for home run hitters, so don’t be afraid to swing for the fences with this model.

Easton Adv. 360 (-10, -5) 

  • Two-piece composite bat with a balanced feel
  • Patent-pending soft-knob technology, maximizing comfort
  • Extra stiff handle, best in class feel
  • Available in drop 10 and drop 5

The Easton Adv. 360 is the superior Easton model on our list. Many reviewers note how the bat has provided hitters with more leverage and power potential in the batter’s box. This is due to its stiff grip and soft knob, prioritizing comfort and allowing the hitter to feel more confident. The sweet spot is also massive on this model too, so it is not short on power. When scouring the internet for reviews on individual bats, there is almost nothing negative to be found about the Easton Adv. 360, showing that it has a sterling reputation.

DeMarini 2020 CF Zen 2 USSSA (-10, -8)

  • Two-piece hybrid bat
  • Balanced, with enhanced bat speed and barrel control
  • Feels lightweight but with a massive sweet spot
  • Available in drop 10 and drop 8

The DeMarini 2020 CF Zen 2 is one of the more popular bats on the market right now, and it is easy to see why. The two-piece bat boasts a composite construction that ensures a very lightweight feeling bat. This allows for greater bat speed and durability. Reviewers online also noted that this model has a big sweet spot on the barrel, making it the right choice for hitters at the top or bottom of a lineup. (Note: a decent number of reviews noted how the bat cracked for them in the first few months. It is a good idea to keep an eye on this issue when shopping.)

Easton Fuze 360 (-10)

  • One-piece design with strong Aluminum
  • Includes Easton’s patent-pending soft-knob technology
  • Balanced with huge pop

Fuze

This one-piece aluminum alloy bat with an anti-vibration knob that feels extremely sturdy from barrel to handle. When making contact, almost no vibration was felt in comparison to other bats with alloy construction. A major plus with this model is its end cap made from composite materials, which increases the barrel trampoline effect and provides a balanced and speedy feel when swinging. Reviewers noted that this bat was hot out of the wrapper and provided huge pop to hitters right away. If you are a fan of alloy baseball bats, you cannot go wrong with the Easton Fuze 360.

Axe Bat 2020 Elite One (-10)

  • One-piece/ Aluminum
  • Balanced and light swing weight
  • Stable grip that absorbs shock
  • Alloy barrel allows for serious power potential

The Axe Bat 2020 Elite One is a unique one-piece alloy bat. It has been specifically engineered for optimal bat speed. It feels incredibly lightweight, and its patented Axe Handle provides a hitter with supreme control over their swing. The Axe Handle also promises to reduce vibration, making a hitter more confident at the plate. This bat is designed to remove unnecessary weight from the non-hitting side of the bat, ensuring a speedy and powerful swing.

Marucci CAT 8 – Big Barrel (-5) 

  • One-piece/ Aluminum
  • Durable with great pop
  • Soft grip/tack for improved feel and control

This is easily one of the most popular big barrel bats on the market for senior league play at the moment. Its stiff, one-piece, aluminum construction is optimal for beginner hitters because it is a simple design yet extremely effective at getting results. Although two-piece designs seem to be more popular today, the solid feel of a one-piece is always a great choice because it feels robust and resilient. Thus, beginning hitters or hitters facing a slump may want to choose the CAT 8 to get their comfort back in their swing. Another enticing variable with this youth bat is its price point, as it is one of the most affordable USSSA bats on the market.

Rawlings 2020 Velo ACP (-10, -8, -5)

  • Two-piece/ Composite and Alloy
  • Contains ultra-light carbon fiber materials
  • Aluminum barrel with thin walls — enhanced bat speed

According to the Rawlings website, this bat was crafted with one goal in mind: increasing the hitter’s swing speed. Its re-imagined carbon fiber end cap and “perfectly balanced” bat weight will give a hitter more time to choose their pitch and find gaps when hitting. Because of these reasons, this youth baseball bat is best for hitters looking to increase the exit velocity of the ball when making contact as well as increasing their on-base percentage. In other words, this is a perfect choice for contact hitters, rather than power hitters.

DeMarini CF Zen Black (-10, -8, -5)

  • Two-piece construction
  • Designed for improved weight distribution
  • Outstanding balance, bat speed, and barrel control

This bat contains the innovative Paraflex Plus composite barrel engineered for a consistent response when making contact and a seriously massive sweet spot. The two-piece bat composite design allows for more balanced weight distribution, bringing power and feel to every swing. It also is constructed with the patented ReAction end cap that promises to increase barrel performance without slowing down a hitter’s swing speed. This is one of the best youth baseball bats because it combines paramount feel with tremendous power potential. It is an excellent pick for any current or future power hitter.

This bat contains the innovative Paraflex Plus composite barrel engineered for a consistent response when making contact and a seriously massive sweet spot. The two-piece bat composite design allows for more balanced weight distribution, bringing power and feel to every swing. It also is constructed with the patented ReAction end cap that promises to increase barrel performance without slowing down a hitter’s swing speed. This is one of the best youth baseball bats because it combines paramount feel with tremendous power potential. It is an excellent pick for any current or future power hitter.

Rawlings 2020 Quatro Pro USSSA

  • Long barrel design with a large sweet spot
  • Suspended inner-barrel technology allows for cleaner swings
  • Made from the finest composite materials

This bat is an outlier on our list because it is made from all-composite materials and no aluminum. Do not let that scare you away though: The Rawlings 2020 Quatro is a great choice for all batters alike. features suspended inner-barrel technology that will have a hitter swinging with balance and confidence. The barrel size of this model is long, with plenty of sweet spot for a hitter to utilize.   If one is new to composite bats, this would be a great jumping-off point. The lightweight composite material combined with the state of the art barrel diameter makes this a perfect bat for contact and power hitters alike.

Top Youth Bats by Category

Are you looking for the following new bat? Click to visit the best youth baseball bat that fits your age group or need.

  • Best USSSA Youth Bat
  • Best USA Bat
  • Best Big Barrel
  • Best Wood Bat for Youth

By brand:

  • Louisville Slugger
  • Easton
  • Axe Bat
  • Rawlings

By bat size, drop weight / length to weight ratio:

  • -5
  • -8
  • -10
  • -12

Or by category:

  • Best youth bat for power hitters
  • Best youth bat for contact hitters
  • Best value youth bat
  • Best youth baseball bat overall

Best 2021 Little League Youth Bats

Looking for the best youth baseball bats

Easton Ghost X Hyperlite (-11)

  • One-piece Composite
  • Great pop with a big sweet spot
  • Minimal vibration providing maximum comfort

There is no greater bargain this year for a baseball bat for youth on the market than the Easton Ghost X Hyperlite. The price ranges from $150 to $300 on this particular model. As a one-piece composite, this would be the perfect bat to introduce a hitter to the feel of a composite material rather than aluminum. Hitters that are used to using alloy will notice right away the light swing weight, allowing them to get more bat speed behind the ball when swinging. The barrel of the bat is noted to have a wide surface, allowing for huge pop upon contact. If you are looking to transition a hitter from aluminum to composite, this would be the best place to start.

Final Review: Youth Bat Recommendation

We at Batsmash.com hope you have enjoyed this breakdown of our 2020 best youth baseball bats (USSSA). The most important thing to realize when shopping for a baseball bat is that each hitter is different, and it is vital to choose the bat that best fits the type of player you’re shopping for. With these reviews, we have honed in on critical aspects of each model to hopefully make it simple for you to find the best bat possible.

Bonus Content: The Future of USSSA Baseball Bats in 2021

2020 has been a whirlwind in just about every way in the baseball world. Due to Covid-19, Seasons were canceled, rescheduled, or postponed. Naturally, this has a tremendous effect on any new 2021 youth baseball bat models. According to Batdigest.com, many vendors have many 2020 baseball bats because of the canceled seasons worldwide. This means there will be much less new baseball bat models than previous years, as vendors will be looking to sell older inventory.

While this is unfortunate news, it makes our list here at Batsmash even more vital because many stores will be relying on selling large quantities of 2020 bats they were not able to sell during the pandemic’s height. On the plus side, however, this means that many 2020 baseball bats you have read about on this list will see a significant price reduction going into the 2021 season. We strongly advise you to use this guide to get the best bang for your buck, as there will surely be more 2020 models on the market next year than new 2021 bats. It has rarely been a more affordable time to purchase the perfect bat going into next season, and we are happy to continue helping you find the best match.