Torpedo bats have been the talk of baseball season so far after a record-setting home-run performance by the New York Yankees during Major League Baseball’s opening weekend and, closer to home, a big night by Reds star Elly De La Cruz Monday against the Texas Rangers.
While MLB fans and Yankee-haters are debating whether the bats are beneficial or even legal, the Cincinnati high school baseball community is already thinking about how the new equipment might affect their games.
As far as the current high school season goes, the answer is not at all, as players use aluminum bats during the season.
Torpedo bats, however, could come into play in the spring and summer when fields such as the Midland Baseball Complex in Batavia host youth and high school league teams that use wood bats. Midland Baseball is a Cincinnati-based nationally respected youth organization with 17 Connie Mack World Series Championships and a long list of alumni who play or have played in MLB.
What is a torpedo bat? Will Midland Baseball use it?
Torpedo bats are defined by an untraditional barrel, which rests closer to the hitter's hands. The bats are designed with more wood concentrated in the area of the bat where the hitter is most likely to hit the ball. That area is wider than the rest of the bat, making the equipment look more like a torpedo or bowling pin.
Jeremiah Larbes, general manager of Midland Baseball, said that the organization would likely acquire a couple of torpedo bats and test them out.
“Like anything else, anytime there’s a new thing or a new piece of equipment, everyone will want to use it,” he said. “The shape is kind of weird. We’re just waiting to see what happens with it.”
