USA Bats

2021 USA Bat Reviews Coming Soon

2019 USA Bat Reviews

The first year of USA bats was a wild one. Due to the unexpected demand the market saw for USA bats, most of the best USA bats were sold out for months. Fast forward to 2019: there are now seemingly too many USA bats on the market! We hit every new 2019 USA bat and review them briefly, without over thinking it. We highlight was the bat does well, what it may not do well, and what type/size child the bat is designed for. This year, we are going to break down the bats by who we feel the bat is best for: Best all around (what most kids will do well with), Power hitters and older players (heavier bats), and Contact hitters (lighter bats)

Using Promo Code: BATREVIEWS on CheapBats.com will give you a discount on many of theses bats. Please consider using the code if this site helps you 🙂

Spoilers while I’m polishing up the details: 2019 Prime and Quatro were the best USA bats for 2019 overall. Solo -11 is still VERY good. Rawlings 5150 minus 11 and minus 10 and Omaha are still the best low price, well performing options for USA bats.

Best USA Bats – 2019 (For Most Hitters)

By best USA bats, I mean bats that almost any player can pick up and do well with. The 2019 USA bats are interesting because overall they perform SO MUCH better than the USA bats from last year. Last year it was easy to tell the good bats because there were so few good USA bats. This year, I would actually recommend most of the USA bats. Of course, though, your bat depends on your size/strength.

  • 2019 Louisville Slugger Prime 919 USA, Minus 10 Ounce – (Now on sale for about $200 off the original price. Smoking deal for a bat like this!) Out of 19 USA bats tested, this was my personal favorite. Although not in the top sellers on most bat dealer websites (yet), the 2019 Prime USA bat was absolutely excellent. Of all the bats we swung, we never once felt a sting or vibration from the Prime, making it the most comfortable bat to swing. The balanced swing weight makes the Prime easy to swing, too. Pop is a 10 out of 10. The 2019 Prime should be near the top of your list if you are willing to spend the extra money to have the best. There are other bats that hit the ball as hard, but don’t necessarily have the whole package of things like vibration control and optimal balance and weight distribution. Size tested was 29″/19 ounce (true weight is 20.3 ounces).
  • 2019 Rawlings Quatro USA Bat, Minus 10 Ounce – The 2018 Quatro was a top bat from last year, and the 2019 Quatro is again at the top of the list of best USA bats. Not a hint of vibration in the hands. Solid feel off the bat. The baseball zipped off the barrel of the Quatro. The only difference in feel and performance between the Quatro and the Prime were the swing weights. The Quatro is a little more balanced, making it a better option for youngsters lacking bat speed, but still giving the batter the benefit a minus 10 ounce length to weight ratio offers. The Quatro is a 10 out of 10 performance wise. You can’t go wrong with either the Prime or the Quatro. Size tested was 29″/19 ounce (true weight is 20.1 ounces).
  • 2019 Louisville Slugger Solo 619, Minus 11 Ounce – (Now on sale for over $100 off original price) Slugger has the USA bat market dialed in from top to bottom. Even their entry level bats like the Omaha and Vapor are great bats. The Solo minus 11 ounce is the best overall combination of value and performance on the market. This was my favorite bat overall last year. It is a one piece, aluminum alloy bat that somehow swings light, has zero vibration, AND punishes the ball. If you look at my review from last year my (at the time) 8 year old son chose this bat for Little League. He ended up hitting .885 on the season with it (machine pitch, “rec league”, not accounting for errors). If you don’t want to spend $349 for a Prime or Quatro, this is the bat you want. I promise you will not be disappointed. Size tested was 29″/18 ounce (true weight is exactly 19 ounces).
  • 2019 DeMarini CF Zen USA Minus 10 Ounce – (Now on sale for almost $200 off retail price) Similarly balanced to the Prime 919, but not quite as balanced as the Rawlings Quatro, the Zen USA is one of the best USA bats of the 2019 model year. No sting. Smooth feel on contact, with a light swing weight. This bat will be a great choice for ages 8 to 12 years old. 29/19 weighs in at exactly 20 ounces. Overall this is a good USA bat, but we have seen a fair amount of these bats break in half at the connection point of the handle and barrel, so be warned. DeMarini warranty returns can take months with some models.
  • 2019 Louisville Slugger Select 719, Minus 10 Ounces – (Now about $200 off original price) Due to the added end load and weight to this bat, we only recommend it for the most skilled/strong hitters. This is an beast of a bat. It KILLS the ball (for a USA bat). You could hit a baseball off the end cap and not sting your hands. The grip is thick and comfy. The barrel is huge. BUT this bat swings heavy. It was the heaviest feeling USA bat we tested. This is because the USA Bat standard rewards stronger hitters using heavier bats. If you are strong enough to swing it, there is zero chance you’ll be disappointed in the Select 719 USA bat. If the hitter is a really big or strong kid they can do just fine with one of the better “all around” good USA bats, but might benefit from the added distance that a greater end load can provide. Size tested was 29″/19 ounce (true weight is 20.4 ounces).
  • 2019 DeMarini Voodoo Balanced 2 Piece Minus 10 Ounce – Much like the 2018 DeMarini Voodoo Balanced, the 2019 USA Voodoo is a decent bat. The balance Voodoo is more balanced than a bat like the Select 719, but I would call the Voodoo Balanced more of a mid load. The bat is a hair less forgiving on poor hits when it comes to sting, but not bad at all. I recommend this bat for the 9-year-old plus age group. Great bat overall. The 29″/19 ounce true weight is 20.5 ounces.
  • 2019 Easton Ghost X Evolution Minus 10 Ounce – Better than last year. Hits the ball hard. The flaw, like last year, is there is still a too much sting and feedback on contact. This is a very good bat if you can deal with a tiny bit more sting. More than any of the other high end bats tested. This was arguably the most popular USA bat at the 2018 Little League World Series last Summer. I actually preferred the minus 11 ounce, one piece Ghost over the Ghost X. True weight of the 29/19 is 19.8 ounces.

Best USA Bats For Faster Bat Speed & Younger Hitters

2018 USA Bat Reviews

On January 1st, 2018 Little League and Pony updated the rules regarding how youth baseball bats are tested and implemented the USA Bat Standard. The new standard is there to not only keep kids safe (baseball is statistically already one of the safest youth sports), but as Little League put it “to maintain the integrity of the game”. That means there will be no check-swing home runs in Williamsport from now on, but there are some really good bats in our USA Bat reviews below.

Just like high school and college did with BBCOR Bats, there is now a strict limit on performance with all youth bats. While we will still focus on how hard the bats hit the ball (pop), we will also focus heavily on the balance/swing weight, along with the feel/vibration of the bat.

2018 USA Bat Reviews

One Piece 2018 USA Bats (Fully Metal or Fully Composite)

  • 2019 Rawlings Threat USA -12 Ounce – (UPDATE) So we finally got to hit the new Rawlings Threat USA bat, and as suspected the Threat is extremely good (for some hitters). As you would expect from a one piece bat, there is a very tiny amount of vibration, but it is barely noticeable. The Threat hits the ball as hard as the Voodoo One, Solo 618, and the Quatro, however, the Threat is by far the lightest feeling USA bat we have ever swung. If nobody else comes out with a true -12 ounce USA bat for 2019, the Threat is going to be the top dog of the 2019 bat market without a doubt for many younger players. The new Threat USA bat was a late comer to the game, but being six months late to the game with this bat allowed Rawlings to somehow make the bat as true to weight as we have seen from any USA bat (Our 29″/17 ounce weighed in at 17.28 ounces without the grip). Another big deal is the massive barrel size of the Threat. So far, no other bat maker has figured out how to make such a light weight bat and keep such a large barrel. While the Rawlings Threat is amazingly light for a USA bat, we noticed our more advanced kids were able to hit the ball harder and farther with bats like the Omaha, and the Solo. The Threat is very good. It will sell like crazy… BUT, good/strong hitters should use a bat with more mass to produce harder hit baseballs. Good batters with quick bat speed would likely benefit from the Threat, but fact is most Little Leaguers don’t have quick hands through the hitting zone.  Untested because it is not out yet. We have seen it and it’s probably going to be a big deal because it will be the first, and possibly only minus 12 ounce USA bat in a big barrel. Scheduled to arrive in April in limited quantities, the barrel is the largest we have seen of any USA bat so far. It will be a one piece, all composite bat. We can’t wait to hit one and let you know if it’s good or not!
  • 2018 Louisville Slugger USA Solo 618 – TOP CHOICE – By far one of the most popular bats this season (and also sold out everywhere), the Solo 618 is a -11 so it swings very light. The light weight makes it extremely popular as USA bats are generally heavier than their predecessors. The barrel is a little bit smaller than a -10 ounce like the Omaha 518, but the lighter weight makes it easier to swing, and can be especially useful against faster pitchers. The Solo hits the ball HARD, and there is ZERO vibration in the hands on hits. One of our reviewers wrote in their notes “perfect in every way” and “swings like a dream”. This is the bat I bought for my 8 year old. This is the all around best USA bat there is, the hardest to find, and at $179 well worth the price. If you can find it in stock, BUY IT before someone else does.
  • 2018 Easton Beast X USA (YBB18BX10) – The one piece, all metal Beast X is a good bat with as much pop as any USA bat is allowed to have. Minimal vibration, but there is a little. Pretty heavy/end loaded, but the barrel is big and it is fully capable of hitting the ball hard. If your kid is strong, this is a good choice at $199, and as of writing availability is still decent. Do not buy this bat if the hitter is not strong. If you’re thinking about this bat, check out the Select 718 as well (spoiler: it’s better, but it’s $299).
  • 2018 Louisville Slugger Omaha 518 USA – Another of the most popular USA bats for 2018. The Omaha is a best seller not because it is the best bat out, but because it does everything well. It has minimal vibration when you hit it off the end or the handle. Pop is above average, but we noted the Velo and the Voodoo One have more pop (they’re more expensive). The -10 swing weight will make everyone happy, but if your son swung a 28″ last year, they probably will want to stay with a 28″ this year as the bats all feel heavier with the USA standard.
  • 2018 DeMarini Voodoo One USA – All metal with a LOUD ping sound. Very little vibration on bad hits. Excellent pop. Very balanced.
  • 2018 Rawlings Velo USA – Another all metal bat with a loud ping sound. The barrel profile is visibly smaller than most other USA bats, but the pop is 10 out of 10, and the swing weight is extremely balanced, making the Velo easy to swing.  We felt absolutely no vibration on any swing we took. The Velo is a sleeper for sure. Most people have never even heard of the Velo, making it much easier to find than a Solo 618.
  • DeMarini Uprising USA –  The Uprising is a value priced, one piece, all metal bat. There is noticeable vibration, and the pop was definitely less than the Voodoo One. It was balanced pretty much the same as the Voodoo One. We say skip the Uprising and check out the Omaha or Vapor instead if you’re trying to stay under $100.
  • 2018 Easton Beast X Hyperlite – One of the only high end 2 1/4″ small barrel USA bats out there. This bat is very balanced and light, but because of that it lacks mass behind the baseball at contact and simply can’t hit the ball as hard as the heavier big barrel bats. This bat is a GOOD BAT, but it’s only good for smaller kids, maybe a kid playing up a level, and frankly, a kid that doesn’t have a good swing yet and needs bat speed to compensate. There is very little vibration, but this bat should only be an option for the smallest 1-3 kids on the team, bigger/more developed kids will do better to look somewhere else because this bat will not help them drive the ball. It is a probably the best beginner/starter USA bat because it is so balanced and easy to swing.
  • 2018 Easton Ghost X Composite USA (YBB18GXHL) – You WILL hate it until it breaks in, but once it breaks in it is a beast! The first time we hit this bat we quickly put it down for the Beast X Hybrid, but now that our Ghost has at least 500 swings on it, it has really opened up. The pop once broken in is as good as it gets. The barrel and sweet spot might be the largest of any 2018 USA bat. Zero vibration and 10 out of 10 pop. It’s an amazing bat if you can get past the break in time.
  • 2018 Axe Element USA – Very good bat, but at a -8 ounce it is heavier than most. Zero vibration, 10 of 10 pop. If you’re strong enough to swing this bat you will be rewarded with an incredible bat and outstanding pop. Some may be turned off by the axe handle grip, but we liked it.
  • 2018 Axe Origin USA – Aside from a louder ping from the metal, we couldn’t tell a difference between the Origin and the  Element. Both bats are insanely good, but are on the heavier side. Some may be turned off by the axe handle grip, but we liked it.
  • 2018 Rawlings 5150 USA -11 Ounce – Untested at this time.
  • 2018 Rawlings 5150 USA -10 Ounce – Untested at this time.

Two Piece 2018 USA Bats

Believe it or not, every single one of the 2018 two piece bats had 10 of 10 pop. There were differences between them which I will list, but every bat below is capable of hitting the ball very hard.

  • 2018 Anderson Techzilla USA – 10 of 10 pop. The grip is thick and very cushy. The Techzilla feels solid, with the Select 718 feeling just a little more solid. The list weight is a -9, but it feels like a -10. Somehow Anderson was able to make a bat on the heavier side feel lighter than it actually is. One cool thing is Anderson is such a small company that you’ll probably be the only one on your team with a Techzilla. Very good bat, but a little more vibration (not much, but I have to acknowledge it) than some of the other two piece bats. Cool reptile skin looking graphics with a matte finish.
  • 2018 Easton Beast X Hybrid USA – TOP CHOICE – This was my personal favorite USA bat. 10 of 10 pop. The swing weight is right in the middle – Not too end loaded and not too balanced. The Beast X Hybrid has a large metal barrel connected to a composite handle, and it crushes the ball. There is no break in time, it is good to go right out of the wrapper. No vibration at all.
  • 2018 DeMarini Voodoo Balance USA – TOP CHOICE – This is another bat that surprised us, it was a late comer to the market so maybe that’s why. The Voodoo Balanced USA bat has a composite handle connected to a metal barrel. Pop is also 10 of 10. Not even a hint of vibration in this bat. It was the smoothest feeling bat we tested. It was simply a joy to swing. The Voodoo is more balanced than the Easton Beast X Hybrid, but the Rawlings Quatro is by far the most balanced USA bat. If this bat came in a 28″ my 8 year old boy would be swinging it in Little League this season.
  • 2018 Rawlings Quatro USA – TOP CHOICE – Unlike some of the other composite barreled bats, the Quatro needs little to no break in time, you can unwrap it and start hitting. The Quatro is by far the most balanced two piece USA bat offered. 10 of 10 pop just like the others. Ultra smooth feel because of the two piece construction. Zero vibration. For what it’s worth, I have seen some social media posts of this bat breaking quickly. It does come with a one year warranty, though.
  • 2018 Louisville Slugger Select 718 USA – This is an absolute beast of a bat. It KILLS the ball. You could hit a baseball off the end cap and not sting your hands. The grip is thick and comfy. The barrel is huge. BUT this bat is heavy. It was the heaviest feeling USA bat we tested. We’re not surprised at all, the new USA Bat standards seems to reward stronger hitters using heavier bats. If you can swing it, there is zero chance you’ll be disappointed in the Select 718 USA bat. My son really wanted this bat, but he just can’t generate enough bat speed with it to get around effectively with live pitching, and we kept the Solo 618 for him.