Ever since the Rawlings 5150 arrived on the scene it has been one of the hottest selling bat series on the market. With its balanced swing weight and incredible pop, the 5150 quickly caught the attention of ballplayers looking for a hot bat that gave them an advantage at the plate. That includes the South Carolina Gamecocks who used the 5150 during their 2010 NCAA World Series Championship season.

When Rawlings unveiled the 5150 VELO in early 2012, there was some confusion amongst 5150 enthusiasts as to which bat would be best suited for their game. JustBats.com would like to break down the differences between these two incredible bats and help you decide which bat fits your hitting style.

5150 Key Features:

• One-piece alloy design
• Constructed from 5150® alloy which is formulated for higher strength and increased flex.
• Precision-Optimized Performance™ (pOp™) barrel technology – this isolates the added weight to a smaller region on the barrel, translating into increased bat speed
• Decreased M.O.I. (Moment Of Inertia) increases bat speed
• BBCOR & USSSA certified
• BBCOR available in ½” and ½ oz. increments for a more customizable fit

5150 VELO Key Features:

• One-piece alloy design
• Constructed from 5150® alloy which is formulated for higher strength and increased flex.
• Precision-Optimized Performance™ (pOp™) barrel technology – this isolates the added weight to a smaller region on the barrel, translating into increased bat speed
• Comp-Lite (composite) end cap
• Bifusion™ technology securely joins the Comp-Lite end cap to the alloy barrel.
• Decreased M.O.I. (Moment Of Inertia) increases bat speed
• BBCOR & USSSA certified

After breaking down the specs of each bat, you see that they are very similar in design except for the Comp-Lite end cap on the 5150 VELO. The composite end cap gives the 5150 VELO a lighter feel which improves bat speed through the zone. Overall, both bats are excellent options for the player who likes the feel of a balanced, one-piece bat with the 5150 VELO having a slightly lighter swing weight for increased bat speed.

Are you a fan of the 5150 or 5150 VELO? If so, share your comments and let us know what you like about your bat. Do you have pictures or video of you hitting? Submit them to our Gift Card Giveaway for a chance to win a $25 or $300 gift card from JustBats.com!