One of the most common questions we receive at JustBats.com is, “what is the difference between Junior Big Barrel and Youth Big Barrel?” This is a great question and can be confusing to players or parents shopping for a new bat. Don’t worry, we’re here to help!
Junior Big Barrel bats most commonly have a 2 ¾” barrel diameter with length to weight ratios between -10 and -12. They are designed for use by players between the ages of 4-8. Junior Big Barrel bats are designed for use in Coach Pitch leagues only. The reason for this is that the barrel walls are extremely thin. If they are used in Kid Pitch or Machine Pitch leagues, they have a much higher likelihood of becoming defective (dents/cracks). The 2 ¾” barrel, combined with the light weight, make them perfect bats for kids just starting to develop their swing. Take a look at some of our most popular Junior Big Barrel bats.
Youth Big Barrel bats most commonly have a 2 ⅝” barrel diameter with length to weight ratios between -5 and -10. They are designed for use by players between the ages of 8-13. Youth Big Barrel bats are often referred to as “Senior League” bats. These bats are used as a stepping stone to the Adult BBCOR bats used in high school and college that have a -3 length to weight ratio. There are more options in manufacturers, bat construction and bat types in the Youth Big Barrel category because they can be used in more leagues. Here are some of our hottest Youth Big Barrel bats.
For more information, be sure to check out our Bat Resource Guide where you’ll find useful Bat Care tips as well as a Sizing Chart to see what size will best fit you. Also, be sure to click HERE for details on how to take advantage of our Free Shipping!
The temperature may be dropping, but off-season training is heating up! All the work put in this off-season is sure to result in huge offensive numbers, so make sure you’re properly equipped with some of our most popular Senior League (Youth Big Barrel) models. The low prices combined with the high performance of these bats makes them perfect gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season. Confidence at the plate is crucial to any players success. Confidence is developed and fortified by knowing that nobody put in more time or worked harder during the off-season than you. That confidence goes through the roof when you know that you have the best bat when you step in the batters box. While you take care of putting in the hard work, let us take care of all of your bat needs. Have a look at some of our most popular -5, -8, and -10 length to weight ratio Senior League bats and find the perfect fit for you.
“Ball jumps off the bat right out of the plastic. Very happy I decided to pick this bat. great price…great bat. my son is 9 and about 75-80 lbs. and has no trouble getting the 30/22 around. Great weight distribution on the bat. Thank you JustBats.” – Justin’s dad/coach
“Most powerful bat I have ever used. The ball just jumps when ever you make contact with the ball!” – Noah
Check out our huge selection of Senior League bats and submit your videos and photos of you using any of these great bats for a chance to win a $25 or $300 gift card from JustBats.com. Make sure you find the bat that is right for you by checking out our Bat Resource Guide or contact one of our expert Customer Service Representatives through our Chat Now feature or our Question and Answer section.
Over the last few years baseball was introduced to a new category of bats that took leagues around the nation by storm. These new “Coach Pitch” bats featured monster barrels and weight to length ratios that had only been seen on Tee Ball bats. The thought of using a 2 ¾” bat with a -11.5 drop was very enticing and many customers took advantage of the new product offering.
A couple years after seeing players crush doubles in to the gap and watching tape measure homeruns fly over the fence, leagues began to take notice. People everywhere knew these bats were intended for younger kids, but it was the 10 and 11 year old player that was swinging these bats. It didn’t take long for league commissioners to make changes to their rules to prohibit the use of Coach Pitch bats in Senior League play.
All the bat manufacturers knew there was still a market for a light bat with a big barrel, so they found a loop hole in the rules. Leagues everywhere had stated that “Coach Pitch” bats were to only be used in coach pitch leagues. What the leagues didn’t reference was a restriction put on the weight to length ratio. With a couple quick changes, manufacturers everywhere started creating Junior Big Barrel bats, which were Coach Pitch bats with a new name. With the new naming convention these bats were now legal in Senior League play.
While the legality issue had been trumped by the manufacturers there was still a durability issue with coach pitch bats. They are intended for use by younger players, but the advantages these bats featured made them perfect for a kid pitch player looking for an edge. As many of you who swing these bats have experienced, Coach Pitch bats just don’t hold up to live pitching. Having beat the new league restrictions, and realizing a strong desire in the market for these bats, manufacturers were left scratching their heads on what to do.
Leave it to the most storied bat manufacturer in the industry to solve this problem. Louisville Slugger took the desire for a light bat with a monster barrel, and customer feedback about durability in to consideration when they rolled out the Triton II and Catalyst.
The Triton II is a full composite bat that features a 2 5/8” barrel and a -12 length to weight ratio and made it durable enough to stand up to live pitching. This alone sounded too good to be true, but then they took it a step further and made this bat available in lengths 28” to 32”. A 32” 20 ounce bat is unheard of in our industry. Not to mention it features all the new USSSA 1.15 BPF requirements and is designed to hit live pitching. They were able to do all this and release the bat at a very reasonable $249.99.
The Catalyst is very similar to the Triton II. The Catalyst features the same barrel diameter and BPF rating, but comes in at a slightly heavier -11 length to weight ratio. It is also available in 28”-32”. The Catalyst retails at $199.99 and offers a more affordable option for customers looking for this one of a kind bat.
While it has been a crazy, winding road that brought us to this point we are very happy to be able to offer customers a bat that meets all their needs. With these two new options from Louisville Slugger players around the world can go to the plate with the LIGHTEST big barrel bat on the market designed to hold up at all levels of play. Your voice has been heard big barrel fans, and there is a new player in town. Check out the new Triton II and Catalyst at JustBats.com!
