Louisville Slugger TPX Catalyst Senior League Baseball Bat: SL13C
Features
-12 Length to Weight Ratio
2 5/8 Inch Barrel Diameter
7/8 Inch Tapered Handle
Features New USSSA 1.15 BPF Stamp
Free Shipping!
Full Twelve (12) Month Manufacturer's Warranty
Louisville Slugger End Cap
One-Piece C1C Composite Construction
Synthetic Grip
Ultra-Lightweight Design
Description
Reviews
Average Ratings Based on 48 Customer Reviews
Dodgers
Pros: Great bat. The ball flies off the bat. My son plays on a coach pitch T ball 4-6 yrs old. I have not used it on hard balls yet.
Cons: None yet.
tnt
Pros: Great pop.
Cons: None.
Foxryder75
Pros: Bat has great pop. I was very pleased with the performance of this bat & well worth the price.
Cons: No cons at this time.
Baseball Mom
Pros: Good Pop, lightweight, excellent for bat speed.
Cons: Broke in half during 3rd game of use. Pitchers weren't even throwing that hard.
Norton
Pros: Love the power, pop, and the absorption of the composite bat.
Cons: None.
xlc7
Pros: My son is 4'7, 90lb, and used the 29 inch 17 oz. Catalyst. The bat is balanced and light. He was able to swing the bat with good control and did not cast his hands as he would with most end loaded, big barrel bats. Increased bat speed led to solid hits with great pop off the bat.
Cons: The bat broke in half after 6 weeks of normal use the morning of our first tournament. This is the second Louisville Slugger bat to break in less than one year of use for us the 29/17 Triton and 29/17 Catalyst. Will attempt one more round with the replaced Catalyst. One star for durability.
tbone1133
Pros: Great pop and allowed my 6 year old son good bat control.
Cons: He has broke this bat twice in 4 months. The first one lasted 5 practices and the second broke today after 3 months.
rock
Pros: good balance, easy to swing , nice pop
Cons: none so far
Anonymous
Pros: Loved the pop upon first getting it but broke within 2 weeks.
Cons: Bat busted within a week of having it. Son fouled off a ball this weekend at a tournament and broke right where the handle meets the big barrel.
cartermom
Pros: my son loved this bat, right up until it broke during batting practice - less than 4 weeks after we bought it. He is 10 years old. It's covered under warranty, but i would never buy it again.
Cons:
wm71
Pros: Hits good and is popular with other players.
Cons: Bat broke within the first month at practice and the replacement broke in the same spot 3 months later.
Chris
Pros: Good pop. Light weight for easy control and well balanced.
Cons: Great bat for the price.
Sir Awesome
Pros: Great pop, cool graphics. Great bat for power hitters. Comparable to the XL3.
Cons: Takes a while to break in, but after that you will be hitting them to the fence!
hiddenmickey75
Pros: Felt good while it lasted which wasn't long.
Cons: Had this bat for 20 games and broke in half. Another kid also broke his recently.
TJ
Pros: Bat has a sweet spot and great pop
Cons: My son has went through 2 of these bats in a month. The first bat was bought on May 7th broke in 2 pieces on the May 16th.Received the other one broke it on June 2.
Marsha78
Pros: Great weight and POP
Cons: Bought on 5/25/2013 broke in half on 6/7/2013
dewey
Pros: The ball seems to jump off this bat. Easy to swing for my eleven yr old.
Cons: Nothing yet.
Titans Baseball
Pros: Looks Great Light Weight as a 29/17 Amazing POP out of wrapper
Cons: No cons yet, I've heard they can break quick but overall it's great so far, three games used so far and in great shape.
bojohnson
Pros: this bat is awesome . it is for base hit hitters and power hitters.
Cons: none
bo
Pros: this bat is awesome!!!!!!
Cons: none
Batman
Pros: Best bat in the world! Never cracked like most people I hear. Very Balanced. Pop outstanding. Never had a Composite bat this good for so light.
Cons: The bat only breaks if you use it in a batting cage with hard rubber balls. Also, It's hard to keep up with slow pitchers because it's so light. My bat did not break though. No Cons over all.
Doug in Iowa Doug Churchman parent
Pros: Great, balanced feel. My son loves this bat!
Cons: Snapped in two pieces the in first at bat, but the company took care of us and sent a new one out pronto! Have not had problems with the replacement bat.
catalyst jake padilla 66 player
Pros: 8 year old son has put 30-40 hits feels good he says. Can see a difference in distance loves the weight
Cons: All the kids want one!
hot out of the wrapper. jethro coach
Pros: my son got this bat and was crushing it from the first swing. the entire team uses it now. highly recommend it to anyone.
Cons: I gave it 3 stars for durability because I havent had it long enough.
Great bat poor quality Leo parent
Pros: The bat has a great pop
Cons: Bad quality, my son 8 years old broke the bat just after 1 month
Lightest Swinging Bat Around IsaBradley parent
Pros: Super lightweight for the player who may not be real strong yet. My son is a tall beanpole so bat control is an issue. This bat swings quite a bit lighter than his Easton S3 and slightly lighter than his Demarini CF5. On a postal scale it actually comes in about a half ounce lighter than labeled. Nice pop to it too. He is about to turn 9 but is tall and I got him the 29". He had a 28" last year and between the two of them he has hundreds of swings in them with no breaks. I've heard about durability issues but his two have been fine so it gets 5 stars from me there.
Cons: It's tough for me to find a con with this bat because my son loves it. He wanted a Demarini CF5 so bad and got one. But after swinging both of them he's gravitating back toward the Catalyst. If I had to give a con I guess it would be vibration. It's not that it has a small sweet spot but my son definitely gets more bees in the hands with this bat versus the CF5. Not a deal breaker, just not necessarily a strong point for this bat.
awesome thatsluggersam player
Pros: i am so surprised with how light it is with such a big sweet spot,pop,and fell.
Cons: such a big bat for such a low price
Love / Hate Relationship Mr. Excitement parent
Pros: My son has had a love / hate relationship with this bat ever since the day we brought it home last year. He is a taller, skinnier kid, which always made apprehensive about letting him swing a drop 10 bat. After taking many swings with different bats, he decided that this bat felt the most comfortable. As a disclaimer, my son plays at a very high level and his team qualified and played in the USSSA Elite 32 World Series in Disney this past fall as 9 year olds. I myself have been coaching baseball for 22 years - Ages ranging From College to t-ball. The bat is light for sure and was easy for him to bring through the zone. The bat held up for 80+ games last season and countless BP sessions. It is extremely balanced.
Cons: 1) Break in takes forever. I hit 500 half swing soft tosses into a net before I handed it to my son. Took 3 more weeks for the bat to being to perform. 2) Small Sweet spot. Anything not hit between the "LYS" in Catalyst creates a "clunk" instead of a "ping. 3) Vibrations on mis-hits are pretty severe. Creates some apprehension. 3) You give up a lot of bat mass on the drop 12 to pick up marginal bat speed. The ball just doesn't fly like it does off a Drop 10 bat. Do yourself a favor and forget about this bat. Spend the extra money and buy an Attack (If you're a Louisville fan) or a DeMarini CF6. We bought both for this coming year and are much more pleased with the results off of both of them. I'm positive you won't be disappointed either.
Decent BaseballDad parent
Pros: This bat seems to have decent pop. My son likes the feel of it so I think it is nicely balanced.
Cons: It is stinging my son's hands in a bad way. White grip is bound to look dirty.
JUNK!!!! Quinton Cooper coach
Pros: Thinking......
Cons: second BROKEN bat. only able to get 1year and a few months out of louisville bats. the worst part is they seem to break @ 14 and 15 months just after warranty Exp. they just don't make bats like they use to... going back to EASTON
great bat Coach John coach
Pros: seems lighter than it is. has great pop. went to batting cages and saw a big difference with my son's power and contact rate.
Cons: none yet. my son has only complained twice about the "sting" or vibration. he hit both pitches off the end of the bat.
TPX Catalyst is junk Steve G coach
Pros: Light weight, solid feel in the sweet spot. Maybe a solid bat for slow pitch soft ball.
Cons: My 10 year old broke this bat in his first all-star tournament. The bat was less than a week old. Replacement bat broke again 8 months later with limited use.
TPX Catlyst John player
Pros: Bat is Light
Cons: Bat broke 2 times on me the company was very good about sendung me a new one but then that one broke. This bat is overpriced for the quality i recomend not buying it.
Slugger from Louisville John parent
Pros: My 9u AAU player loves this bat! Was looking for composite at a good price and purchased this bat, although reviews seemed somewhat questionable, no complaints so far. My son loves this bat and wants nothing else. 29/17. 2 5.8"
Cons: None...(don't understand people who complain about white grip on bat, if you use it, it will get dirty.
bad baseball leagend player
Pros: has good pop
Cons: i got this bat and it broke the first game i had
My 6yr loves it Baseball player player
Pros: My kid was not hitting n was upset n scared to bat. So I spent $79.99 on this bat a month ago n wow his batter like a champ now, He loves this bat
Cons: None, so far except the color. Which it was in red.
Very Disappointed Jim parent
Pros: Looks good and feels good in the hands.
Cons: Purchased the 31" 19oz for my 12 year old son. No pop in the bat at all. From the very beginning the bat sounded dead. The third game of the season the bat broke in half. Purchased the bat mid December as a Christmas gift. Tried to get my money back and Louisville Slugger would only allow a trade in. Will be getting the 2014 model, guess we will see how good it is.
A Little Disappointed vs 16oz/28in 2.5/8dia Bill coach
Pros: Great feel and balance, gives player confidence.
Cons: Had same bat in 16oz/ 28in size which performed extremely well. After about tem practices and 4 games bat split just above handle. Also thought pop was not the same. Wonder if these composite bats are pushing limits of material as bat lengthens.
Maui Clifford parent
Pros: The bat was perfect for my 9yr old son, light, balanced, and great feel.
Cons: He broke two bats in less than a month and didn't really get to enjoy it.
Unhappy
Pros:
Cons: This bat was only used for 2.5 months, and sat in my garage for the other 7 1/1 months. It broke on my son at the taper of the barrel during a game. We are now just two months out of warranty, and not covered by the warranty. Out of luck for us! We have bought a lot of bats, and this is a first! Our Model # was SL12C....
Swings well. But durability and Vibration problems Brian player
Pros: It swings well. I haven't seen a good MOI number on it as of yet, but it seems to get through the zone well for such a big barrell and my 8 year old, who is a solid comp player for that age, gets the ball through the zone well. Although the sweet spot is small, when you can put a ball on it the results are a great pop.
Cons: The bat literally broke in half this afternoon. I bought it almost 11 months ago to the day and it has received heavy use from an 8 year old. But no where near the amount of use to actually break in half on a pitch. Very surprised it broke. The Vibration on the bat is severe if you don't hit the sweet spot.
Save your money Chris parent
Pros: Light, quick swinging bat which works well if the player doesn't have much upper body strength. My son doesn't hit for the fences but was able to get the bat around and make contact with fast pitches. Just Bats had the best price around and I was not able to find the same model bat cheaper anywhere else.
Cons: I son had this bat for four months and made it through a season of Pony League in the Mustang Division. On his last game of the season took an inside pitch and the bat cracked a few inches above the tape. I heard the "clunk" from the stands, but at least he beat out the throw to first. The bat was never used in the cages, nor passed around for the team to use. We broke it in as directed, and he probably was able to get in 60 at bats with it. Going to be turning it into Louisville Slugger under the warranty, but probably won't buy another composite bat. At least I was able to get it on sale due to end of year model.
Louisville Catalyst Justin Gaffney coach
Pros: price can sometimes be reasonable. some pop.
Cons: Louisville has lost the race. My team is 10U and we've broken 5 of their bats this season. 2 were broken at 9U. It's composite technology has failed miserably. In order for the ball to travel it has to be struck perfectly. I do not recommend Louisville's composite technology for their youth big barrel bats. J
Not worth it... Dr parent
Pros: very light bat.
Cons: my son literally snapped it in half in game. It was a shame because he crushed the pitch. I would pass on this one.
teeth rattler pdubs dad parent
Pros: light weight
Cons: pop was ok but nothing exciting, the sting from the slightest mis-hit will rattle your kids teeth yhe vibration is so bad. definetly not worth buying as a matter a fact I would not take one if they were giving them away.
Junk Frustrated. Nick parent
Pros: Light balanced swing. Large drop for bug barrel.
Cons: This bat never had any pop from day one. We bought for the 12 drop in bigger barrel which is hard to find. However since day one it sounded like we might as well used scrap piece of wood. Complete dud where even coach asked us not to use in game. We never used in game but practiced all season hoping to break it in. Finally we gave up and called the company about exchanging under warranty and they refused unless it was broke. Will never buy brand again and stick with Eastons. Very disappointed with customer support.
Fabulous Bat Dean parent
Pros: This bat became the team's favorite after my son was tearing it up at the plate. I would highly recommend this bat. Great price.
Cons: White handle.
Bat sounded Dead Steve parent
Pros: LIGHT weight, 30 inch 18 oz
Cons: Since day one, the bat sounded Dead, NO POP
Questions and Answers
Have a question about the Louisville Slugger TPX Catalyst Senior League Baseball Bat: SL13C? Ask our team of experts and they will respond within 24 hours.
I have the 2012 Demarini Voodoo 28"- 12oz. It is very top heavy how does this bat compare? aaronmanzero
Torn between this and the Triton. What's the difference? Both are composite, both are Louisville Sluggers, both are 2 5/8 inch barrell, and both are drop 12. Thanks Sluggo
I am trying to decide between the 2013 TPX Catalyst in the 28" 16 oz. and the 2013 Easton S1. My son is in a coach pitch league. Can the Catalyst be used in coach pitch? kam4
Is this a Pony League Legal Bat? I just purchased a 27" 15 oz. for my 8 year old boy and realized it did not have a Pony league "stamp". Tony
Is this bat good for 11 year old little league? Jk
I am considering the 27/15 for my Son who is startng PONY Mustang. Can you confirm that the 5/8 barrel is legal. JasondeB
What is the difference between the 2012 and the 2013? gonzalez
My son is 11 and plays in a league that allows a 2 5/8" barrel. Would this be a good bat? Hriberstick
Does this bat require a break-in period? The Louisville Slugger TPX Z-1000: SL12Z Senior League bat does not (according to an answer on that bat's page), and I was wondering if this bat was similiar. sparky
In addition to the break-in period, what are the rules around using the bat in colder or hotter temps, and what are the suggested minimum and maximum temps for use? sparky
Is the Catalyst comperable to the Z1000 from last year? CB
Regarding break-in of a composite bat, some say soft toss and tee work should be used, but I have read where several say live pitching of at least 40mph should be used for breaking in a composite bat (rotating the bat between hits). Will either method work, or is one truly perferred over the other? Sparky
What is the difference between this bat and the Z-1000? I am trying to decide between the two and can not see any difference. Baseballmom
Is the SL13C -12 approved for USSSA? JS
Is this a 1.15 BPF stamped bat? Hammer
Is this bat end loaded or is it balanced? My son has a hard time with the end load and it tends to pull his hands outside the ball. Hodge
Would you recommend the Catalyst or Triton? slab15
My 8 year old son is in a Pony league. Can he use this bat? Garet
My son is 12, playing on 2 teams this Spring and Summer: Babe Ruth and 12U travel ball, two different size fields. He has used a 31"/18.5 oz. 2.25" Catalyst full composite for the small diamond for a year with great success, and plans to use that this year too for the 12U team. Would this SL13C be a good bat for him for Babe Ruth big field this year or do you have a suggestion since he has to adjust to using both fields? melma
I am considering this bat for my 10 year old son. He is 4'9" and weighs 70 lbs. Would you recommend this bat or go with the heavier one? He swings a 28" 19 oz. DeMarini Vendetta right now. He has a pretty good swing, but not sure if the swing speed is there. Every once in a while he hits it great. Odawg
How does this bat compare to the 2013 COMbat B3? B
Hi, my son is 10 and plays on the 10 U travel team. He is 5' tall, 91 pounds. Can you recommend a bat for him please? Dee
Is this bat end loaded or balanced? Steve
My son is 13 I am going to get him a bat. He said he wants 31" 19 oz. bat and fully composite and since he is on 2 teams he wants a durable bat. Reading the reviews it breaks a lot my son is 5' and weighs 95. Would you recommend this bat or a different one? VALL
Is bat ok to be used in pony baseball Dc626
my son is 12 years old, 4' 8", and weighs 80 pounds. He needs a bat with a ton of pop, what size would he need and would this be a good bat for him? Big beast
Can you use this bat in 12U USSSA travel baseball? cmac
Is this bat ASA approved for play? frank
We are going to purchase the TPX Catalyst (from you) for spring 2014 play in our local PONY league. I looked at this bat in a local store and found the BPF 1.15 stamp conforms to requirements, as well as 2 5/8" being legal, but did not have the stamp "approved for play in Little League, PONY, Dixie, etc". Is this bat considered legal in most PONY leagues? I know I need to check with our local director, but I need an experts input as well. Thanks. Speedy Gonzales
Next year my son will be playing in multiple leagues. Is this bat legal for 7th grade Michigan school ball? Is this bat good for 13-14 year old Little league? Is this bat legal for 13U travel ball? ragman
My son plays USSSA and Dixie League (8U). I see this bat is approved for USSSA but I need to know if it is also approved for Dixie League? San
Will you be carrying the 2014 Louisville Slugger Catalyst Senior League baseball bat -12, SLCT14-RR? What is different with the 2014 model? I am looking for the best balance -12, 2 5/8 barrel bat for USSSA travel team. aamgolf
What is the difference in the 2013 Louisville Slugger TPX Catalyst: SL13C and the SL13CXL? Bamafan 7
Is the bat legal for Mustang (9&10) Pony League? thomasray
Do you have a refund policy? Brian
Does this bat come with a one year warranty like the SLCT14? Christy
could you use rubber balls with this bat tanner
Is this bat approved for kid pitching? or machine pitch? My sons are 6 & 8 years old but they are moving up to 9u baseball. No more coach pitch. Most of the bats in a 28" 18oz size with big barrels are not approved for kid pitch do to durability and all that. Is this bat ok to go? Djwally
What is the difference between this bat and the TPX Catalyst XL, other than the price? Mike
Is this bat Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken approved for district play? pat g
How does this Louisville compare to Combat Portent? bob
What are the differences between this and the Louisville Slugger Catalyst Senior League Baseball Bat: SLCT14-RR? kyle
About the Brand
In 1842, J. Frederick Hillerich emigrated with his family from Baden-Baden, Germany to the United States. Eight years before, the 1834 Book of Sports had made its debut as the nation's first publication covering baseball. But when he arrived in Baltimore, J. Frederick Hillerich would never have dreamed of the future impact his family would have on America's favorite pastime.
After a short while, the Hillerichs moved to Louisville, where J. Fred started a woodworking shop in 1856. Two of his sons, Adam and John Andrew "Bud" were born in the United States and would later join their father in his business. By 1864 "J.F. Hillerich, Job Turning" was in operation and filled orders for businesses by custom-turning everything from balusters to bedposts.
The firm thrived, and by 1875 the little woodworking shop employed about 20 people. In 1880 Bud Hillerich, who was an amateur baseball player, became an apprentice in his father's shop. Young Bud made his own baseball bats along with bats for several of his teammates.
The debate over the origins of the first bat continues to generate controversy among baseball enthusiasts, but the younger Hillerich was most certainly involved in getting his father's business involved with what would become the company's signature item. According to company legend, the first bat was turned by Bud for Pete "The Old Gladiator" Browning in 1884. Browning was a star on Louisville's professional American Association team - the Eclipse. On a spring afternoon Bud, then seventeen, witnessed Browning break his favorite bat. Bud offered to make a bat for his hero, and Browning accepted. After the young wood shop apprentice lathed a quality stick from white ash, according to the story, Browning got three hits with it in the next game.
Louisville Slugger gloves are worn by more pitchers in Major League Baseball than any other glove.
Bat Properties
Approved For | USSSA |
---|---|
Barrel Diameter | 2 5/8 |
Baseball Bats | Youth |
Deals | Closeout Bats Bundle and Save |
Length to Weight Ratio | -12 |
Material | Composite |
Vendor | Louisville Slugger |
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