bat sizes

Question
I have a 17 year ols and would like to know bat sizes equilvilant to height if there is such. 1st time going out for ball he's 6'2, 165 is there a size chart as in ratio of height to bat size chart somewhere?

Answer
Clint,

Thanks for the question.  There is a much better way to determine the right bat size for a player.  

First of all, in high school he must use an approved bat type and size/weight.  For high school, that is a bat that has a -3 drop.  A -3 drop means that the bat can only weigh 3 ounces less than it is long.  For instance, a bat that is 33 inches long will weigh 30 oz.  

My son is going to be 15 next month and has been swinging a 32 inch/20oz bat for almost 2 years now.  He is more than strong enough for it and we may move up to a 33/30 in January for him to start Freshman ball, but we may also want to stick with the 32/29.  We will see.

What you can do is have your son hold the bat out in front of him with his arm straight out in front at shoulder height.  The bat will just be an extension of his arm.  He should be able to hold the bat out for about 60 seconds with no problem.  This would indicate that he is strong enough to swing it.

At 17, I would say the most popular sizes are going to be 34/31, 33/30 or 32/29.  He is tall but maybe a little thin at 6'2" 165.  If he is not as developed muscularly, he will want to swing the lighter bat.  Bat speed is key to hitting. Do not worry if your son is not a power hitter.  Develop a good, consistent swing and work for singles and walks.  On base percentage is the best offensive stat in high school baseball.  If he is getting on base at a good clip, he will be valuable to his coach.

My son is 5'11" and 155.  He has worked on strength over the last month and a half that we have been off. We play year round baseball and he got in 106 games this season. That is not including practice and workouts.  He has developed great bat speed and while he is considered a line drive hitter, he also hits for power now.  The drill that I attribute the most with his hitting develop is hitting off the tee.  That is right, the tee. He does it everyday at least 100 swings.  Hitting plastic ball after plastic ball into the fence off the tee has grooved his swing and increased his bat speed. Combine daily tee work with soft toss hitting and batting practice and a good hitting will develop.

I would recommend a great Christmas present for your son if he is serious about playing this year: some plastic balls, a tee and the bat!  Also, 3-4 lessons from a reputable hitting instructor go a long way!

I hope this helps.  If you have any other questions, let me know.

Coach Boss