Most kids who grow up playing in youth baseball leagues will have plenty of experience with aluminum baseball bats; these bats are used by most teams through the high school and college levels. Any youth baseball players who would like to prepare themselves for possible professional play, however, or to play in a collegiate summer wooden-bat league, will benefit from learning to use a wood bat as soon as possible.
Ash Bats
Ash bats are known for their strength and durability, and as they are generally the least expensive wooden bats, this makes them an economical choice. The best-quality ash wood (that with the straightest grain) is reserved to produce major-league-grade bats, and is usually not available for private purchase, although manufacturers will misleadingly label their bats "Pro Quality" or some similar accolade. Other grades of ash are variously rated as appropriate for minor-league down through high school use, with the lowest-quality bats available for the lowest prices.
Maple Bats
Maple bats tend to be much more expensive than ash bats, but they are also even more durable. If your child is still growing and likely to need a larger bat in the future, a maple bat might not be your best investment, but if you want a bat he'll be using for a good long time, a maple bat may outlast an ash one by a number of years, saving you money in the long run. Select a bat that is made of sugar maple or rock maple, which are more durable than bats made of softer silver and red maple.
Hickory Bats
A hickory bat was good enough for Babe Ruth --- but he had the size and the strength to heft a 47-oz. bat, something not usually the case for most youth players. Hickory is an extremely hard wood, and a heavy one. A hickory bat will not usually be the first choice for game play, but if your child wants to test his strength, a hickory bat will let him swing away with the heaviest of the heavy hitters without fear of splintering wood.
Bamboo Bats
Bamboo bats are, as of 2010, fairly new to the market, but are proving a popular choice. They are extremely strong without being heavy, and are less likely to flake or split than other wooden bats, thus reducing the need to tape the barrel for cage work or batting practice. As bamboo bats are not manufactured out of one solid piece of wood, they are actually considered composite bats. They may be used in some youth or collegiate wooden-bat leagues, but are not used in the major leagues.
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