What To Look For
While many kids look up to their Major League Baseball idols, most don't use the wooden bats the majors use. Instead, most youth leagues as well as the NCAA use aluminum metal bats. A study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise proved that balls hit by metal bats fly at higher speeds than those hit by their wooden counterparts. However, this also has brought no small level of controversy, and some leagues are starting to prohibit metal and composite bats. The best rated youth baseball bats do include metal and composite bats, as well as a few wooden bats that are becoming more popular as more leagues turn to them.
Common Pitfalls
Most youth leagues and high schools follow the rules set by the NCAA. The NCAA prohibited composite bats in 2009. In 2011, they will become even more strict, placing standards on ball-bat coefficient of restitution, or BBCOR. If the bat you're looking at doesn't meet these standards, you won't be able to use it during the game, and practicing with a bat with which you can't play sets you up to have problems with the swing once you change bats.
Where To Buy
You can purchase youth baseball bats at sporting goods stores such as Academy, Sports Authority, and Dick's Sporting Goods. They will have a wide selection of youth baseball bats, including some of the best rated youth baseball bats. Some of the top brands you can find include Easton, Louisville Slugger, Combat and Rawlings. These brands typically rate highest in player satisfaction, both in the feel of the bat and the way it hits balls.
Cost
The price of youth baseball bats varies widely with their weight and composition. At Dick's Sporting Goods in 2010, you can purchase an aluminum youth baseball bat for $20 to $260. If your league has made the switch to wood bats, you can purchase a wood youth baseball bat from Dick's as well for $30 to $110.
Insider Tips
Several consumer advocacy and parents groups have targeted metal youth baseball bats after injuries and even deaths to players hit by a ball coming off a metal bat. Consumer Reports found that a number of municipalities have banned aluminum metal bats in youth games.
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