With the recent controversy of a “torpedo shaped baseball bat,” many people don’t understand how baseball bats have changed throughout history. Let’s go back and take a look.

The Very Beginning

From the start of the game in 1846, baseball bats have always been something the whole game revolves around. When the game was first founded, there were no rules in place. This caused most bats being just any piece of wood players could get their hands on, then many players started using wood they got from wagon tongues. Wood from wagon wheels were taken and shaped into a very heavy, flat hitting stick. Soon after, players realized that round bats made better contact points than a flat stick. This discovery was something that was here to stay. 

Game Changing rules

Before 1859, players learned that the heavier the bat, the further the ball goes with contact. This made it very hard to not give up home runs and deep hits. A rule was put in place to limit the size of bats in 1859. The Committee agreed on the rule stating “round, not be more than two and one-half inches around in its thickest part, and to be of any length, to suit the striker.” Regarding the length, they said that no bat can be more than 42 inches long, which is still enforced today. 

Ash wood quickly became one of the top used wood when creating baseball bats. This is the type of wood that one of the all-time greats, Babe Ruth, used on his famous 35 ¾ inch, 38 ounce bat. Around the 1990s, most players started to use maple. This wood was so powerful, that the era that used these bats was known as the “Steroid Era.” In an interview with Jeff Mellito, who watched during this era, talked about the bats. “The game has changed so much since then. Many guys back then were these huge players hitting home runs, but this wasn’t because of their bats, it was ”

Upcoming of Louisville Slugger

One of the most known bat brands is Louisville Slugger. This popular bat brand had an uprising in 1884, when a wood maker named Bud Hillerich made a custom bat for Pete Browning, a well known player who went by the nickname “The Louisville Slugger.” Browning used this bat to get out of a slump he was in, and a legacy was born. By the early 1900s, Louisville Slugger was producing new bats quickly for the major league. Athletes started to compare bat designs to on field success. These bats continue to evolve the game for youth and pro players. In an interview with Cory Pascarella, he talked about how bats evolved the game. “I think these types of bats help the game evolve. It might make the game a bit more challenging, but that was bound to happen, and players evolve with them as well.”

Recent Controversy

In the start of the 2025 MLB season, many players on the New York Yankees have been seen using a new shaped bat. This bat, which got the nickname “torpedo bats,” has a different shaped barrel. This barrel was changed because they were hitting the ball lower on the bat, and not as much on the barrel. An MIT physicist created this design to help Yankees players find more barrels and hit the ball better. 

Cory Pascarella, who has played baseball all his life, gave his thoughts on the bats. “I don’t see anything wrong with it. I think it helps players find more barrels, helping them win games. It’s also a legal way to help the Yankees.” Another interview with Jeff Mellito he stated, ”I think there is always going to be something that changes hitting for players, but I think it’s a smart way to get batting averages up, finding more barrels you know.” These bats were something that was a great discovery for the Yankees, but now more and more teams are using them. These bats are something in the game that will always evolve.