Quick Take
The Marucci CAT 7 and Easton MAKO Beast represent two distinct bat styles—stiff, powerful aluminum versus smooth, forgiving composite. Choosing between them depends on your budget and preference for swing feel, power transfer, and barrel size.
What may be the two most popular bats this year in several baseball categories are the Marucci CAT 7 and the Easton MAKO Beast. Both bats come from respectable institutions with a history of producing great sticks. And although the bats compete for the same dollars, they are remarkably different in construction. Below we discuss the Marucci CAT 7 vs the Easton MAKO Beast to help those who have whittled down their list of bat options to two.
CAT vs. MAKO
There are no head-to-head articles, as far as we can find, directly comparing the CAT 7 and MAKO Beast. But, we found plenty of reviews on the CAT 7 and MAKO Beast individually. As always, Amazon reviews on the two bats are at least somewhat useful. There, we often find comparisons to other bats of a similar nature. The CAT 7 and MAKO Beast, as you will soon read, are so different that few may consider them peers. Hence, we couldn’t find any competing information in the Amazon reviews. Maybe, by the time you read this review things will have changed.
On this site, we took another look at our Marucci CAT 7 review as well as our very popular Easton MAKO Beast review. While neither of those really took a close look at these two bats compared to each other they at least had some data on each bat. In conjunction, the two reviews were useful.
Similarities
It is difficult to think of things the MAKO Beast and CAT 7 have in common. Chief among them, after some thought, is that people tend to really like both. But in terms of construction, the use of material within the bats is as different as it could be. It is a surprise, then, that many people struggle between choosing one or the other—as they really are a different experience.
Sizing
What they do have in common is a commitment to a number of sizes. Both the CAT 7 and Beast come in a plethora of BBCOR sizes as well as drop 8 and drop 5 big barrel bats. As well, both bats come in a Junior Big Barrel 2 3/4-inch bat too.
Recommendations
The first barrier to entry on the MAKO beast may very well be the price point. If it is outside of you budget then the CAT 7 is an attractive option. And, it saves you from dissecting the differences between the two bats.
If both bats are within the budget then the choice will be a matter of preference. Do you prefer a stiffer feel at contact? If so, then the all aluminum CAT 7 will be your pick. As a hot out of the wrapper bat you’ll think it the best bat ever. If, on the other hand, you like a large barrel with the longest sweet spot and a buttery smash then the Beast is your choice. You will think, and so will your teammates, you have the best bat in the world.
As a general rule, and we will regret taking such a stand at some point, the faster a players is capable of swinging a bat the more they will like the CAT 7. If the player is still growing and needs bat control help as possible we suggest the Beast.
All in all, these are two bats where a preference can be found after just a few minutes in the cage with each.
Price check the Easton Beast. Price check the Marucci CAT 7.
Differences
The Beast and CAT 7 have a very few things in common. If we were to break down their major differences into two broad categories, then we would choose the two vs one piece argument as well as the composite vs aluminum approach.
Two Piece vs One Piece
The Beast is a two-piece bat. In theory, this gives less vibration to the hands at contact. It, therefore, makes a smoother smash on contact. Two-piece bats also tend to run more expensively than their one-piece counterparts, which is the case with the Beast and the CAT 7.
The CAT 7 is a single-piece bat. Meaning the entire stretch of the bat from knob to barrel end is a single piece of material. While this does not do much to reduce the sting, it allows all the swing power to be transferred to the ball without any give-at-contact. It also tends to make bats more durable.
There are other differences a one vs. piece bat allows for, but we will leave that for our longer discussion found here.
Composite vs. Aluminum
The other massive difference between the CAT 7 and the Mako Beast is measured in the material used. The CAT 7 is made of a single piece of aluminum. This aluminum bat makes for a more durable bat that is hot from the wrapper. Many stronger hitters prefer the direct power transfer aluminum single bats provide. Generally, aluminum bats almost always swing heavier than their composite counterparts. That is not always the case, but it is when comparing the CAT 7, which swings heavier given a specific size and weight compared to the Easton Beast.
The Easton Beast is a two-piece composite bat—these two pieces of composite combine to make a huge barreled bat with a very light swing weight. Composite bats tend to have a larger barrel than aluminum bats, which is the case when comparing the Beast and CAT 7. Composite bats tend to swing lighter as well. They also require a work-in period but, once worked in, tend to have a longer sweet spot area than their aluminum counterparts.
As a general rule, composite bats are less durable than aluminum.
