If 2023 felt like the year the bat industry finally got back from COVID-19, then 2024 was the year they doubled down on the marketing pitches in the future. The industry closes the year with predictable winners, from a BBCOR market that crowned a familiar champion (hello, Atlas) to a Fastpitch space utterly dominated by Easton’s Ghost lines.

We’re pulling back the curtain and diving deep into an algorithm we’ve been tracking all year: which bats sold best in 2024—along with a few that made more of a “whiff” than a “ping.” We also predict 2025’s most significant question marks, marketing gimmicks, and downright head-scratchers. Buckle up.

1. The Most Sold 2024 BBCOR: Atlas Reigns Supreme

For the second year running, Louisville Slugger’s Atlas has been downright unbeatable in sales in the BBCOR space. It’s the undisputed #1 across the board, saying something in a market that’s never short on fresh and flashy entrants. While the Warstic Bonesaber Hybrid and Rawlings ICON made some waves, their sales in the BBCOR space never caught the Atlas.

What’s so special about the Atlas? Solid performance, a balanced swing, and a track record of consistency seem to win year over year. If you’re still exploring BBCOR options, our Best BBCOR Bats page explains why the Atlas deserves one of the top billings.

2. The Biggest 2024 BBCOR Surprise: Rawlings CLOUT AI

The 2024 Rawlings Clout made some noise and grabbed attention early in the season, surprising many of us. It never quite reached the upper echelon of popularity, but it crushed. We think it’s a bit of a dark horse going into a reprinted 2025, but if inventory on a bat like the Atlas runs out and people continue to shun the Voodooo One, we would not be surprised at all to see this bat get some pub.

3. The Most Sold 2024 USA Bat: CATX2

In USA bats, Marucci’s CATX2 continued to be the headliner. Both drop 11 and 8 are leading the pack—no small feat, given how competitive the youth game is. The CATX’s popularity hinges on a perfect blend of pop, durability, and enough hype to compensate for the fact hitters here still must use USA Bats.

While USSSA, Fastpitch, and BBCOR have all recovered from COVID, we’re not sure USA Bats even recovered from the wild overproduction in 2019. That seems like crazy talk, but it’s not uncommon to find bats from 3 or 4 years ago in full stock at major outlets. It might be another 2 years before those USA supply chain kinks all get ironed out.

For a more detailed breakdown, including comparisons and weight data, see our Best USA Bats page.

4. The Most Sold 2024 USSSA Bats: Hype & Icon, But Drop 10 vs. Drop 8 Gap Narrows

If there’s one storyline in USSSA that won’t go away, it’s the ongoing rivalry between Easton’s Hype and Rawlings Icon—Sister bats from sister companies. While the drop 10 still outsells the drop 8 for both lines, 2024 marked the smallest gap we’ve seen. Once upon a time, the drop 10 versions of these bats would clobber the drop 8 in sales, but 2024 numbers suggest the eight is quickly becoming a favorite.

Meanwhile, social media goes bananas over these bats where hitters use the drop 5s. As we pointed out earlier this year, the relative data gaps between the drop 5s do not correlate to the drop 10s. But, alas, the hype trains have left the station, and the drop 10 and 8s for these bats destroy anything resembling a third place in terms of sales, even if the data doesn’t match. Learn more about these top sellers in our Best USSSA Bats section.

5. Most Sold 2024 Fastpitch: Ghost, Ghost, Ghost… Did We Mention Ghost?

In Fastpitch, the Easton Ghost turned the rest of the market into, well, ghosts. Easton has locked in the best-selling crown for 2024 between the Ghost ADV and the Ghost Unlimited. If you recall, not too long ago, DeMarini’s CF and Louisville’s LXT had quite the grip on the top spots. Now, it’s not even close.

Whether you’re a travel-ball warrior or a high school player looking for a top-tier bat, the Ghost series has been the talk of the circuit. Check out our Best Fastpitch Bats page for insights, real-world user feedback, and performance metrics.

6. 2024 Biggest FLOP: StringKing

Last year, StringKing had momentum, with a minimalistic approach that appealed to players wanting pure function over form. In 2024, however, it seems the masses wanted nothing to do with it. In an industry driven by social media publicity, the world wished for something flashier and more, can we say, bombastic? The hype machine left the little engine that could (can) at the station. The bat still gets excellent reviews and is priced where many parents are willing to spend. But, alas. What have you done for me lately?

7. 2025 Early Disappointment Award: DeMarini ZEN in BBCOR

It’s rare for a new BBCOR bat, initially priced at $499, to drop below $300 almost right out of the gate—but that’s precisely what happened with the new DeMarini ZEN. Within months of its release, you could find it under MAP (Minimum Advertised Price). It’s the discount bin champion of 2025 already. How it’s even possible for such an iconic line to drop so far so fast is beyond us—maybe it’s a sign of a new era or just a swing and a miss in design? Is the market really THAT terrible for two-piece composite BBCOR bats? Didn’t even give this bloke a fighting chance.

8. 2024 How Do They Still Exist Award: Mizuno

We’re not trying to be cruel here, but Mizuno is hanging and is still making a near-full line of baseball bats. Their gloves? Sure. Their brand legacy in Japan? Legendary. But stateside in the bat space, you could watch high school or little league baseball for a month anywhere in the country and likely never see a single Mizuno bat. In Fastpitch, they have some traction in the NCAA fastpitch bat space. But in baseball, we’ve seldom met anyone who bought their bats. They are dead last in just about every drop at every major retailer and, to make our point, are somehow still distributed through every major retailer.

What to Watch in 2025

Looking ahead, here are a few storylines we’re keeping an eye on:

  1. Axe Bats: It’s been quiet—maybe too quiet? Without any big headlines or significant marketing pushes, it begs the question: Will Axe endure, or is 2025 the year it’s put on the chopping block?
  2. Combat MFG Sandstorm: The hype machine is in overdrive, with influencers lining up to push this bat. If the January release is limited to 3,000 units, they’ll likely sell out instantly. For context, a solid BBCOR bat sells 5-10K in a good month. The spin and influencer complicity are frustratingly transparent. We recommend steering clear unless they ditch the hype-and-scarcity ploy and release enough bats. Regardless of how it all plays out, the hype whistles will be loud on this one for 2025.
  3. Crayon Bats: They gave us a bat painted like a pencil, so why not a crayon? Is this back to the well too often, or is the crayon hype real? Maybe if this one gets the same Instagram eyes the pencil did, we’ll see a Sharpie in the fall of 2025? Golly jeepers, we can only hope.

Final Thoughts

The bat market in 2024 blended the predictable (Atlas and Ghost at the top) with the downright predictable (drop five highlight reels igniting an online frenzy). As we head into 2025, expect more twists—from potential brand implosions to marketing stunts that might work (or at least amuse us).

If you’re in the market for a new bat or want to keep a finger on the pulse of diamond sports, we’ve got you covered. Check out our in-depth reviews, subscribe to our newsletter, and follow us on social media for the latest.