Quick Take
MLB players must use wood bats due to MLB rules that prioritize tradition and maintain a consistent level of performance. While metal or composite bats could match the pop of wood, their larger sweet spots and manipulated swing weights would fundamentally alter the game, making a shift away from wood unlikely.
Curious about why MLB players use wooden bats? Let’s explore the reasons.
In short, the MLB uses wood bats because they are required to use them. MLB regulations mandate wooden bats. It’s even more specific than that. These wood bats must certain criteria, such as hardness, diameter, and grain straightness, to be legal for play. The manufacturer must also be an approved MLB bat provider.
But why does the MLB mandate wooden bats rather than allowing composite or alloy alternatives?
There are two primary reasons: performance and tradition.
Performance Concerns
Although non-wooden bats can be engineered to have the same ‘pop’ as wooden bats (see BBCOR below), their construction allows for longer sweet spots and manipulated swing weights, providing significant advantages to hitters.
Is safety a concern with composite or metal bats, as they could hit the ball harder?
No. Or at least it shouldn’t be. Metal and composite bats can be designed to match the ‘pop’ of wooden bats, as demonstrated by the NCAA and NFHS through the BBCOR standard. But, because of the nature of the material, these bats are designed to perform at peak levels more consistently. The notion that these bats are a safety concern stems from misunderstanding this concept.
In terms of safety, and noting that broken wooden bats flying into the stands pose a safety risk, composite and metal bats are likely safer.
Would overall performance increase if MLB switched to metal or composite bats?
In our view, batting records would be shattered not because of greater ‘pop’ but because of more consistent performance. Metal and composite bats can have lower weights and longer sweet spots, potentially allowing for more consistent high-end results.
Most MLB players would likely switch for better performance if non-wooden bats were allowed. Take the NCAA as an example. Though wooden bats are legal (they automatically pass the BBCOR test), serious D1 players rarely use them, opting for metal or composite bats. These bats offer more consistent potential for maximum pop, though wood and nonwood bats can have the same pop at peak power.
Tradition
While it’s difficult to quantify, tradition undoubtedly plays a considerable role. Wooden bats are as iconic to MLB as leather gloves and hot dogs. Indeed, even if metal and composite bats were designed with the same sweet spots as wooden ones, it’s hard to imagine MLB abandoning tradition anytime soon.
So, there you have it. MLB players are required to use wood bats because they are required to. And they’re mandated to because of tradition and that the length of the sweet spot and manipulation of swing weight in nonwood bats would fundamentally change the game.
In other words, we don’t see it happening. Ever.
