The 2017 Louisville Slugger 517 Omaha delivered the series' signature durability with refined alloy performance. This one-piece aluminum bat remained a dugout staple thanks to its consistent feel and affordable price.
Models Overview
The 517 featured upgraded 7-Series alloy across all certifications with the traditional balanced feel. Each model delivered the immediate performance and classic ping that made the Omaha series legendary.
Construction & Technology
The 517 from Slugger is a single piece aluminum bat. It is a straight forward bat that doesn't boast any new tech. It, after all, a bat. And they make no bones about it.
Performance Comparison
The major upgrade from the 2016 516 are an improved alloy for a lighter swing speed. We can confirm that. Additionally, while the physical barrel hasn't increased much (if at all), Slugger claims the usable barrel, due to an upgraded alloy, has also increased. This, in theory at-least, creates a larger sweet spot. There really is no way for us to confirm this. Another change from previous years is a custom Lizard Skin grip.
Comparable Bats
The vast majority of big box store mass production bats are single piece alloy designs. However, few of them are designed to reach peak performance in terms of BBCOR and BPF standards. Within those few stands the 517 from Slugger. Two others come to mind: the 2017 Rawlings 5150 and the 2017 Easton HMX Speed.
