What is the quick review?
The 2020 Posey28 Metal is the same, save the colorway, as the 2020 CAT 8. Which, turns out, is the same as the 2019 CAT 8 save, again, the colorway. Marucci releases their bats on a two year cycle---but for 2020 there was an NCAA white bat ban. So, we ended up (yeah for us) with a red on white CAT 8 for 2019, a red on black CAT 8 for 2020 and a unique 'looks like wood, hits like metal' in the 2020 Posey 2020. This entails our 2020 Marucci Posey28 Metal BBCOR and USSSA reviews.
What models and sizes are available?
Like all the CAT lines before it, our hitters love the huge barrel, stiff feel and smooth feel on both hits and mishits with the Posey28/Cat 8 lines. Since it is no different than the 2020 Cat 8, they liked it the same. A couple of non-Posey fans didn't care for the design. Seriously, how can you not like Buster Posey? But, all the others thought it was fantastic.
How is it built?
The most unique feature of any Marucci Posey28 type bat is the anti-vibration knob they have pattended. In effect it is a harmonic dampening silicone type piece that sits inside the knob and extends partly through the handle. In the event a ball is mishit and vibrates through the bat then the knob absorbs the vibration before your hands do. Such technology is not just psuedo-science. Marucci has real data to prove it does work. Even more impressive, they have years of feedback and literally thousands of hitters that can attest to it working as well.
The Posey28 also uses variable wall thickness in the barrel. That is, if you were to cut the bat in half you would notice that the aluminum in the barrel walls is not the same width as it travels the length of the barrel. This change in thickness allows engineers to tune the barrels performance at different parts. They can make the middle of the barrel--where most spring is found naturally---and keep it under the limit while expanding the performance level of the ends.
How does it compare?
There was an older version of the Posey28. It was, you may recall, with a brown wood look instead of the dark grey. Compared to the 2020 version, the 2018 Posey28 (brown) was based on the CAT 7. So, in affect, the differences between the 2020 Posey28 and the 2018 Posey28 are the same as between the CAT 8 and the CAT 7.
We cover much of those issues in our CAT 8 review. But, in short, Marucci updated the alloy in the barrel as well as the added another variable wall thickness level to help extend the sweetspot. Not inconsequential changes but any means. That said, in terms of player feedback, folks liked the CAT 7 as much as they liked the CAT 8. So, were the changes measurable in the sense general player feedback? Probably not. But, there could have been some durability and marginal performance growths that aren't observable.
