Every major player in the bat space had to make changes to their 2021 line up because COVID fundamentally shifted the distribution model. Releases were delayed due to excess inventory, but things finally panned out and the 2021 models hit the market. Here are my reviews of the best baseball bats in 2021.
- Louisville Slugger Meta
- DeMarini The Goods
- Easton ADV 360
- Rawlings Quatro Pro
- Axe Avenge Pro
- Rawlings Velo ACP
- Louisville Slugger Solo
- Victus Vandal
- Louisville Slugger Omaha
- Marucci CAT9
2021 Louisville Slugger Meta
If money is no object, then the Louisville Slugger 2021 is my top pick. It’s a massively popular bat that has consistently been featured on plenty of best baseball bat lists.
The Meta is a balanced, three-piece, fully composite bat. Its composite barrel makes it a great sounding, lightweight option with a huge barrel. Additionally, its patented 3FX Connection System gives it a stiff feel and reduces vibration in the hands.
What’s different between the 2020 and the 2021 version is a new end cap for enhanced barrel length & swing speed, plus a new bat grip for comfort.
Overall, the Meta is a light swinging bat that makes it one of the best bats for contact hitters and generally any player looking for a balanced, lightweight bat. I love its menacing black and gold design, its massive barrel, balanced swing, and massive sweet spot.
Again, the price is high, but that’s its only downfall.
Pros
- The large sweet spot
- Amazing Pop
- Best performance for contact hitters
- Lightweight and balanced
Cons
- It’s expensive
2021 Demarini The Goods
The 2021 DeMarini The Goods is an exceptionally powerful bat. Almost every feature of this bat is desirable. The end-loaded weight and structural end cap make this bat an excellent option for power hitters. It is strong and heavy enough to drive the ball deep and hard in the field.
While I’m recommending the end-loaded version, which makes it a more favorable option for power hitters, it also comes in a hybrid, two-piece design that offers appeal to contact hitters. While the two-piece design is good, I think the Meta is a better option for contact hitters.
The X14 alloy barrel is end-loaded to emphasize power in hitting. There is extra weight below the end cap to mirror the feeling of a heavy, wooden bat. That added weight is a key factor in allowing this bat to crush baseballs with ease.
The Direct Connection technology reduces bat sting so that heavy hitters don’t need to wear out their hands. This technology reduces the feel of the vibration, but doesn’t trade off any of the power. Meanwhile, the lightweight handle works to balance the heavy, end-loaded feel to supply extra power.
The huge barrel has an extra-long sweet spot. Even a ball hit away from the sweet spot will pop well. It has made inroads into becoming the best bat for power hitters in college and high school.
Pros
- One Piece Stiff stick
- Hot out of the wrapper
- Large Barrel
- Huge Sweet Spot
Cons
- Can be hard to find
Easton ADV 360
While most composite bats required an extended break-in period before reaching peak performance, the Easton ADV arrives almost game-ready from day one. The lighter iSo ConneXion+ feature on the ADV delivers a solid, powerful swing through the zone. The DFS Carbon Handle blends with the connection feature to create a handle with great feel. Rounding out the bat’s profile is Easton’s Soft Knob. It is supposed to allow each player to better leverage the bat for better potential power.
Hitters who are not that concerned with budget and want the best tech Easton has invented will like the ADV in any model type. It is built for the hitter who wants bat speed with power, barrel size and a super smooth feel on both hits and mishits. Performance wise expect a top shelf bat that performs at or near the limit under any number of circumstances. The sweet spot is generally large.
Pros:
- This bat has an incredible soft feel and swings lighter than most BBCOR bats
- An extra stiff handle that provides best-in-class feel
- Patent-pending “Soft Knob” provides more leverage and power potential
- Very little vibration if any at all
Cons:
- Durability is questionable
Rawlings Quatro Pro
The 2021 Rawlings 2021 Quatro Pro offers a well-balanced swing and a stylish design. Players say it seems hot out of the wrapper, but has even better power after being broken in with 200 – 300 hits.
Players and coaches alike love the sound of this bat. It’s a soft ping rather than the harsh sound you get from some of the other models You’ll find that the Quatro swings lighter than you would expect because of the balance it offers.
Rawlings says it has what they call a “focused flex” by reconstructing the collar and creating a stiffer barrel head. They said they also changed the way they’ve layered the composite to increase the trampoline effect when contact is made.
The Quatro always seems to be one of the highest-rated in the business. It was among my favorite bats in 2019 and 2020. This bat is expensive, but it just might be worth the price. It might be the most balanced bat and is good for any hitter.
Pros
- The design is extremely appealing
- The bat is well-balanced
- Great sound on contact
- Very little vibration at the handle
- The redesigned inner barrel has a longer barrel with larger sweet spot
Cons
- It has the same Lizard Skin Grip as in the past, many are not crazy about this grip
- On the expensive side
Axe Avenge Pro
The 2021 Axe Avenge Pro composite baseball bat is a 3 piece charge carbon composite barrel construction.
Its VCS (Vibration Cancellation System) deploys advanced shock absorbing material to the three points on the bat. The Hyperwhip composite end cap has a sleek profile that provides faster and more efficient swings.
The attraction point of this bat is its AXE handle for speed and handling almost any pitch in the game. Oval bottom and full-length backside create a natural, seamless connection through your palm for tracking pitches and providing faster and powerful hits. Endogrid technology in the AXE handle absorbs a lot of vibration and smooth feels to your hands.
Like other bats, it also has a one year warranty, but AXE bats is one step ahead, they give you No Risk 30 day challenge, so if you do not like the bat then you may return it under 30 days.
Pros
- Faster Swings
- Great Pop
- Lightweight and Balanced
- Reduced Vibration
- 30 Day Challenge
- Faster Swings
Cons
- Not for power hitters
Rawlings Velo ACP
The 2021 Rawlings Velo is a Rawlings model that has been around for a long time and consistently offers elite performance. Players at every level continue to show they trust the Velo. It can be found on a collegiate Division I field, High School field, or a Little League field.
It comes with an end cap that offers a slightly lighter swing weight. It’s a one-piece hybrid made from Ai909 alloy meaning that it has a stiff feel and increased exit velocity. The Velo comes with a urethane infusion to minimize the vibration felt on contact.
The Velo is a solid option for any player. The Ai909 allow has proven to be high quality over the years. Rawlings was smart to maintain what has worked while trying to improve the handle and its vibration.
The Velo is a one-piece alloy model, meaning that it will be more reasonably priced than its hybrid, multi-piece competition. The price tag is reasonable for its high-end performance.
We believe that the Velo is the best one-piece BBCOR bat on the market. Some players have a strong preference for the natural feel of a one-piece design. If that’s what you prefer, you the Velo is the way to go.
It’s a good choice for those wanting a trusted bat at an affordable price.
Pros:
- Ai909 alloy offers excellent exit velocity
- One-piece design offers a stiff swing
- Decreased vibration from urethane infusion
- Decreased swing weight
Cons:
- It isn’t a “hybrid” bat, it’s aluminum with a composite end cap.
Louisville Slugger Solo
The Louisville Slugger Solo has a lightweight bat design for maximum swing speeds. Its SPD end cap reduces weight and the Hyper Alloy with thinner walls should make this one of the lightest swinging bats on the market. So, it’s meant for contact hitters.
The single-piece alloy has a Pro Comfort grip that offers tackiness for better control of the bat. The Vibex handle will also help reduce vibration and negative feedback on mishits.
Louisville Slugger’s Solo is the modern version of last year’s Solo 619. You’ll find that it maintains its reputation as one of the lowest MOI (swing weights) in its class. That means that the Solo is one of the lightest BBCOR bats you’ll find.
I’ve been really impressed by how well this bat compares to the Rawlings Velo. The Solo is about $50 cheaper, but tests out just as well. It comes down to whether you prefer to use Louisville or Rawlings. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
Louisville Slugger models are the most used in college sports. Of the 8 teams that made it to the College World Series in 2019, 4 of them used Louisville sluggers. The 4 that didn’t seem to be brand-loyal and every player on the team used a bat from the same company. You could find various models of the Solo on all 4 of those teams. That may be because it’s one of the best college bats on the market.
Pros:
- Balance, balance, balance
- Comfortable grip
- One of the lowest swing weights on the market
Cons:
- Boring design
Victus Vandal
So what the heck is Victus? It started as a custom wood bat manufacturer and Big League bat supplier. Marucci recognized itself in Victus as a new, disruptive, innovative brand and after further diligence, found their premium brands were born of the same DNA – a player-centric philosophy and obsessive attention to quality. So they bought them and are now part of the Marucci family.
The Vandal is a great bat. It’s a one-piece alloy model that is “ultra balanced”. This is the first aluminum BBCOR bat that Victus has put out and I think they did a great job.
Victus offers a micro-perforated grip that is among the most comfortable in the business. Some players have compared this to the top Louisville Slugger models and prefer the Vandal. We’re not ready to go quite that far, but it’s definitely among the better bats on the market.
The Victus Vandal seems like a solid bat, but does lack a reputation. Victus has been known for their wood bats. We can understand where people may be scared away from the first aluminum BBCOR that the company has ever made.
That being said, we think this bat is worth considering. Early input says that it lives up to the reputation the company has earned in the wood bat market. The price for this one-piece alloy bats is reasonable. It is probably best for contact hitters.
Pros:
- Great balance
- Flexible sweet spot
- Comfortable grip
Cons:
- There are concerns about the quality
- Very ordinary design
Louisville Slugger Omaha
The Omaha is a staple in the baseball bat world. It has been a viable option for many, many years and once again makes my top 10 list. Louisville has included their MX 7U1+ alloy to the bat. The alloy is designed to improve energy transfer. It also is designed to improve durability and the swing weight.
The Omaha is similar to the Solo but has more of an end-loaded design. The one-piece alloy bat offers a great feel due to its Vibex handle that minimizes negative feedback on mishits. For hitters who want a slightly more end-loaded bat at an affordable and solid end-loaded model, the Omaha is a perfect option.
I’m always a fan of the Omaha. For years, it’s been the standard of consistency, durability, and performance for one-piece bats. Because of its quality and reputation, its been on the market and popular for many years.
It definitely faces some competition, but I think that says more about other companies than it does Louisville. What really stands out is that this bat offers high performance while maintaining a price tag of around $200. It’s one of the best values on the market.
As mentioned, it’s not quite an end-loaded bat, but it’s also not a fully balanced bat. Add in that the price point is around $200 and you’ve got the perfect option for a bat to figure things out.
Pros:
- The new MX 7U1 alloy gives improved energy transfer
- A stiff handle
- Minimal negative feedback on bad hits
Cons:
- Not quite balanced, but not quite end-loaded
Marucci CAT9
The 2021 Marucci CAT9 is made with aluminum alloy which is prepared with 3 stage thermal treatment and they named it AZR Alloy.
AZR alloy offer more responsive microstructure for better feel, more forgiveness and more performance while maintaining the same strength similar to the CAT 8 model. It has LGS (Longitudinal Groove system) across the thickest section of the barrel, which is of course in the middle where the ball gets impact helped in weight reduction, increasing performance and sweet spot area. The 2nd Generation AV2 Anti-Vibration knob features finely tuned harmonic dampening system, that is meant to reduce vibration and feel better as well. The barrel is also ring-free which means that it has more flexibility and has almost no dead spot. The one-piece alloy construction makes it hot out of the wrapper and gives a stiff feel similar to a wood bat
Pros
- Hot out of the wrapper
- Lightweight
- Evenly Balanced
- Better than CAT 8
Cons
- Aluminum alloy construction
