‘Torpedo bats’ are sweeping MLB. Are any Kansas City Royals players using them?
There is a new craze sweeping through Major League Baseball.
It’s called the torpedo bat.
Much like the name suggests, the torpedo bat is designed to create a different experience for MLB hitters. It looks like a bowling pin with a slender handle and a wider barrel that expands towards the bat label.
It also meets MLB regulations.
MLB rule 3.02 states: “The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood.”
The torpedo bat’s barrel is shifted closer to the batter’s hands due to the redistribution of weight.
And the impact? More MLB players making powerful contact.
“I think it’s something to consider,” Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey said. “The worst thing you can do is get it, try it and if you don’t like it, just stay with what you have been doing. I don’t have enough research on it. Haven’t done enough research on it to really know. My initial thought is it’s probably more beneficial for smaller stadiums.”
The New York Yankees drew more attention to the torpedo bats. The Yankees belted nine home runs in one game against the Milwaukee Brewers. While not every homer was due to the torpedo bat, it was enough to cause a stir.
On Monday, Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz hit two home runs and recorded seven RBIs against the Texas Rangers.
The Royals currently do not have a player using the torpedo bat. However, there were multiple players discussing the bat’s validity.
“The way it’s been described to me is to just take some of the density from the last two or three inches of the bat that maybe don’t get used as often and shift them down the bat,” Massey said. “It could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing.
“You get jammed at Kauffman Stadium and you hit it 84 mph and it lands in front of the outfielder for a base hit. You put a torpedo bat in your hands, maybe you hit it 90 mph and a guy comes in to make an easy catch and you are out.”
There could be other MLB players to experiment further with the Torpedo bat.
The specific design has been attributed to Aaron Leanhardt, the field coordinator with the Miami Marlins. He worked with the Yankees as a former analyst.
Now, the torpedo bat has become a phenomenon around the league. On Tuesday, MLB Network had multiple segments discussing the bat.
The segments caught the attention of the Royals as they prepared to face the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field.
“Personally, I like what I swing and I use the whole bat,” Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. said. “So I don’t know if it will benefit me, but it’s whatever guys think helps them.”
Witt led the majors with a .332 batting average and 211 hits last season. He won a Silver Slugger Award and finished second in American League Cy Young Award voting.
However, he shared that players do tinker with their bat selection behind the scenes.
“There’s thousands of different bat models,” Witt said. “It’s one of those things where people are having success with it.”
The torpedo bat has benefited some players. Still, Royals pitchers aren’t concerned about the newest fad. The consensus is that the introduction of the bat will not change their approach to pitching.
“I don’t think it really matters,” Royals starter Cole Ragans said. “We both are going to do our homework. We are going to have notes. Some guys are going to have notes on us. So, just mix well and keep them off balance. I think it’s getting blown out of proportion a little bit. … It doesn’t bother me that much.”
Royals reliever Lucas Erceg agreed. He had a unique perspective as a former hitter in the Brewers minor-league system.
“As long as it’s within the rules of the game or whatever, I have no problem with it,” Erceg said. “That’s the beauty of baseball, right? Everyone is trying to find their edge and see what works and what doesn’t. Obviously right now, I think it’s more of an experimental thing to see if guys like it. Some guys are going to stick with it and some guys are going to go back to what works best for them.”
Erceg also welcomed the challenge of facing a torpedo bat.
“I think for the overall game of baseball, go ahead and use the torpedo bat,” Erceg said. “You’ve still got to hit the ball right? You’ve still got to hit the ball on the right part. My job is to try and miss the part of the bat where you are trying to hit the sweet spot on.”
The Royals will get a closer look at the torpedo bat later this month. KC will travel to New York to play the Yankees from April 14-17.
“You know, those guys hit homers with the other bats, too,” Ragans said. “I’m not going to let it bother me.”
