Bat Size Chart For Adult and Youth

How to Choose your Annex Baseball Bat

Choosing a wood bat can be a fun, learning process for a player. In the beginning it can take time to figure out your strengths, what kind of hitter you are, and the type of wood bat that works best for you. The bat guide information we have provided below will help you find the right wood bat.

Note: Most players today have used light aluminum bats all of their lives. Annex recommends that aluminum hitters of all ages, working on proper form, use a wooden bat for practice. It may take some time in the gym and batting practice in the cage to get used to swinging a wood bat, but it is well worth it. We believe that wood bats make better hitters!

Adult Player Bat Guide

BAT WEIGHT:

*Annex wooden bats are designed for a -2 weight drop. Keep in mind, the heavier the wood bat, the denser it is and the more the ball is going to fly. If you would like a heavier wood bat, that option can be selected on the products page.

What does a -2 and -3 weight drop actually mean?
A -2, -3 weight drop is the difference between the length of the bat and the weight. For example, if you have a 33" wood bat and the weight is -2 oz, subtract them (33 - 2) and you get a 31oz wood bat. Most leagues have bat weight limits. A lighter wood bat does not necessarily equate a better bat. Actually, the heavier and denser the wood, the more strength, durability, and pop it will have.

*Weight rules are a safety protocol for the players and fans.
High School, College, Amateur: The aluminum/ wood bat cannot weigh less than (-3 ounces).
Professional MLB baseball: No wood bat weight limit.

Wood Bat Handle Sizes Offered at Annex:

Youth: 7/8"
Small: 15/16"
Medium: 31/32"
Large: 1" and greater

Choosing a handle size comes down to individual preference and hand size. Typically, someone with smaller hands will choose a smaller handle, and someone with larger hands will choose a larger handle. However, some players like thin handled bats even though they have big hands, and vice versa.

Rule of thumb: A thinner handle will help a player swing the bat through the batting zone faster. Reason: It takes less strength with forearm and wrist muscles to get the thinner handle moving through the batting zone. Note: a thinner handle makes the wood bat more prone to breaking.

BARREL SIZE:

If you're a power hitter, and your game is to knock the ball out of the park, the right barrel size for you is large to extra-large. Power hitters like a heavier piece of wood and an end-loaded bat as this creates greater momentum to propel the ball away. This wood bat takes strength to swing and adapts less quickly to a pitch. Because of its slim handle and larger barrel design, it can be more prone to breaking. However, in the right hands this bat can last a very long time and crush many a ball out of the park.

- Are you more of a contact hitter? Is your game extra base hits and average?

The typical wood bat for the contact hitter is more evenly balanced. Designed with more weight distributed
in the handle and midsection, it delivers both speed and accuracy, and will allow a change of swing during the pitch. A medium to large size barrel will get the results you want by attacking the gaps and punching ground balls through the infield.

*Be advised if your league has barrel limits.
High School/College/Amateur maximum barrel size: 2 5/8 inches.
Professional MLB maximum barrel size: 2.61 inches.

Annex has wood bat options for all league barrel regulations.

Youth Player Bat Guide:

When picking out a wood bat for youth players; your height and weight are the main components when choosing the right bat. If you are purchasing a wooden bat for someone, we also have a bat sizing chart which is above, to help guide you to the right wood bat for your youth player. Youth maximum barrel size: 2-3/8" inches in diameter.

Weight of bat:

We suggest using nothing heavier the a -3 drop for youth players. Anything heavier than that will make it too tough to swing. A great rule of thumb is, if you hold a bat straight out in front of you and the barrel drops towards the ground, it is to heavy.

Length of bat:

When choosing a bat to be the right length there is one simple technique. Place the bat right next to you leg, and a good wood bat length will measure up to your mid hip area.

Finishing Offered at Annex

We encourage every player to follow these wood bat care tips to maintain a healthy Annex wood baseball bat:

Do not get your wood bat wet as this will add moisture to it, making it heavier. If this does happen, wipe it off immediately and store in a dry place.

Never hit the bottom of your cleats with any kind of wood bat. This will quickly ruin your bat by flaking and chipping the wood.

If your wood baseball bat receives dents or scratches from game-play, rub your bat with bone or another wood bat to smooth out the surface. Doing this will create a smooth, even surface once again.

New MLB studies have found that the face of the grain is the stronger surface to hit on. Hitting this way will allow for better contact and less chance of your bat breaking.

Have a separate batting practice wood bat, this will keep your game bat strong and ultimately lasting longer. These wood bat care tips go for youth and adult players that purchase any wooden baseball bat form Annex.

Warranty/Exchange Policy

Every Annex wood baseball bat is processed through our quality assurance and formost with our 'hands and eyes' for any imperfections before it leaves our facility. Due to the nature of the sport, we do not have a warranty on our wood bats. However, if you receive your Annex wood bat damaged by transit. Please contact us that day and we can replace your bat. If you do not contact us upon the day of arrival, we cannot replace your bat. Because we will not be able to guarantee The Annex Baseball Bat was damaged in transit.

Thank you for choosing an Annex Wood Bat, now lets keep your bat strong and lasting a long time!

Sugar Maple vs. White Ash: Top two species of wood in baseball today

Research has found Sugar Maple to be 10% harder, stiffer, and stronger than White Ash. Recent changes increased its safety factor in reference to bat breakage. Those changes include enhancing the initial selection process, and rotating the hitting surface of the wooden bat (the grain of the wood) by 90 degrees. In doing so, the contact point for a Maple bat is the face grain instead of the edge grain. It has been suggested that the new orientation is a much stronger position, proper for this sugar maple species. Players are still instructed to swing the wooden baseball bat with the label up.

White Ash continues to play a big role on the wooden bat front. Its 150 plus year history in baseball is hard to beat, and there is good reason. White Ash wooden bats are a reliable overall contender, can easily be made into various wooden bat models that players demand, and there is good availability of stock.

New rules governing the manufacture and selection processes of wooden bats sold to professional baseball have been introduced and implemented. And research continues on Maple vs Ash bats and other species of wood. Our company, at the current time, is not involved with MLB or sales of that nature. However, for quality and wooden bat safety standards, Annex Baseball receives, reviews, and implements (as we are capable), the same strict selection and manufacturing processes as those organizations suggest. Making the best baseball bat for our clients, and sent out with free shipping! Maple vs Ash bats will always be a on going battle. But what it comes down to, is what the player is comfortable with. Around 65% of players today choose maple over ash bats.