Overview

• The torpedo bat, popularized by the New York Yankees, features a unique design with mass concentrated lower in the barrel, leading to increased exit velocities and home run totals.
• MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has endorsed the innovation, describing it as beneficial for the sport and signaling league support for ongoing equipment evolution.
• The trend mirrors golf’s use of customized equipment, with tracking technologies like Statcast enabling teams to optimize bats for individual swing mechanics.
• Pitchers are being forced to refine their strategies, focusing on advanced techniques like pitch tunneling and breaking pitches to counter improved hitter performance.
• While some, like Brewers manager Pat Murphy, emphasize player skill over equipment, the growing adoption of torpedo bats hints at a future of highly personalized baseball gear.