What length bat to buy for 13 yr old?

[chapelhillbilly]

We are looking to purchase a new bat for my daughter for xmas this year. We have had a Easton Stealth in the past (and loved it) but she outgrew it and we passed it on down to my younger daughter. So then we went to a rocketech last year. She liked it well enough and hit well with it in the beginning of the year but by this fall didn't seem to do as well as with it. She borrowed another teammates Stealth a couple of tournaments and hit really well (over the fence for the first time ever. yay!) Her rockettech was a 31" and the Stealth she borrowed was 32". So now my question is what length do I get her. According to her weight/height ratio which is 5'4" and 130 lb it was recommended that she use a 33/23. I don't want to purchase her a bat that she struggles with but I also hate to buy her a 32/22 this year and have to turn around and buy her a bigger one next year. This is her first year of getting to play on the Middle School team and I would like to buy a bat that will at least get her through til highschool. So any suggestions?

Another question is I see a lot of players use the white and purple Stealth but not many using the black and purple bat. I know that the black is a little heavier but my daughter does like some weight to a bat so what do you think on that aspect? Is the extra length and weight just going to be way too much for her to handle?

 

[redhotcoach]

We are looking to purchase a new bat for my daughter for xmas this year. We have had a Easton Stealth in the past (and loved it) but she outgrew it and we passed it on down to my younger daughter. So then we went to a rocketech last year. She liked it well enough and hit well with it in the beginning of the year but by this fall didn't seem to do as well as with it. She borrowed another teammates Stealth a couple of tournaments and hit really well (over the fence for the first time ever. yay!) Her rockettech was a 31" and the Stealth she borrowed was 32". So now my question is what length do I get her. According to her weight/height ratio which is 5'4" and 130 lb it was recommended that she use a 33/23. I don't want to purchase her a bat that she struggles with but I also hate to buy her a 32/22 this year and have to turn around and buy her a bigger one next year. This is her first year of getting to play on the Middle School team and I would like to buy a bat that will at least get her through til highschool. So any suggestions?

Another question is I see a lot of players use the white and purple Stealth but not many using the black and purple bat. I know that the black is a little heavier but my daughter does like some weight to a bat so what do you think on that aspect? Is the extra length and weight just going to be way too much for her to handle?

75% of players on our 14u teams use 33 inch bats. The other 25% are 32 inch. My just turned 13 dd's fav bat is 32/22 freak, she also uses a 32/23 rocket tech (though I weighed it and it is 25oz). Her winter training bat is a 34/26 rip it force. The force is a bit long for her to be comfortable with in a game.

The black and purple stealth is just a -9 the white and purple is a -10.

I truly believe with good mechanics and a few weeks to get used to it, a 13 year old girl could hit a bat of any weight. I believe parents have their kids try a little heavier bat and decide in a few minutes that it is too heavy. My dd can not go back and forth well with her balanced bats and the rocketech. She hits fine, just much more pop ups.

Just me...but I am into adding gaining weight in bats, and less concerned about length. Boys baseball is traditionally (with up to -3 drops) a lot slower at gaining length in the bats they use, and a lot faster at gaining weight (smaller drops)

 

[chapelhillbilly]

thank you for the advise. And yes she's been using a 34" catalyst that her batting coach has during the off season. She does well with it for the first bucket then she gets tired and has trouble after that. But I also realize she's not going to be swinging like that during a game. I will probably end up going with the 33. She's is stout enough and a power hitter so I think she'll be able to handle it. For $300 I hope I'm right. LOL

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I always go an inch shorter on Rockettechs. So, I think you are describing a girl that needs a 32 inch bat. You can't go too wrong with a 33, though. Please remember that we don't teach choking up, anymore. If you don't take the wrapper off the bat, it might be returnable, if she doesn't love it.

 

[MsDinosaur]

So now my question is what length do I get her. According to her weight/height ratio which is 5'4" and 130 lb it was recommended that she use a 33/23.

That's interesting. The size charts I've seen and the justbats.com site both recommend a 32" length for a girl that size. If she has been using a 31" bat, I would hesitate to jump up 2" all at once, especially when she probably has it in her mind that she wants a 32" like the one she borrowed. ---Maybe go with a 32" length but a drop 9 so that you keep the 23 ounce suggestion? Is there somewhere she can swing a few to see what feels good?

 

[lstorie1971]

My daughter is just about that same size. When I got her a 33/23 Stealth, it seemed a bit heavy to her, but after using for a few weeks, she was swinging it with no problem.

 

[coach james]

Bat length should be close to her pant leg inseam +1"
My dd is 14. 5'9".140 lbs she swings a stealth 33/24
At 5'4".... I'd say 32/23... being 13, she's old enough to start clearing the fence and the -9 will help that goal.