What is a “Torpedo Bat”?
A Torpedo Bat is a special type of baseball bat currently being used by various players in the MLB. It has a different weight distribution than the traditional bat while maintaining the same weight. The bats have been deemed legal by the MLB as long as the barrel width does not exceed the league regulation of 2.61 inches.
Who invented it?
Aaron Leanhardt invented the concept for the Torpedo Bat while he was the Major League Analyst for the Yankees. He and several players noticed that the fattest part of the bat was not the barrel or “sweet spot,” but instead the tip. They decided that they were to switch the barrel with the tip, creating a “Torpedo” shape.
Why does it work?
The reason that the new design works is because it has more mass on the area that hits the ball better; it brings more kinetic energy to the ball and helps certain hitters who make contact towards the handle. The smaller tip also helps in fouling off balls that would have otherwise gotten the hitter out. However, since baseball, like golf, is a very personalized sport, it doesn’t work for everyone. Aaron Judge, for example, doesn’t use the bat because his contact area is perfectly positioned on the regular bat and using a Torpedo Bat would throw off his swing balance.
Related Stories:
https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/31/sport/torpedo-bats-mlb-yankees-explained-spt/index.html
https://apnews.com/article/torpedo-bats-yankees-6ac6c797ea935941ed1c0d0e51a7d870
https://www.mlb.com/news/aaron-leanhardt-discusses-invention-of-torpedo-bats
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/2025/04/01/what-is-a-torpedo-bat/82754601007/
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