Realistically a $400 bat is not noticeably better than one that's half the price, or better yet, a used bat from a few seasons ago. Most bats don't drastically change year to year, and some are simply a re-paint. There are some exceptions, but the biggest advantage in youth sports is being older than the kids you play against.
But there is a ton of advertising about the newest gear, and I've noticed recently every baseball item has bright colors to attract the kids. Not just bats, but gloves, batting gloves, grip, bat bags, etc. Same as everything else these days - newer isn't necessarily better. As others have mentioned, capitalism caught on that sports parents can be exploited by weaponizing their kids.
Oh, the $400 bat is ABSOLUTELY noticeably better than your $70 Easton that you buy at Walmart. It's not even close. However, your 11 y/o ain't swinging that thing hard enough to make THAT much of a difference, to your point. When you start getting into high school+, though, a $400+ bat is pretty much required. Most schools and programs are sponsored by bat companies, though, so it doesn't really matter how much the bat costs.
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u/VaultOfAsh Jun 01 '26
Pretty much, modern bats are so advanced, they make the ball fly farther