There’s a lot that’s new in the fresh iteration of the Louisville Slugger Prime line to get the bats 30% harder and allow the 140-year-old brand to more than double the warranty from 30 days to an industry-leading 75 days. It all starts with a trip back into company history. 

Bobby Hillerich, a fifth-generation bat maker and vice president of manufacturing and product development, is a great-grandson of Bud Hillerich, who created the first-ever Slugger bat for professional Louisville Eclipse player Pete Browning in his father’s woodworking shop. Bobby Hillerich was researching published studies on wood surface hardening techniques when he saw a Penn State University study reference a 1902 patent from his great-grandfather regarding hickory wood spun on a lathe. 

“There is a combination of pressure and heat that is getting us the surface tension that we want,” Bobby Hillerich tells Baseball America. “We’ve updated it with new techniques and pressures.” 

The entire Louisville Slugger manufacturing process received an update. For the new Prime line, made with both maple and birch, the hardening is more than just the pressure and heat. It also comes from optimizing the brand’s vacuum drying system. Previously, wood could sit up to three weeks before going from green to vacuum driers at the Pennsylvania factory, but the cells started hardening while air drying, not allowing the vacuum to compress them. Louisville Slugger now vacuum dries the wood the same week they are processed from the log, all while keeping them stored at 70 degrees to increase stability. 

Once the billets get shipped to Louisville and turned and shaped into a bat, they receive a completely new finish. In search for a finish that wouldn’t take four days to cure, Bobby Hillerich and his team flew to San Diego to check out a process Taylor Guitar was using on their instruments. “We sprayed it on a bat and went and hit it on a steel post,” he says about the visit. “It was fantastic.” 

From there, Slugger met with Taylor Guitar’s engineer and the finish supplier, and the result was a finish developed for bats that can cure in a UV line in 13 seconds. “If we are rushing a bat out for a player,” Bobby Hillerich says, “13 seconds in the UV line and its done.”

The combination of selecting only the hardest woods, the vacuum drying, pressure and heat when turning and a new finish adds up to a bat 30% harder than the previous version. “This is our hardest wood product we have ever made,” Joe Cmelik, senior product line manager, tells Baseball America. “We really went back to the basics, broke down where we were at and where we wanted to be. We see it as a new product.” 

The game’s top players have tested the bat for the last year and Cmelik calls the feedback “overwhelmingly positive,” with players commenting on it without prompting. “They notice this bat is a lot harder,” he says. “They notice it in sound, notice it in feel, they are not seeing ball marks.” 

The harder the bat, the more energy transfer to the ball, ideally increasing exit-speed velocity. “We are always looking for a couple extra feet,” Bobby Hillerich says. The results panned out during the 2023 MLB season, with Ronald Acuna Jr., Cody Bellinger and Kyle Schwarber all having outstanding seasons using the updated technology.

Now Slugger brings that technology to scale with the April 17 retail launch of the entire Prime line. Cmelik expects the RA13 Ronald Acuna Jr. player model and the C271 to remain the most popular bats in the lineup, and Louisville Slugger also plans limited editions and different colorways throughout the year. The Prime wood line has proven sought after at retail by high-level travel players, but also by college players in wood bat leagues. 

No matter the Prime style, every model has received the complete update, but the fifth-generation bat maker still gets drawn to the natural wood finish. It’s in his blood, after all. “I like,” Bobby Hillerich says, “to see everything inside that piece of wood.” 

Tim Newcomb covers gear and business for Baseball America.

The post Louisville Slugger Makes Prime Bat 30% Harder By Dipping Into 1902 Company Patent appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

Both the Ryan Smith-designed M23 catcher’s mitt and the Shigeaki Aso-designed B23 pitcher’s glove launched in A2K and A2000 models, with more updates coming from Wilson.

“I am always thinking about gloves,” Aso tells Baseball America. And that led him to create the B23 model with a nod to the 1810 outfielder’s glove. “The 1810 has a very snug fit at the backhand,” he says, “because of this, it fits very well on the pinky side, on the back side.”

The 12-inch B23 pitcher’s design uses a modified wrist strap to hug the back of the hand and introduces a wider pinky stall to fit multiple fingers while remaining sturdy throughout the entire pitching motion and once the pitcher transitions to a fielder.

“I made the palm liner on the pinky side wider so the pinky finger will rest at the very edge when you put two fingers in the pinky stall,” Aso says. “The pinky panel is wider so that it is easier to put two fingers in.”

Aso says the design works for players who wear their gloves traditionally or for players going with the trend of multiple fingers in the pinky stall.

The new wrist strap, which differs from other models, is cut to hold the back of the hand no matter how the pitcher wears the glove. The curve along the back toward the pinky and wrist is meant to create a secure fit.

“When a pitcher throws the ball, most pitchers will bring the glove in front of their body, then pull back,” Aso says. “When going through this motion, the updated wrist strap makes it easier to secure the glove, helping players create more natural power through the pitch.”

The security helps breed confidence for pitchers on the mound. Aso says that the first order of business for a pitcher is to pitch, so giving a fit ideal to generate additional confidence and power during the pitching motion was the goal of the new B23 design.

Aso says player feedback has been great, even from players who wear the glove traditionally, but especially from those who follow the trend of two fingers in the pinky stall. He notes the players also like the cross designed into the web, a touch he brought over from designs popular in the Japanese market.

The one-piece swordsman web is more than aesthetic, though. Along with a focus on the backside of the B23, Wilson created a deep pocket on the glove to help pitchers from unwanted pitch tipping. The swordsman web helps conceal the grip by adding a second piece of leather inlaid in the web—in this case a snakeskin piece—in a contrasting color.

Smith’s focus when working on the new M23 catcher’s mitt was all about helping catchers receive and frame the ball. The 33.5-inch design reduces the padding along the fingertips to help the catcher position his thumb under the ball.

“This mitt is created for the most up-to-date style of catching,” Smith says. “It is built so that the catcher can get his thumb under the ball easier. To accomplish this, we reduced the toe padding for a lighter flip of the mitt.”

Meant to welcome a new school of catching, the reduced padding allows catchers to prioritize mobility by encouraging maneuverability.

“Catchers are now being taught to get their thumb under the ball as they move their hand from the ground up to receive the pitch,” Smith says. “The game has evolved, and so the mitt needs to evolve with it. The M23 has the perfect feel and pocket shape for this new style of catching.”

By reducing the toe pads along the edge, the M23 creates a larger pocket to help with control. An expanded receiving area in the palm can assist catchers in securing the ball. The half-moon web is meant to fit with the updated structure to make it easier to frame fastballs or snag breaking balls in the dirt.

Even with two brand-new models hitting the Wilson lineup, the team isn’t resting. Aso says that players can expect a new infielder pattern soon to follow the lead of the outfielder and pitcher designs welcoming two fingers in the pinky stall. He’s also working on a new first base mitt.

Tim Newcomb covers gear and business for Baseball America.

The post Pair Of New Wilson Glove Patterns Highlight Baseball’s Trends appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

Headlining the 2023 lineup is the update to the technology on the two-piece composite Hype Comp. Easton says it used test results and player feedback from the bat’s time on the market to improve on the design. A newly increased barrel length and lower barrel compression gives the Hype Comp a lighter swing weight with improved performance, Easton says.  

“Our team pushed hard to make further, meaningful improvements driven by player testing and data, continuing to help our bats perform at the highest levels,” said Matt Arndt, Easton senior vice president of product and research and development. “We were able to achieve lower barrel compression, longer barrels and lighter swing weights, and that has been met with overwhelmingly positivity by players on field.”  

John Loeffler, Easton bat category manager, said the lighter swing weight was one key component to target to help give players faster swing speeds and more barrel control.

“Other critical components we targeted and achieved in improving were our barrel compression and barrel lengths,” he said. “A lower barrel compression results in even more trampoline effect and higher performances for players, giving them a better feeling and hotter bat.”  

Longer barrel lengths allow players a more substantial hitting surface, setting them up for more success in hitting the baseball harder, Loeffler said.  

The Hype Comp comes in a -10, -8 and -5 in various lengths.  

New to the Easton USSSA lineup is the Encore series, a completely new technology for the brand being introduced into USSSA baseball. The Encore is a lightweight composite bat available in a -10 and -5 version.  

Easton continues with the one-piece aluminum Alpha ALX, available in a -10, -8 and -5. Loeffler said the Alpha provides a “high performance and durable bat for the players who love its traditional feel.”  

The line of Easton bats launched online Oct. 6 and will hit retail stores and other online outlets on Oct. 13.  

Tim Newcomb covers gear and business for Baseball America. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.  

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Using thousands of digital simulations, Louisville Slugger engineers optimized wall thickness in the Atlas Evoke Alloy Barrel along the entire length of the bat’s barrel. The computer modeling mimicked the BBCOR certification test to see how well differing barrel profiles performed in the baseball environment, allowing engineers to test thousands of designs in a matter of weeks instead of years.  

“We literally did thousands and thousands of design iterations using the computer to come up with the optimum performance profile for each bat length,” said James Earley, Louisville Slugger director of engineering. “What this computer simulation did for us is that it accurately mimics the BBCOR performance cannon test.”  

Following the computer modeling, engineers then crafted samples of the best-performing designs for additional real-world testing.

“It takes a week or two to get new samples rather than a month or two,” Earley said. “It’s like the design process on steroids.”  

Using traditional play testing, the brand’s research and development team further refined the final Atlas barrel profile, dubbed the Evoke Alloy Barrel, meant to create a larger sweet spot.

“We were able to manipulate the wall profile so that every spot on the barrel has great performance,” Earley said.  

Joe Cmelik, Louisville Slugger product manager, says the intersection of advanced computer modeling and traditional playtesting results in an optimized wall thickness across the barrel for elite performance and solid feel.  

The digital modeling identified the highest performing wall thickness in each spot along the barrel, meant to expand the bat’s sweet spot. Then, on the production side, automated lathes were programmed to machine the barrel from the inside, resulting in the ideal barrel profile as defined by the engineers.  

Unlike other one-piece alloy designs, the Atlas includes technology meant to dampen vibration, especially on a mishit. Located between the top of the handle and the base of the barrel, a honeycomb-shaped Tuned Mass Damper absorbs vibration on contact, designed to prevent the vibration from reaching a player’s hands.  

Louisville Slugger adds a SPD-GEN2 End Cap to the design.  

The new Atlas will be available at retail this fall for $300. Previous Louisville Slugger one-piece alloy offerings, the Omaha and Vapor, both received updates for 2023 and released on Oct. 5.  

The 2023 Omaha 

The popular Omaha gets a redesign for 2023 with a new TPX-24 Alloy barrel for added stiffness and energy transfer. The updated PWR End Cap and Tuned Mass Damper are included on the bat designed to produce feel without sacrificing the stiffness and power that keep hitters coming back to the Omaha. The updated 2023 Louisville Slugger Omaha (-3) BBCOR bat retails for $250.  

The 2023 Vapor 

The 2023 Vapor receives an update in the form of an “extremely stiff construction” on the Series 7 Alloy Barrel meant to fall in line with the bat’s value proposition with a $120 retail price. The steady one-piece design pairs the alloy barrel with a new HUB 1-Shot End Cap designed to optimize performance and maximize durability while offering up a light-swinging feel.  

Tim Newcomb covers gear and business for Baseball America. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.  

The post Louisville Slugger Employs Digital Simulations to Create New One-Piece Atlas BBCOR Bat  appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

ATEC, part of the Wilson family of brands and the official training equipment of Major League Baseball, had grown popular with the M3X machines that could transition from offensive to defensive drills in a matter of minutes. The company claims this feature makes them the only machine baseball and softball coaches need. The upgrades build off that versatility.  

“I’m a huge fan of the ATEC M3X machines and am excited to start using the new 2.0 version. I even requested to have the first ones off the assembly line,” said Link Jarrett, Florida State head baseball coach. “The M3X 2.0 machines are great because they’re easy to use and extremely versatile. It’s simple to transition from BP to defensive drills, including ground balls and fly balls. They help us efficiently manage all the drills we need to do to help our players improve and stay on top of their game.”? 

M3X 2.0 Baseball and Softball Training Machines, with a retail price of $3,500, can be adjusted to throw varying pitch speeds,?with maximum velocities of 95-plus mph for baseball and 70-plus mph for softball. The?new?micro-adjustment knob allows for more precise on-the-fly adjustments?to quickly?switch?from ground?balls?to?fly balls during defensive drills?and?change?pitch types and locations during batting practice.? 

“Building off the tremendous success of the M3X machine, the M3X 2.0 has been upgraded with higher top-end speeds, faster breaking balls and more control over pitch location,” said Todd Heinemann, ATEC consumer relations manager. “We have been working with Rapsodo to provide in-depth spin rates on every possible pitch so coaches will be able to find the exact pitch they want to throw for any ability level. The M3X 2.0 also has a smaller footprint and is much lighter than the larger machines on the market, so it has all the power and functionality a coach will ever need.”? 

The new knob allows for quicker and more precise adjustments than previously, both in batting practice and during defensive drills. The?M3X 2.0’s re-engineered?steel wheel guards?improve?durability, while the redesigned high-definition ball chute has an adjusted angle to provide a more?unobstructed view of the ball?both at the plate and in the field.?The elevation pro handle improves?elevation?range on fly balls without?the need to?manually?tilt?the machine.?? 

The? speed control dial allows coaches to change pitch types seamlessly, with no more than eight seconds?needed to change pitches.?Compatible with leather, foam and dimpled balls, M3X 2.0 machines have a?five-year limited warranty for frame and non-moving parts and a?two-year limited warranty on moving parts.? 

Tim Newcomb covers gear and business for Baseball America. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.  

The post ATEC Updates Popular M3X Training Machines  appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

One of the top selling BBCOR bats in the game with what the brand calls an easy swing and groundbreaking performance, the 2023 DeMarini Voodoo One (-3) debuts with the Voodoo One Gold, complete with the bat’s signature X14 alloy barrel. But new this year is a reinforced knob and Refined Tracer End Cap.  

“We wanted to maintain the performance and feel that hitters love in the Voodoo One, while also making meaningful updates for players,” said Joe Cmelik, senior product line manager for DeMarini bats. “As product developers, there’s a fine line when you have a bat that hitters like as is, but we want to push the model forward as much as possible.”  

With that balance in mind, the latest iteration of the Voodoo One features the same barrel DeMarini engineers crafted with exit velocities in mind and the same one-piece alloy construction known for pop, balanced swing weight and a forgiving feel. But new to the 2023 model are the updates to the knob and end cap.  

“In the case of the Voodoo One Gold, it came down to making some small improvements that make the consumer experience better without taking away from what made the product great in the first place,” Cmelik said. “So, we worked hard to develop a reinforced knob and create the Refined Tracer End Cap.”

The updated end cap is formed with composite materials and works the alloy barrel, designed to optimize performance for maximum exit velocities. The one-piece alloy construction generates a stiff feel through the swing, the brand says, with the composite materials specifically designed to strengthen the cap and match the barrel.  

The reinforced knob is meant to improve handling to maximize swing speeds.  

“The reinforced knob provides the leverage needed to empower hitters to maximize their bat speed,” Cmelik said, “while the Refined Tracer End cap advances Voodoo One Gold’s powerful barrel performance.”  

The Voodoo One is available in six lengths, ranging from 29 inches to 34 inches, all with corresponding -3 weight drops. It retails for $350.  

Tim Newcomb covers gear and business for Baseball America. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.  

The post DeMarini Unveils 2023 Voodoo One Gold  appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

The Encore Hybrid comes all new for 2023—a two-piece hybrid composite bat featuring the brand’s CompCore technology. The CompCore design from Easton, which the company calls its “most technically advanced two-piece hybrid” was designed to create thinner barrel walls, a larger sweet spot and a maximized trampoline effect. Easton’s PureLynk CXN connects the handle directly to the barrel to reduce barrel flex, giving the Encore Hybrid a stiffer feeling for power. 

“The Encore Hybrid is a technologically advanced, one-of-a-kind hybrid bat to help elite athletes on the field,” said Matt Arndt, Easton senior vice president of product and research and development.  

Ringless R5 alloy is thinned 30% and internally backed with a composite technology across the length of the hitting surface for the thinner barrel wall. For stiffness on contact, the handle features extra-stiff carbon fiber and the connection point ties the handle directly to the barrel. This design maximizes stiffness, energy transfer and power at contact.  

The Encore Hybrid -3 comes in 31-inch through 34-inch lengths. 

Additional bats in the Easton 2023 BBCOR lineup include the light swing weight and big-barreled two-piece Hype Comp composite and the one-piece aluminum Alpha ALX.  

The Hype Comp has a carbon handle with extra-stiff carbon fiber for more stability. The composite technology in the barrel is designed for a large sweet spot while giving the Hype Comp the lightest swinging bat in the brand’s lineup. Nitrocell foam injected into the connection point on the bat is designed to maximize energy transfer with a stiffer feel on contact. The foam also helps reduce vibration.  

The ringless barrel design of the Alpha uses differing layers of alloy to enlarge the sweet spot and strive for a smoother feel at contact. The R5 Alloy used in the bat was chosen for lightweight durability with what the brand calls a “high barrel response.”  

The Hype -3 comes in 30-inch through 34-inch lengths and the Alpha -3 comes in 30-inch through 34-inch lengths.  

All three bats in the Easton lineup feature soft knob technology for more leverage while reducing vibration and improving comfort.  

Tim Newcomb covers gear and business for Baseball America. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.  

The post Easton Adds Encore Hybrid to 2023 BBCOR Bat Lineup appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

The fresh A2K lineup features five professional-level patterns, with an all-new 12.75-inch 1810 outfielder’s glove and updates to the 1786 and 1787 infield gloves, the D33 pitcher’s glove and M1D catcher’s mitt.  

Every Wilson A2K gets built in the brand’s Japanese factory with Pro Stock Select leather, the top 5% of all hides brought in by the company. Wilson adds double-palm construction, with an extra piece of leather in the palm to help with glove shaping and create a long-lasting pocket.  

Highlighting the 2023 lineup is the new outfield glove pattern, the 1810, which Aso designed to improve durability and fit security. The design includes a modified wrist strap and wider pinky finger stall.  

“With players now typically preferring to put two fingers in the pinky stall, the 1810 features a newly shaped wrist strap that better holds the back of a player’s hand,” Aso says. “The back pinky bends toward the player’s hand, holding it snug without feeling too tight.”  

A wider palm liner allows outfielders to wear the 1810 glove with two or even three fingers in the pinky, but still with control. A traditional wrist strap maintains a smooth shape across the back of the hand, but the newly designed 1810 strap is cut to better hold the back of the hand no matter how a player wears the glove, Aso says. The pattern includes a longer finger divider between the middle and ring finger stalls, extending lower into the palm liner to secure the fit without tightness.  

Aso says these changes “combine into one glove made for a better fit. When a player catches a ball at the top of the glove fingers, the glove will hold its shape better and it will not bend.”  

Wilson believes it can prolong the life of the 1810 by extending the felt layer all the way to the palm laces.

“It is designed to make it easier to close the glove while keeping its shape,” Aso says, adding it will improve the life of the pinky finger section of the glove.  

Tied off laces between the middle and ring fingers are designed to create a cushion between the fingers when outfielders close the glove.  

The 1786 11.5-inch infield glove features a shallow-pocket construction. The 2023 version includes black leather and SuperSkin to repel moisture, reduce weight and improve durability. The 11.75-inch 1887 infield glove features tan leather meant for a “timeless look.” The patented dimpled texture of the Spin Control Technology in the palm is designed to increase friction against the ball for improved command of the infield. The glove also comes in SuperSkin.  

Wilson has an 11.75-inch pitcher’s glove, the D33, with a closed pro-laced web and deep pocket to conceal pitch grips. The M1D 33.5-inch catcher’s mitt features leather and SuperSnakeSkin.  

Wilson says the 2023 line, which features a mixture of vintage tan, coal and black, was built to look “clean and classic.”  

Tim Newcomb covers gear and business for Baseball America. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.  

The post Wilson’s 2023 A2K Lineup Offers Five Professional-Grade Gloves, Including New Outfielder Pattern appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

Every year the fresh lineup includes a mixture of bats in the brand’s MLB Prime Signature Series. In 2023 that features the game model bats of Ronald Acuna Jr., Cody Bellinger, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Eloy Jimenez, Kyle Schwarber and Christian Yelich. Add in an MLB Prime DJ2 Captain design as a harkening back to Derek Jeter‘s bat specs and Louisville Slugger has a healthy range of signature styles.  

“The 2023 lineup gives a nod to some of the game’s legends, as well as some of the biggest sluggers on the diamond today,” says Jake Misener, Louisville Slugger brand manager.  

Misener says the MLB Prime lineup is, once again, headlined by the Signature Series bats, which include an entirely new look for the VG27. The Guerrero Jr. Signature Series bat is similar to the C243 model, one of the brand’s oldest and most popular big-barrel designs.  

Using birch for hardness and flexibility, the wood is bone rubbed in the Louisville Slugger factory for extra hardness and receives a topcoat of finish to increase the hardness and offer a unique aesthetic.  

Available with a wine barrel, black handle and gold branding, the VG27 comes in lengths from 31 inches to 34 inches and includes a seamless decal applied under the topcoat. From a construction perspective, the VG27 has a large, slightly end-loaded barrel with a short barrel taper. It features a traditional knob taper, a standard thickness on the handle and no cup.  

“We added four new MLB Prime models, including a DJ2 design inspired by the specs and look used by Hall of Famer Derek Jeter during his career,” Misener says. “We also brought player models to our Youth Prime for the first time.”  

Overall, the Slugger lineup includes MLB Prime Maple, MLB Prime Birch, Select Cut M9 and Select Cut B9 as well as Youth Prime, Youth Genuine and Youth Flylite models.  

Tim Newcomb covers gear and business for Baseball America. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.  

The post Louisville Slugger Releases 2023 Wood Bat Lineup appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

The Original Black Magic was popular in the mid-1980s, one of the most used bats in Easton’s history—along with the B5 Pro. The original Black Magic was the first 2-3/4-inch barrel bat of its kind and quickly grew in use across amateur baseball. Today’s Black Magic Retro Remix, which launched for pre-order on June 9, offers a modern take on the original, engineered for today’s game with a style reminiscent of the one four decades ago.

“The original Black Magic might arguably be one of the most well-known bats to ever be made,” says John Loeffler, Easton’s bat category manager. “We are thrilled to bring that name back to life with updated technology, innovation and performance.”  

The new Black Magic Retro Remix offers a one-piece aluminum bat with R5 alloy. The FlyWall ringless barrel design features different layers of alloy across the barrel, aimed at crafting a larger sweet spot and smoother feel at contact. The Easton Power Boost Soft Knob technology is meant to give hitters more leverage with reduced vibration and comfort for the bottom hand.  

Of course, the retro styling plays across the aesthetics of the bat with the black base punctuated with gold.  

“The original Black Magic was one of those bats to set the standard for bat innovation when it was first introduced,” says Matt Arndt, Easton senior vice president of product and research and development. “Now, coupled with today’s standards and advancements in technology, we are excited to bring back one of the most iconic bats in baseball history.”  

The Black Magic released in multiple sizes for pre-order on June 9 and will be available online and in stores on June 16. The BBCOR design, priced at $350, is a -3, while the USSSA, priced at $280, comes in a -10, -8 or -5, all with varying barrel lengths and weights.  

Tim Newcomb covers gear and business for Baseball America. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.  

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