If I mentioned the term “torpedo bat” what would be the first thing that came to mind? Would you think of some kind of underwater military weapon? Maybe you’re thinking about flying mammals terrorizing the villagers by nosediving at them? We appreciate the imagination, even though those aren’t the torpedo bats we were talking about. Torpedo bats have been the talk of the baseball world in this young 2025 season. What exactly is a torpedo bat? Who are the players currently using this type of bat? How does it affect the game of baseball?
What The Heck is a Torpedo Bat?
Major League Baseball defines a torpedo bat as an untraditional barrel that rests closer to the batter’s hands. Now, why is this important? Baseball analysts use analytics and statistics to manipulate the bats’ “sweet spot” by positioning the barrel in a place that fits each individual’s needs. For example, a dead pull hitter who preys on inside pitching could have their barrel significantly closer to their hands. Custom sweet spots are becoming a part of the game, making plenty of noise in the season’s first week.
The New York Yankees are currently the team with the most players using the new torpedo bat. Nothing shocking there, right? It’s as if a routine fly ball doesn’t already result in a Home Run in Yankee Stadium; they also need the bat’s advantage. Jazz Chisholm, Austin Wells, Paul Goldschmidt, and Anthony Volpe are amongst the Bronx Bombers using the approved bat. Elly De La Cruz went 4 for 5 with 2 Home Runs and 7 RBI when debuting his torpedo bat. Other notable players using the bat so far are Orioles’ Adley Rutschman, Cubs’ Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner, Mets’ Francisco Lindor, and Phillies’ Alec Bohm.
How Does the Torpedo Bat Affect Baseball?
This is an interesting question without a definitive answer. Everyone knows the hardest thing to do in sports is hitting a round ball with a round bat. Yes, the torpedo bat creates a custom sweet spot for each individual batter, but the hitter still needs to make contact. Baseball is one sport that technology hasn’t been used like other sports. Before you jump all over me, I am not talking about replay, challenges, etc. I am talking about technology as far as sports equipment. Players have essentially used the same piece of wood to hit balls all over the yard for 100 years.
What did we say in the ’90s? “Chicks dig the long ball,” right? We are way past the days of the Steroid Era in baseball (someone, please give Jurickson Profar the memo). In reality, we are closer than ever to it when it comes to Home Runs, though. Similar to basketball’s three-point shot, analytics show that the launch angle and the long ball are more valued than ever. So why not manipulate the bat legally to help your team win?
Final Thoughts
I am all for torpedo bats in baseball. My gripe is actually the emphasis on Home Runs in today’s game. Of course, hitting the long fly ball, deep to left and into the stands is one of the most exciting things in sports. It is crazy that a guy like Tony Gwynn may not be as valuable in today’s MLB.
Teams seem to take players that hit .230 and 25 Home Runs over a guy that hits over .300 with little to no power. Contact guys who can spray the ball all over the field are becoming obsolete. The days of the shift proved hitters could not adjust, so baseball adjusted the rules for them. With this latest adjustment, torpedo bats may be the future of America’s Pastime.
