Q&A About Bat Speed

Q: Let’s start with an easy one. What is bat speed? A: At its simplest, it’s how fast you can swing a bat — usually measured in miles per hour for a fixed point on the bat barrel.

Q: At what point in the swing is bat speed measured? A: The two most common ways for it to be measured are right at impact, using sensors, or at the bat’s highest speed, which also normally is right around impact. You’ll hear those referred to as “bat speed at impact” or “max bat speed.”

Q: Wouldn’t you want those to be the same? A: Definitely. You want your max bat speed to be at impact as often as possible. That said, we know how difficult hitting a moving pitch can be! The best pro players like Mookie Betts are very good at it. It should be your goal as a hitter to be on time with your bat speed vs. a live pitch.

Q: There are a lot of variables involved, of course, but what are some ranges of bat speeds you’ve seen for different levels of players? A: Pro players are usually anywhere between 75-100 mph. For the most part, younger players are going to be anywhere between 40-60 mph. If you get to the point where you can swing 70 mph against a moving pitch, you’re doing very well. Anything above that would be icing on the cake.

Q: Do you see a difference in bat speed when measured against moving pitches? A: Oh yeah. Most everybody has decent bat speed off the tee. But when the ball starts moving, the numbers are all over the place. The best big league players generate high bat speeds off both a tee and a moving pitch. That’s not the case for most players, though.

Q: What impact does the size of your bat have on bat speed? A: If you think about it, you could use a Wiffle ball bat and swing 110 mph. So the weight, the length, and the forces behind the bat definitely have an impact. Your goal should be to use the longest, heaviest bat you can swing fastest with control.

Q: What do you mean by control? A: When I say control, I’m talking about swing plane, or attack angle — i.e., can you direct your barrel on a path that stays consistent to the ball?

Q: What insights have you gleaned about control from analyzing swing data? A: The data I saw while working at Zepp showed that for young players, the faster they swung, the more likely they were to generate a negative attack angle. So swinging harder and faster actually caused them to lose control of their barrels. That negative attack angle — swinging down — is going to cause their barrel to only be in the hitting zone for a very short amount of time, making it very difficult to square up balls consistently. A hitter who can maintain a slightly positive attack angle has a longer hitting zone when trying to match the barrel with the incoming pitch. Q: So there’s an optimal balance you’re looking for between speed and control? A: Right, and that actually gets to one of the biggest advantages of the Axe handle. With the old way — the round knob — you have to choose between swinging fast and being in control. That’s been the dilemma with round-handled bats forever. Only the very best players can do both with a round knob because of how the bottom edge digs into your palm and creates what we call “grip gaps” that cause you to lose contact with the handle. With the Axe handle, all of that goes away. You don’t have to sacrifice control for speed or vice versa. Now, you can focus on swinging as fast as you can, remain in control of your barrel, and make contact on the sweet spot.