What is a Torpedo Bat?
Learn about the latest wood bat innovation from Louisville Slugger.
TORPEDO BAT FAQS
The torpedo bat craze has culminated in the most truly individualized bat models Louisville Slugger has made in its nearly 150-year history. Not only are players getting a knob style, handle thickness and taper and swing weight to their choosing, but also a sweet spot that’s perfectly crafted to match their unique swing.
What is a torpedo bat?
A standard baseball bat features a narrow handle that flares out to a barrel diameter that runs to the end of the bat. A torpedo bat narrows before reaching the end of the bat, while moving more mass into the sweet spot of the bat.
At the big-league level, every single sweet spot is customized to the individual player, based on analyzing thousands of lines of data and hit tracking information.
At the big-league level, every single sweet spot is customized to the individual player, based on analyzing thousands of lines of data and hit tracking information.
How is a Louisville Slugger torpedo-shaped bat made?
A Louisville Slugger torpedo-shaped bat starts as a carefully selected billet that has been selected based on its weight range. After being weighed and ink-dotted, the billet is placed in the CNC machine, which holds thousands of measurements, allowing the bat to be precisely shaped down to the millimeter – and giving the TPD1 its unique barrel profile. Once paint and decals are applied, the bat then undergoes the same hardening and finishing process as every Prime wood bat – complete with a Professional Series Finish and UV light treatment.
Is every torpedo bat the same?
No. The torpedo bats you see on big-league fields are fully customized for those specific players. The Louisville Slugger TPD1 is an all-new design and is not rooted in any of our 3,000+ turning models, further expanding the range of wood bat options available to players. There are already roughly a dozen different torpedo bat designs being used by pro players.
What are the benefits of a torpedo bat?
Torpedo bats move the mass in the barrel to a carefully selected place based on player swing data provided by teams. Essentially, it moves the sweet spot of the bat to where the player most commonly barrels the ball, helping deliver better performance at the plate.
Are torpedo bats legal?
Yes. MLB rules state the following: “The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood.” All Louisville Slugger torpedo-shaped bats adhere to these guidelines and are legal for play.
Do torpedo bats swing differently than a traditional wood bat?
Changing the barrel profile often leads to a dramatic shift in swing weight, but working with physicists and baseball scientists, Louisville Slugger has been able to move the sweet spot up or down the barrel based on each player’s swing data without changing the MOI (moment of inertia). In other words, the swing weight remains the same as the player’s ‘standard’ turning model.
Who are some players swinging Louisville Slugger torpedo-shaped bats?
A number of big-league players are already swinging Louisville Slugger torpedo-shaped bats – including former Rookie of the Year and MVP Cody Bellinger, Cincinnati superstar Elly De La Cruz, Chicago infielder Nico Hoerner and New York catcher Austin Wells, to name a few.
How can I get a torpedo-shaped bat?
Players nationwide can get their hands on the Louisville Slugger TPD1 now on slugger.com. Available in three colors, this turning model is backed by a best-in-class 75-day warranty.