What exactly is an ASA certified bat? A science test lab accredited by ASA to perform softball and/or baseball bat testing is known as an ASA-Approved Testing Facility. To become ASA-Approved, a test lab must first submit an application for certification.
The USABat Standard for non-wood youth baseball bats went into effect on January 1, 2018. Approved bats with the USA Baseball mark are performance tested and must perform to a wood-like standard under USABat. To receive USABat certification, bats must undergo performance tests and receive final approval from USA Baseball. The first step in this process is for a bat manufacturer to create a design sample and submit it for performance testing to the Washington State University Sports Science Lab.
USA Baseball reserves the right to compliance test any bat on the USABat approved bat list at any time in order to maintain the integrity of the USABat standard. Production bats sold at retail must pass compliance testing to ensure that they meet the USABat standard and are identical to the bats submitted by the manufacturers during the initial certification process.
The bat is considered noncompliant and the decertification process begins if the test shows the bat model being sold at retail does not meet USABat performance and design standards. Once compliance testing is completed and conclusive evidence that a bat model is not compliant with the USABat standard is received, USA Baseball is required to announce a bat decertification.
In this comparison review, we’ll be comparing USA baseball decertified bats and decertified bbcor bats from an ASA USA list of certified bats to determine if certified baseball bats or decertified bats are better!
Asa certified bats & decertified bats for 2021
If a previously approved USABat is decertified, the bat manufacturer is required to compensate customers and take any other steps necessary to make them whole. If a USABat is ever decertified, USA Baseball will post information on how to contact the bat maker at https://usabat.com/decertified-bats/
USABat Decertified Bats:
Easton Ghost X 30/20 YBB18GX10 and LL18GHX 30/20 2 5/8”
USA Baseball has decertified the Easton Ghost X 30/20 YBB18GX10 and LL18GHX 30/20 2 5/8” and it is no longer an approved bat under the USABat Standard. This is true for the Ghost X YBB18GX10 and LL18GHX, which have a 30” (-10) length. The Easton Ghost X USABat is also legal to play in all other confirmed lengths and drops.
BBCOR Decertified Bats:
33-Inch Louisville Slugger 2020 Meta (-3) 2-5/8” (WTLBBMTB32033, WBL23630103033, & WTLCBBMP20V)
The NCAA recently performed additional tests on the Louisville Slugger 2020 Meta (-3) BBCOR baseball bat, which was previously certified at 33 in./30 oz. Following the completion of this extra testing, resulted in the NCAA & The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) having removed this model from their list of approved bats. Other sizes of this bat model, as well as earlier model years of the bat model, have not been decertified at this time.
33-INCH REEBOK VECTOR-TLS BAT
This bat (Reebok Vector-TLS 33-inch length) should be considered non-compliant and subject to Junior and Senior Baseball Rules 1.10 and 6.06(d) as well as the USABat Standard as of right now. BBCOR bats are no longer allowed for use in Junior League Baseball under the new USABat Standard, which went into effect on January 1, 2018.
34-inch Marucci CAT5 Squared Bat and 33- and 34-inch Marucci Black Bats
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has given official notice that the BBCOR decertification process for the Marucci CAT5 Squared 34-inch model bat and the Marucci Black 33- and 34-inch bats has been introduced, according to USA Baseball. These bats (Marucci CAT5 Squared 34-inch length and Marucci Black 33- and 34-inch lengths) should be considered non-compliant and subject to Junior and Senior League Baseball Rules 1.10 and 6.06(d) as well as the USABat Standard, effective immediately.
Certified Baseball Bats:
We recorded over 2000 swings on BBCOR bats for the 2021 season, compared them to thousands of swings from 2020, 2019, and 2018, looked at user reviews and received direct feedback from real high school players. We believe Slugger’s META is the best BBCOR bat for 2021, based on our overall ratings. Although the bat did not perform as well as its 2020 counterpart, the feel is still excellent and the exit speeds are excellent. DeMarini’s The Goods were preferred by batters who preferred a stiffer or heavier bat. Older bats like Marucci’s CAT 5-squared and Slugger’s 516 Omaha (which can only be found on eBay) are great buys in terms of overall value.
2021 Louisville Slugger Meta
R DNA has a lot of power. The 2021 Meta (-3), a BBCOR bat that keeps changing the game, lays unyielding authority in your hands. Our EKOTM composite barrel is designed to be the best in the industry. Three-piece construction with our patented 3FXTM Connection System gives a rigid feel on contact, resulting in a light-swinging bat with a large sweet spot when combined with our barrel design. The Premium GT1TM end cap, which is new to the 2021 model, helps you power your way to the top by maximizing the barrel length and swing speed — Meta’s calling card.
Demarini Goods BBCOR Bats 2021
Return to Breaking the Grid. The 2021 The Goods (-3) BBCOR Baseball Bat features the same extended X14 Alloy Barrel that the game’s most prolific power hitters have embraced. It’s a perfect match for our Half + Half technology, which features a rigid composite handle. The Direct Connection ensures unrivaled energy transfer on every swing, and the Seismic End Cap is made of the stiffest materials available, allowing you to deliver big-time pop. Stay dialed in this season.
Marucci Cat 9 Connect
Our new AZR alloy features a more responsive microstructure for improved feel, forgiveness, and performance while retaining the same strength as its predecessor thanks to a three-stage thermal treatment process. The OLS, or Outer-Locking System, is a one-of-a-kind system that attaches the barrel to the handle from the outside in, producing the stiffest connection possible while practically eliminating all vibrations on contact for the strongest, smoothest swing yet.
Easton Maxum Ultra
Seamless carbon construction gives you the rigid feel of a one-piece bat with the immense, smooth feel of a composite bat’s sweet spot. This bat also has the largest barrel contour of any one-piece bat in the game. The premium grip offers the ideal balance of cushion and tack for maximum performance and swing weight re-balanced incorporates the ideal balance of speed and power.
Decertified bbcor bats vs the best bbcor certified bats
What is the BBCOR Certification?
You’ve probably heard of BBCOR (Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution), which is the current standard governing adult baseball bats used in high school and collegiate play. BBCOR measures the trampoline effect of the bat rather than the ratio of ball exit speed to pitch and bat velocity. When a pitched ball made contact with an alloy or composite bat in the past, the barrel would slightly flex inward, allowing the ball to maintain some of its energy, resulting in more hits. Wooden baseball bats have less “give,” and the ball loses a lot of energy when it hits the ground. In order to level the playing field and increase player safety, the BBCOR standard ensures that non-wood bats perform similarly to wood bats.
The “BBCOR Certified.50” mark will appear somewhere on the barrel or taper of all BBCOR baseball bats. A bat must also have a length-to-weight ratio of no more than -3 and a barrel diameter of no more than 2 inches in order to be BBCOR Certified. So there you have it, the answer to a very common question, “Unfortunately, those do not exist.” is the answer to the question “Where can I find a BBCOR bat with a -5 length to weight ratio?” BBCOR bats must be -3 or heavier in order to compete “. The main difference between these models is their swing weights, which is due to the fact that they are standardized drop weights. When swung, the swing weight refers to how heavy the bat “feels.” An “end-loaded” bat is one that has more weight towards the end of the bat and is designed for power hitters. A bat with a more conventional construction is referred to as “balanced,” and contact hitters will typically use it.
What causes a bat to be decertified?
A smooth cylinder with a knob will be used as the bat. Legal bats are those that pass through a 2-1/4-inch (5.7150 cm) diameter bat ring. Each bat must have a diameter of no more than 2-1/4 inches (5.7150 cm) at its thickest point, a length of no more than 34 inches (86.360 cm), and a weight of no more than 38 ounces (1077.30 g). No devices, attachments, or wrappings that cause the handle to become flush with the knob are permitted. The USA/ASA bat performance standard must be met by all bats. Other than on the barrel, laser etching is permitted.
1. All bats must bear the USA/ASA approved certification mark, and they cannot be listed on a USA/ASA Banned Bat list unless they bear the USA/ASA approved recertification mark; or
2. Must be listed on a USA/ASA approved bat model list; or
3. The bat must, in the umpire’s sole opinion and discretion, have been manufactured prior to 2000 and, if inspected, meet the USA/ASA bat performance standards in effect at the time.
4. Safety grip or cork, tape (no smooth plastic tape), or composition material, with a maximum of two layers of tape and a continuous spiral. On this part of the bat, any resin or pine tar is acceptable. The length of the tape must be at least 10 inches and no more than 15 inches.
5. The bat’s knob can be solid or hollowed out to accommodate a built-in metric sensor. If a sensor is used, it must be properly calibrated.
(1) Has no impact on performance
(2) It must be kept in place by a locking mechanism and a backup mechanism.
(3) Provide a distinct “offline” mode to prevent data from being accessed while the game is being played.
Summary
You don’t want the words, ‘decertified baseball bat’ to be associated with your favorite bat. BBCOR certified bat standards are established by governing bodies in baseball and softball leagues, dictating which bats are suitable for use. Bats must pass tests performed by independent laboratories in order to be accredited, which is what BBCOR Certification and USABat Standard do.
Each ASA certified bat model length is usually designed and manufactured slightly differently than the others for certified bats. Individual lengths and drops of USA baseball-certified bats are therefore categorized as special designs and must be certified separately. Certain bat lengths may be found to be in violation of the certified USABat standard, while the rest of the lengths and drops in the same model family are still design and performance compliant, therefore it is important to purchase a certified bat that follows the rules of performance.
Few decisions have as much of an effect on your game as selecting the ideal certified BBCOR baseball bat. You need a bat that is the right size, weight, and length for you, as well as one that is within your budget. Technology advancements have given today’s ball players more options than ever before, so you’re sure to find a bat that feels tailor-made for you. You just need to do some research to find the best alternative.
