The Lifecycle of a Performance Composite Bat

What to know about a baseball bat’s typical lifespan.

When you find the right bat you get the feeling that nothing can stop you when you step up to the plate. You wish you could hang onto that feeling forever. But one day you’ll have to trade your beloved performance composite bat in for a new model because it won’t last forever.

"There is a speed that the ball is allowed to come off the bat and as you continue hitting the bat, it keeps getting faster and faster when the ball comes off it. So once you reach that legal limit, the bat will actually crack and break," says DICK'S Sporting Goods Associate and former baseball player Andrew Brugnone.

By knowing what to look for, you will be prepared for when that day comes.

A performance composite baseball bat differs from other bats in that it is made from materials other than standard aluminum alloy. This include composite bats that can be made of carbon fiber, graphite, fiberglass and aramid fibers.

Composite bats have a natural break-in period and can eventually become damaged overtime. So how long is your composite bat going to last? It depends.

The lifecycle of the bat comes down to how much you use it. Some players will use a different bat for practice and save their preferred bat for games to preserve its lifespan.

"If you’re a player that’s maybe starting in fall ball, hitting through the winter, going into spring ball and potentially any travel teams in the summer, you’re probably going to get maybe one year out of your composite bat. It really varies by how many swings that you’re getting in that bat,” says Brugnone.

So get out there and swing to the fences. Your bat is a tool that allows you to strive for your goals.