Torpedo bats took the baseball world by storm as the New York Yankees hit a staggering 15 home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers during a three-game sweep in the Bronx last weekend. The feat tied the MLB record for most homers in the first three games of the season.
Several questions have been raised about these specialized bats, including whether they’re even legal to use. Sportsnaut has put together a FAQ to help you better understand what these torpedo bats are.
What are torpedo bats?
Michael Kay explains that the Yankees made new bats "where they moved a lot of the wood into the label so the harder part of the bat is going to strike the ball."
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 29, 2025
Seems relevant today… pic.twitter.com/cpldzigdrT
Aaron Leanhardt, who earned his doctorate in physics from MIT and currently serves as field coordinator for the Miami Marlins, developed the innovative torpedo bat during his time with the Yankees when he was their assistant minor league hitting coordinator. The bat differs from traditional models by elongating the barrel and making it thicker with more wood, while thinning out at the top. The shape essentially resembles a bowling pin.
Are torpedo bats better?
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, “The science is multifold. Beyond the potential increases in exit velocity from the increased mass in the barrel, the weight distribution toward the knob should promote faster swings.”
However, it’s not statistically proven that these torpedo bats outperform regular bats because there’s such a small sample size of data available, despite the Yankees’ impressive home run numbers. More research is needed to determine their effectiveness.
Why are torpedo bats better?
The thicker barrel might give hitters more confidence at the plate.
“I don’t think it’s hitting the ball any faster,” Dan Russell, an acoustics professor at Penn State University, told NPR. “The game of baseball is so superstitious. It doesn’t matter what the thing is, if you found something that makes you more confident, it’s going to work.”
The design of torpedo bats reduces weight at the end of the bat.
“That’s important weight” to eliminate, Lloyd Smith, a professor of mechanical engineering at Washington State University, explained to NPR. “That’s at the end of the bat — that’s going to be much more important than weight near the handle. It makes the bat a little easier to swing.”
What are the benefits of the torpedo bats?
Yes, the Yankees have a literal genius MIT Physicist, Lenny (who is the man), on payroll. He invented the “Torpedo” barrel. It brings more wood – and mass – to where you most often make contact as a hitter. The idea is to increase the number of “barrels” and decrease misses. pic.twitter.com/CsC1wkAM9G
— Kevin Smith (@KJS_4) March 29, 2025
By reducing the weight of a normal bat, a batter’s exit velocity will presumably increase, making it easier for hitters to come around on fastballs.
Are torpedo bats legal?
Yes, torpedo bats are legal. According to MLB Rule 3.02:
(a) 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.
NOTE: No laminated or experimental bats shall be used in a professional game (either championship season or exhibition games) until the manufacturer has secured approval from Major League Baseball of his design and methods of manufacture.
(b) Cupped Bats. An indentation in the end of the bat up to 1¼ inches in depth is permitted and may be no wider than two inches and no less than one inch in diameter. The indentation must be curved with no foreign substance added.
(c) The bat handle, for not more than 18 inches from its end, may be covered or treated with any material or substance to improve the grip. Any such material or substance that extends past the 18-inch limitation shall cause the bat to be removed from the game.
NOTE: If the umpire discovers that the bat does not conform to (c) above until a time during or after which the bat has been used in play, it shall not be grounds for declaring the batter out, or ejected from the game.
(d) No colored bat may be used in a professional game unless approved by Major League Baseball.
What teams are using torpedo bats in the MLB?
Teams using torpedo bats include the Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds.
Which players are using torpedo bats in the MLB?
Players currently using torpedo bats include:
- Jazz Chisholm Jr., New York Yankees
- Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees
- Anthony Volpe, New York Yankees
- Paul Goldschmidt, New York Yankees
- Austin Wells, New York Yankees
- Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds
- Jose Trevino, Cincinnati Reds
- Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs
- Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs
- Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies
- Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays
- Oneil Cruz, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Ryan Jeffers, Minnesota Twins
- Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles
- Davis Schneider, Toronto Blue Jays
- Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
