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Bat Specialist Thinks Torpedo Bats Are Just Start of Bat Science Changes

Ryan Phillips

Players across MLB are using bats with slightly altered weight distribution
Players across MLB are using bats with slightly altered weight distribution / Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated
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Torpedo bats are just the beginning when it comes to the changes we'll see coming to bats in Major League Baseball.

Keenan Long of LongBall Labs joined MLB Now on Thursday to discuss the new bats and what is next in the search for technology impacting offense in MLB. He first addressed one big fallacy related to bats, then went on to explain a number of issues related to torpedo bats and what the future looks like.

Ron Darling asked if there was a future where hitters change bats depending on the pitcher, and Long quickly affirmed that.

"Yes, absolutely, Jed Lowrie was one of our first clients and was doing that during his playing days," Long said. "He had a lineup of bats he was going to use for the pitchers he was going to face... So that's happening. It's happening right now."

The torpedo shape may not be the last adjustment we see to bat technology. Things are changing rapidly.

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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.

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