Yankees' New Torpedo Bats Draw Huge Reactions from Players, Coaches, Media

The New York Yankees’ new bats are the talk of the game after their offensive explosion against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Mar 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) follows through on a solo home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees are usually the talk of baseball, but Saturday’s game took it to a new level, thanks to their new bats.

The Yankees blasted the Milwaukee Brewers, 20-9, and hit a franchise record nine home runs in the game. Several Yankees hitters were using “torpedo bats.” The significant change is that the barrel rests in a non-traditional location, closer to the hitter’s hands.

The bats are legal and Major League Baseball approved their use. Per MLB.com, Rule 3.02 states that bats cannot be more than 2.61 inches in diameter and 42 inches in length. So the bats conform to the rule book.

But that didn’t stop social media from taking off during and after the game. Yankees hitters Jazz Chisholm, Cody Bellinger and Anthony Vople were all using the bats during the game.

Yankees play-by-play announcer Michael Kay talked about the new bats during the broadcast and talked about how the Yankees’ analytics department helped determine the movement of the wood on the bat to create better opportunities for contact.

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."

Seems relevant today... pic.twitter.com/cpldzigdrT

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 29, 2025

One X user, Kevin Smith, showed a detailed view of the side-by-side between a normal bat and the “torpedo” bats certain Yankees are using. The concept, per MLB.com, is credited to Aaron Leanhardt, a former Yankees analyst.

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

The Athletic posted a story on Leanhardt, who discussed the concept.

In this story, Aaron Leanhardt explains the origin of the Yankees' new "torpedo" bats, why they look like that, how they came about and the process of making them. https://t.co/JE8oruxsmM pic.twitter.com/dePFvbs2vd

— Brendan Kuty 🧟‍♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) March 30, 2025

Yankees manager Aaron Boone was asked about the bats after the game. He’s all for the innovation, for obvious reasons.

Aaron Boone shares his thoughts on the Yankees' new bats. #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/0egJCVrEWT

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) March 30, 2025

“We’re trying to be the best we can be,” Boone said. It’s one of those things I saw to you guys all the time, we’re trying to win on the margins and it shows up in so many different ways, including bat models.”

Baltimore Orioles batting coach Cody Asche was asked about the bats on Sunday. He said a few of the players in the franchise have “dabbled” in them.

Orioles hitting coach Cody Asche says a couple of their players have dabbled with the “torpedo” bats the Yankees used in their nine-homer game yesterday.

“It’s pretty good business right there, right?” pic.twitter.com/rMUQvEPvZh

— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) March 30, 2025

“It’s pretty good business right there, right?” he said.

Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro reacted to the new bats and said he sees it as a wave that will take over baseball.

Could we see the new "torpedo bat" become a trend across Major League Baseball? Royals Manager Matt Quatraro believes so.@Royals | #FountainsUp
🔗 https://t.co/iXax8hx4iO pic.twitter.com/lmifOetruZ

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) March 30, 2025

“That’s creativity,” he said. “That’s using all your resources.”

He’s probably right. Milwaukee hitter Rhys Hoskins told a reporter on Sunday that he’s already put in an order for that style of bat.

Rhys Hoskins is one of a few Brewers players who already has an order in for some "torpedo barrel" bats that became the big storyline in yesterday's game.

"I mean, we're always looking for ways to make the game easier," Hoskins said. "Let's try it. There's no harm in that."

— Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) March 30, 2025

"I mean, we're always looking for ways to make the game easier," Hoskins said. "Let's try it. There's no harm in that."