CJ Bats - Cincinnati's Bat Company

 Ash has long been the wood of choice for baseball bats. Ash bats flex during the swing and on contact, creating a “whippy” swing, but tends to flake along the grain before breaking. Overall, an ash bat is more forgiving if you make contact with the ball near the end of the bat or near the trademark (logo). 

 Maple is a dense wood which produces a hard, durable baseball bat. In turn, these characteristics will provide more pop than other species of wood. The more you use your maple bat, the more the grain will compress, making the bat harder (much like the results of a traditional “bone-rubbing” of the barrel). Maple provides the hardest surface of the three types of wood used for baseball bats. There are two types of maple wood available: soft and rock maple. Soft maple is typically a lighter version, but has many of the same characteristics as rock maple and is perfect for fungo bats. 

 Birch is a softer, more flexible wood. This allows for flex in the swing, creating a “whippy” feel. Hitters describe birch as “feels like ash but hits like maple”. Birch bats also will compress the more often they are used, creating a harder surface, so there is a brief “break-in” period. This is much like the results of a traditional “bone-rubbing” of the barrel. Due to the overall softness of birch wood, there is a chance the barrel will dent slightly during the “break-in” period, but will increase in hardness over time. There are two types of birch wood available: white and yellow birch. White birch is typically a lighter version, but has the same characteristics as yellow birch and is perfect for fungo bats.