”What are the differences between USA, USSSA, and BBCOR bats?” This is an important question when a new parent is buying a bat for their child. It is very important as a parent to match the right type of bat to your child. Each age group and league has different rules on what bats you can use.
What is a Drop?
The drop is one of the main differences between the different types of bats. A drop is the negative number on the end of the barrel. It serves as a way to determine your bats weight without a scale. Some bats will say its weight in ounces, but most bats do not. You can find your bat’s weight by subtracting its drop from its length. This will give you its weight in ounces.

The drop is one of the main differences between the different types of bats. A drop is the negative number on the end of the barrel. It serves as a way to determine your bats weight without a scale. Some bats will say its weight in ounces, but most bats do not. You can find your bat’s weight by subtracting its drop from its length. This will give you its weight in ounces.
USA Bats
USA bats are used in little league from the age of 5-13. They are typically drop 10 to drop 13. They are designed to be lighter for younger players who are just getting into baseball. When it comes to USA bats, composite materials are typically better. Composite materials will be more powerful and have better sweet spots. However they are also more expensive and may have durability issues. Many companies will give you a warranty on your bats, but it is often a separate fee. Aluminum alloy bats are also popular for these types of bats.
USSSA Bats
USSSA bats are bats that are specifically for travel baseball. These bats are typically drop 8 or drop 5. However players may only use this bat until the age of 14. For this type of bat, composite materials are much better than any alloy bat. The composite bats have much larger sweet spots, and lots of power. If your child plays travel baseball, or wants to get into travel baseball, then I recommend investing in a composite bat.
BBCOR Bats
BBCOR bats are used by players from the ages of 14-21. They are used in little league, travel, and school baseball across America. Every BBCOR bat is a drop 3. Which is the heaviest an amateur bat will go. The BBCOR class is the only class where alloy bats have a slight advantage. They will have considerably more power, however composite bats will still have a better sweet spot. For BBCOR I would recommend using an alloy bat, due to its advantage in power.
Final Recommendations
So, “What are the differences between USA, USSSA, and BBCOR bats?”. What separates these categories is their drop and the age that they are legal. When it comes to picking a bat for your child make sure you take into account their age and where they play. I also recommend reading How Do I Pick The Right Bat For My Child? If you are a new parent to baseball, it will make the bat buying process much easier.
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