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Available both stock/untouched and Heat Rolled with Progressive Pressure - choose your preference during checkout!
If you only stock one drop of a fastpitch bat, you stock the -10, and the Kryo2 Empress -10 (WL2700401) is the version of this limited edition that fits the widest range of hitters. It’s the 2027 Louisville Slugger Kryo2 in Empress clothing: the same two-piece composite platform, the same Kryo2 GO-EX+ Barrel System and balanced swing, wrapped in the art nouveau Empress artwork with its mystical, lunar-themed graphics instead of the standard Kryo2 look. Where the Kryo2 Empress -11 is built around pure bat speed for slap hitters and smaller players, the -10 carries one more ounce through the zone, which is exactly what a competitive travel ball, high school, or college hitter wants: enough mass to drive the ball, not so much that the swing slows down. It’s also the Empress you reach for if college ball is anywhere in the picture, since Louisville Slugger approves the -10 for college play while the -11 is not.
The GO-EX+ barrel is the reason the Kryo2 generation feels the way it does. Louisville Slugger used new composite materials and widened the gap between the barrel’s two composite walls, and that gap is what lets the outer wall give at contact and snap back, producing the soft feel and the distinctive crack that Kryo2 hitters notice right away. The VTX Connection System ties the barrel to the handle while letting the two move independently, so a ball off the end or in on the hands doesn’t send a jolt into the grip, and a hitter can stay committed to her swing instead of flinching at mishits. The XPND Performance End Cap is a patented design that gives the barrel a pivot to float on, which extends usable feel out toward the end cap, where a lot of hard-hit balls actually live. The balanced swing weight keeps a 23 ounce -10 feeling like a 23, quick enough for a two-strike approach and heavy enough to punish a mistake, and the premium LS Pro Comfort Grip adds tack and cushion without fattening the handle. The barrel is 2-1/4 inches. It’s approved for USA Softball (ASA), USSSA, NSA, ISA, and WBSC play, and the USA Softball stamp is the certification NFHS high school programs follow. Available in 30"/20oz, 31"/21oz, 32"/22oz, 33"/23oz, 33.5"/23.5oz, and 34"/24oz, with a one year warranty from Louisville Slugger.
That 33.5 inch option tells you something about who this bat is for: hitters who’ve outgrown the one-size-fits-most approach and want the length dialed in. Getting that right is what LongballBats.com has done since 2016 as the Bat Performance Experts. Our staff offers players, parents and coaches more than 100 years of combined baseball and softball experience on the phone, we’ve handled tens of thousands of bats, and we carry all four drop weights of the Kryo2 Empress (-8, -9, -10, and -11) plus the standard 2027 Kryo2 and the one-piece Kryo ONE, so when we recommend the -10 it’s because it fits your hitter, not because it’s what we have. Tell us her height, weight, age, what she swings now, and whether she’s a gap hitter or a power hitter, and we’ll tell you whether this Empress -10 is right, which length to pick, and whether a 33 or a 33.5 makes more sense for her. Call or email us and we’ll get her into the right bat!
- Model: Kryo2 Empress, -10 drop, WL2700401, a limited edition colorway of the 2027 Kryo2 fastpitch bat
- Brand: Louisville Slugger
- Sport: Fastpitch Softball
- Barrel Diameter: 2-1/4 inch, standard for fastpitch
- Drop: -10, the all-around drop for travel ball, high school, and college hitters
- Certification: Approved for USA Softball (ASA), USSSA, NSA, ISA, and WBSC leagues and tournaments; the USA Softball stamp is what NFHS high school programs follow
- College play: Louisville Slugger approves the Kryo2 Empress -10 for college play (the Empress -11 is not approved); confirm against the current NCAA approved bat list
- Swing Weight: Balanced, so the bat moves quickly through the zone while carrying more mass than the -11 drop
- Two-piece composite construction: separate barrel and handle for a soft feel and reduced vibration at contact
- Kryo2 GO-EX+ Barrel System: new composite materials and a wider gap between the barrel walls for a soft feel, loud contact, and efficient energy transfer
- VTX Connection System: barrel and handle move independently to reduce sting on mishits
- XPND Performance End Cap: patented pivot design that improves feel toward the end of the barrel
- Premium LS Pro Comfort Grip: tack and cushion for comfort and control
- Limited Edition Empress colorway: multicolor art nouveau graphics with a mystical, lunar theme
- Available sizes: 30"/20oz, 31"/21oz, 32"/22oz, 33"/23oz, 33.5"/23.5oz, 34"/24oz
- Warranty: one year manufacturer’s warranty from Louisville Slugger
- Year Released: 2026
- WL27004012030, WL27004012131, WL27004012232, WL27004012333, WL2700401235335, WL27004012434
- Adding our Heat Roll with Progressive Pressure to your order may cause decertification, check with the governing body of your league for clarification
Manufacturing tolerances, performance considerations, and grip weight may cause variations from the listed weight.
QUESTION: Should I order this bat stock/untouched or Heat Rolled with Progressive Pressure?
ANSWER: If you order your new bat Heat Rolled with Progressive Pressure, it will be delivered to you completely and evenly broken in. This process adds 20-40ft of distance to your solid hits, increases consistency, improves durability and adds 2-3 business days of lead time to your order. If you plan to use the bat in an official game or event, please verify the legality of our process with your league or sanctioning body before use. We (LongballBats.com) do not encourage the use of a Heat Rolled bat in any game or event where it is against the rules. Click here for details about our process!
QUESTION: Which Kryo2 Empress drop should I buy, and what length?
ANSWER: Start with the -10 unless you have a specific reason not to. The -11 is for slap hitters, younger players, and anyone who’s late or losing barrel control; the -9 is for stronger hitters who want more mass without a loaded feel; the -8 is for power hitters who’ve proven they can swing it at game speed. The -10 is where most competitive 14U, high school, and college hitters land, because it gives them enough mass to drive the ball without costing bat speed. For length, a good starting point is to stand the bat on end next to the player: if the knob reaches her hip, you’re in range. From there, a 5'4" to 5'7" hitter is usually a 32 or 33, taller or stronger hitters move to 33 or 34, and the 33.5 inch option exists for the hitter who’s between the two. Length matters more than most parents think, because an inch of extra barrel adds swing weight the drop number doesn’t show. When in doubt, go shorter and let her earn the next size. We size hitters every day, so call us with height, weight, and current bat and we’ll get it right.
QUESTION: What does the VTX Connection System actually do?
ANSWER: It’s the joint between the barrel and the handle on a two-piece bat, and on the Kryo2 it’s designed to let those two pieces move independently of each other. When you square a ball up, that doesn’t matter much; the energy goes into the ball. When you miss, off the end or on the hands, a stiff connection sends that vibration straight into your palms, and a young hitter starts cheating her swing to avoid it. The VTX connection absorbs that mishit energy before it reaches the grip, so the bat feels forgiving and the hitter stays aggressive. The trade-off with any flexible connection is a little less of the direct feedback a one-piece bat gives, which some advanced hitters prefer. If your hitter wants that stiffer, more connected feel, the one-piece Kryo ONE is built for her. If she’s still developing, or she just wants a bat that doesn’t punish a bad swing, the VTX connection on the Kryo2 Empress is the better choice.
QUESTION: Do I need the USSSA stamp or the USA Softball stamp for travel ball?
ANSWER: Probably both, and the Kryo2 Empress -10 carries both. Most fastpitch travel ball tournaments run under USSSA or USA Softball sanctioning, and some weekends you’ll see both in the same month. The USA Softball stamp also covers high school play under NFHS rules, and it’s the certification most college programs follow. NSA, ISA, and WBSC approvals round it out for independent and international events. The practical point is that a hitter with this bat doesn’t need to think about which organization is running the tournament; she swings the same bat all season. Two cautions: always check the specific tournament’s approved bat list, since associations update them, and if your hitter plays in a league that’s switched to a newer USA Softball certification standard, confirm the stamp on the bat matches what the league requires. We’re glad to walk you through what the stamps on the taper actually mean, just contact us.
QUESTION: Should I buy the Kryo2 Empress or the Kryo ONE?
ANSWER: They share the GO-EX+ barrel, so the choice is about feel, not performance. The Kryo2 Empress is a two-piece bat with the VTX Connection System, which gives it a softer, more forgiving feel at contact and less vibration on mishits. The Kryo ONE is a one-piece composite with a Tuned Mass Damper in the handle instead of a connection piece, so it’s stiffer and more direct, with the ultra-balanced swing weight of a bat that has no joint adding mass in the middle. Hitters who want to feel exactly where the ball met the barrel, and who don’t mind a little sting as the price of that feedback, tend to prefer the Kryo ONE. Hitters who want the most forgiving swing, and anyone who’s bothered by vibration, should pick the Kryo2. The Empress adds the limited edition art nouveau look on top of the two-piece feel, and in the -10 it’s available in sizes up to 34 inches, including the 33.5. If you’re torn, tell us how your hitter reacts to a mishit. That answer usually settles it!
