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Size: -12 Drop

-12 Drop Fastpitch Bats: The Bridge Bat Every Growing Player Needs

 

Every fastpitch player's bat journey has an awkward middle chapter. She's outgrown the featherweight bat she learned on, but she's nowhere near ready for the heavier lumber the big kids swing. That in-between stage is exactly where the drop 12 fastpitch bat lives, and it might be the most important bat she ever owns.

 

First, a Quick Refresher on Drop Weight

 

A bat's drop is its length in inches minus its weight in ounces, so a 30 inch, 18 ounce bat is a -12. Fastpitch drops run from -8 on the heavy end to -13 on the light end, which puts drop 12 one step up from the lightest bats in the sport. Every step down in drop means a slightly heavier feel and, for a player who's ready, more mass behind the ball.

 

The Drop 12 Sweet Spot: Two Age Groups, One Bat

 

What makes drop 12 unique is that it straddles two sizing windows. Players aged 4 to 10 commonly swing sizes between -11 drop and -13 drop, while the 11 to 13 age group typically moves to sizes between -10 drop and -12 drop, with a 31 inch, 20 ounce bat being that group's most popular size. Drop 12 is the overlap, which makes it ideal for two types of hitters:

 

The strong 9 or 10 year old who's swinging her drop 13 like a wiffle bat and needs a touch more mass to match her developing strength.

 

The 11 or 12 year old just entering travel ball who isn't quite ready for a drop 10 or drop 11 but needs a longer bat, often moving into the 30 to 32 inch range that her age group swings.

 

If your player fits either description, drop 12 is likely her bat - and if you're torn between two drops, science says go lighter. Swing speed produces exit velocity, and a bat she controls beats a bat she muscles every single time.

 

Legal Everywhere She Plays

 

Drop 12 fastpitch bats with proper certification stamps are approved across youth softball leagues and tournaments, from local rec leagues to travel ball tournaments run by USA Softball, USSSA, NSA, ISA, PGF and Alliance Fastpitch. Just match the stamp on the bat to your league's requirements and you're covered.

 

The LongballBats.com Difference

 

Our drop 12 fastpitch selection features the four most respected brands in the category: Easton, DeMarini, Louisville Slugger and Rawlings, all brand new and ready to ship. If you've been Googling the best drop 12 fastpitch bat, the best fastpitch bat for an 11 year old, or the best travel ball bat for a growing player, your search ends here.

 

What you won't find anywhere else? Our depth of knowledge. Since 2016, we've matched thousands of young hitters with the right bat, backed by a staff with over 100 years of combined baseball and softball experience. Send us your player's age, height, current bat and level of play, and we'll tell you exactly which drop 12 fits her swing, no guesswork involved.

 

Grab her next gamer from our drop 12 fastpitch collection today, and watch what happens when the bat finally matches the player.

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