Got a brand new composite bat? Looking to learn more about composites?

As you may know, composite baseball and softball bats require a “break-in” period to reach their optimum in-game performance level.

Unlike alloy bats that are ready to use straight out of the wrapper, composite bats need a little warming up.

The reason for this “break-in” period is to loosen the resin inside of the barrel so the material can be more responsive upon contact.

Below is a 6-step guide to help ensure your composite bat is broken-in properly and ready for game use.

Composite bats are high-performance products and have a lifespan that is directly related to the number of impacts they receive. We recommend that once your bat has completed the below break-in procedure it is saved for game use only to increase the longevity of its performance.

This procedure should be performed gradually to ensure the bat is broken-in properly. Hitting composite bats at speeds faster than they are designed to withstand can cause premature cracking and damage the bat before reaching its full performance potential.

1. Hit 50 balls off a tee using about 50% power. Make sure to rotate the bat ¼” between each hit.

2. Hit 50 balls off a tee using about 75% power. Make sure to rotate the bat ¼” between each hit.

3. Hit 50 balls from soft-toss using about 75% power. Make sure to rotate the bat ¼” between each hit.

4. Hit 50 balls from soft toss using 100% power. Make sure to rotate the bat ¼” between each hit.

5. Hit 50 balls off a pitching machine or live pitching using 100% power. The pitching speed should be about 50% of the fastball speed you normally face. Make sure to rotate the bat ¼” between each hit.

6. Hit 50 balls off a pitching machine or live pitching using 100% power. The pitching speed should be about 75% to 100% of the fastball speed you normally face. Make sure to rotate the bat ¼” between each hit.

After these 300 hits, your composite bat will be broken-in and ready for game use. As stated before, composite bat lifespans are directly related to how many impacts they receive, so we recommend you save your bat for game use only once broken-in.