Louisville Slugger just dropped three of their top-selling bats into SluggerCustomBats.com, the Prime 919, Select 719, and Solo 619, available now (2019 stock models will drop Monday, August 6). The Prime 919, Select 719, and Solo 619 are some beautiful bats that are looking to improve on the success of the fabulous Slugger 2018 line. I’ve had the opportunity to hit with the Prime 919 and the Select 719 and I’m impressed with the look, feel, and overall performance of the bats. Slugger recognized the success of the 2018 line and tweaked these bats perfectly to squeeze the maximum performance out of them. We have very high expectations for the 2019 Slugger line and can’t wait to share our full thoughts on them in the near future. For now, let’s get into our first impressions on the bats.
Prime 919
What’s New:
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Vibration Control Connection (VCX) Piece
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Louisville Slugger Pro Comfort Grip
The Prime 919 is a smooth-swinging multi-piece composite with a light swing weight. The “Prime” lineup has always been regarded as a durable, high-performing line of bats. “Durable” is a key word when discussing composite bats because high-end multi-piece composites have a tendency to break. The “Prime” lineup has never had this issue and because of the similarity to last year’s 918, I highly doubt the 919 will have this problem. If you love the smooth, balanced feel of multi-piece composites, I highly recommend you give the 919 a try.
Select 719
What’s New
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Speed Ballistic Composite Endcap
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Vibration Control Connection (VCX) Piece
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Louisville Slugger Pro Comfort Grip
The Select 719 is an end-loaded three-piece hybrid that is swung extensively in the college ranks. The 719 is the most end-loaded bat that Slugger offers. Its popularity in college is because of its hybrid construction and end-loaded weight distribution. College hitters tend to be stronger guys who can handle a heavier barrel. They like the hybrid construction because it kills some vibration, but they can still feel where they made contact on the barrel. If you’re strong and you’ve enjoyed swinging hybrids in the past, keep the 719 in mind.
Solo 619
What’s New
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VIBEX Vibration Dampening Handle
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Speed Ballistic Composite Endcap
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Louisville Slugger Pro Comfort Grip
The Solo 619 is a one-piece alloy with the lightest swing weight that Slugger offers. It’s a very stiff bat because of its one-piece construction. Excessive vibration has always been the major drawback of one-pieces, and Slugger combats this with a new vibration dampening handle. Companies have recently seen a lot of success with this kind of tech, and I’m excited to see what Slugger can do with it. If you like lightweight one-pieces, consider the Solo 619 for your next bat.
