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What Bats and Batting Gloves Do Pro Baseball Players Use? Here’s Your 2022 MLB Hitting Report

If you’ve been following along with our 2022 Glove and Cleat reports, then there’s a chance that you’ve been waiting for us to break out the lumber. Here it is, the What Pros Wear 2022 Bat Report. The way that MLB players treat their bats is a lot different than how they treat cleats or gloves. While a lot of these guys are loyal to specific brands and models for cleats and gloves throughout a career, we often see players not even be loyal to a bat for nine innings.

Juan Soto swings a 34-inch Old Hickory Maple AJ25.

In order to make this report and the others like it, WPW spends the year cataloging MLB starters (not including pitchers) equipment based on Baseball-Reference.com’s team pages, as well as a few others. When it comes to what the pros are swinging, we focus on what bat or bats each starter uses the most. It’s also important to note that some of these guys will use a plethora of brands throughout the season, but WPW focuses on the two brands that they are most loyal to.

2021 Bats Used By MLB Starters

In 2021 Victus and Marucci dominated the market, being used by nearly half of MLB starters.

What Wood Bat Do You Swing?

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What Bats Do MLB Starters Use?

2022 Bats Swung By MLB Starters

In 2022, league-wide bat usage did not change too much. Both Victus and Marucci extended their leads respectively in the top two spots.

Nearly 75% of bats used by MLB starting hitters come from five companies: Victus, Marucci, Louisville Slugger, Chandler, and Old Hickory. The big difference between 2021 and 2022 comes in Chandler surpassing Old Hickory to enter into the fourth spot and being used by 10.5% of MLB starters.

Here’s a look at the seven major brands being swung around the MLB:

Victus | 24.5% of Bats Used by MLB Starters (+0.5%) from 2021

Victus has only been making bats since 2012 and may have the most impressive rise amongst bat companies as it only took them 10 years to beat out the powerhouse bat makers like Louisville Slugger, which has made bats since the 1800s. After taking over the league in 2021 and becoming the most widely used bat amongst MLB starters, Victus has continued to grow in popularity.

Kiké Hernández loading his Victus lumber into the bat rack at RingCentral Coliseum.

Victus is swung by breakout rookies Julio Rodriguez and Jeremy Peña as well as seasoned power hitters like Salvador Perez and Bryce Harper. Although Victus was acquired in 2017 by Marucci, they’ve continued to operate independently. The Victus brand is centered around constantly innovating the way that bats are made to create the highest levels of performance. This commitment to the evolution of baseball has helped Victus make its meteoric rise.

Salvador Perez swinging Victus at Kauffman Stadium against the Dodgers.

Victus has an impressive list of believers. Including former MVPs Mookie Betts and Jose Altuve, here’s a list of some the best ballplayers who use Victus bats:

See all of our featured Victus bats here.

Marucci | 23% of Bats Used by MLB Starters (+1% from 2021)

Marucci holds second position with nearly the same share of starters since 2019. After the savvy acquisition of Victus in 2017, the two brands are used by a combined 44.5% of MLB starters.

Albert Pujols in the on deck circle with his signature Marucci AP5P maple bat.

Marucci’s crowning moment of the 2022 season came on a Friday night in September, when Albert Pujols stepped up to the plate with his signature AP5 model and launched career home runs 699 and 700 at Dodger Stadium, cementing living legend status with his favorite stick.

Anthony Rizzo using his Marucci Rizz44 bat in the Subway Series against the Mets.

Jose Abreu, Austin Riley, and Trea Turner all used Marucci bats in 2022. Here are some other notable players that join them on the list of players who consistently took Marucci to bat:

See all of our featured Marucci bats here.

Louisville Slugger | 14.5% of Bats Used by MLB Starters (-0.5% from 2021)

Trey Mancini’s Louisville Slugger A181 bat.

Louisville Slugger also saw no change in their usage from 2021-2022, sitting pretty in third and used by 15% of MLB starters. Louisville Slugger has been making bats since 1883 and is a staple in the baseball world. It’s my personal wood bat of choice, and I’m joined in that decision by Silver Sluggers Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Schwarber. Here are a few more of the league’s best that rocked one of the oldest brands in baseball:

See all of our featured Louisville Slugger bats here.

Chandler | 10.5% of Bats Used by MLB Starters (+2.5% from 2021)

Randy Arozarena’s Chandler AP5P Maple bat.

Chandler Bats had the biggest rise out of the four biggest brands from the 2022 season. After being rescued from bankruptcy when Yoenis Cespedes purchased the Chandler bat company in 2019, Chandler quickly reestablished itself among Big League power hitters, including Aaron Judge returning to the brand for his historic season after switching to Victus during the 2021 season. Here are some of the other sluggers that join Judge on the list of players swinging Chandler Bats:

See all of our featured Chandler bats here.

Old Hickory | 8.5% of Bats Used by MLB Starters (-1.5% from 2021)

Christian Vázques’s Old Hickory maple bats.

Old Hickory is the first brand we saw a decrease in usage for the 2022 season. After seeing a pretty heavy drop off, Old Hickory is now the fifth most used bat by MLB starters after sitting in fourth for several years.

The quality is indisputable, though. Old Hickory is used by perennial MVP candidate Mike Trout, and is joined by plenty of powerhouse hitters:

See all of our featured Old Hickory bats here.

B45 | 3.5% of Bats Used by MLB Starters (-0.5% from 2021)

Christian Pache is one of the MLB starters who regularly uses B45 lumber.

The Canada-based bat company, B45, saw a slight decrease in usage across the MLB this past year, but their roster is impressive nonetheless. Used by a total of 12 MLB starters, B45 boasts Eduardo Escobar and Ketel Marte amongst others. B45 specializes in making birch wood bats, which are a hybrid between maple and ash. Birch wood bats are rising in popularity, and here are a couple guys who swing B45’s iteration:

See all of our featured B45 bats here.

Tucci Lumber | 2.5% of Bats Used by MLB Starters (-0.5% from 2021)

Xander Bogaerts using his Tucci Lumber bat during the 2022 season.

With Victus and Marucci taking an even bigger share of the league, Tucci Lumber is the second of the smaller brands that we’ve seen get just a touch smaller. Luckily for Tucci, they have some of the biggest names in the league including 2022 All-Star and Silver Slugger Xander Bogaerts (KFP48 Maple) and Bo Bichette (BO11 Maple Bat).

See all of our featured Tucci Lumber bats here.

These are the remaining brands swung by MLB starters:

Dove Tail Bats7
Sam Bat5
Homewood4
SSK4
Tater4
Asics2
Cooperstown Bat2
Dinger2
Max2
Overfly2
Rawlings2
SR2
Trinity2
Anchor1
Birdman1
Powerbull1
Zinger1

More MLB Hitter Insights

ProHitter Hitting Aid Used by a Colossal 53% of MLB Starters (+9% from 2021)

ProHitter is a small hitting aid worn around the thumb that provides padding between the thumb and index finger. According to their website, ProHitter helps the batter improve the position of the bat in their hands which in turn leads to an increase in bat speed and an uptick in power. The rubber also absorbs some vibration off the bat leading to less sting. The tiny piece has been a tremendous success in MLB as it, and similar pieces like the Thumbpro, are worn by a whopping 145 MLB starters (a 9% year-over-year increase!), including Aaron Judge and Austin Riley.

Former MVP Cody Bellinger wears the ProHitter Hitting Aid on his top hand.

ProHitter is worn on the top hand and designed to maximize extension and bat speed. Over half of MLB starters can’t be wrong. It just may be worth the $10-$12 cost at Dick’s.

Lizard Skins Bat Wraps Used by 51% of MLB Starting Hitters (+15% from 2021)

One of many the bats around the MLB donning the Lizard skins grip tape.

Another hitting accessory that elevated from “popular” to “dominant” with an enormous jump in 2022: Lizard Skins. While Lizard Skins have been a popular grip in past years, we saw 139 starters use them in 2022. Marucci acquired Lizard Skins back in 2021, and with Marucci and Victus (a Marucci company) being used by around half the league this information comes as no shock. Lizard Skins has been a popular alternative to standard tape in the MLB for a decade now, and are available at Baseball Express starting at $11.95.

Batting Gloves

Franklin Batting Gloves | Worn by 44.5% of MLB Starting Hitters (+2.5% from 2021)

Oriel Cruz’s Franklin CFX Pro batting gloves.

In 2022 Franklin continued its slow and steady march toward being used by half of MLB starting hitters. With a number of different options of high-quality batting gloves – including the CFX Pro, Pro Classic, and Powerstrap – Franklin is worn by 44.5% of MLB starters. Franklin now has a 34-player lead on Nike, including 2022’s AL and NL MVPs. Here’s a few of the hitters using the league’s most popular batting gloves:

See all of our featured Franklin batting gloves here.

Nike Batting Gloves | Worn by 32% of MLB Starting Hitters (No Change from 2021)

Kyle Schwarber teeing off on a ball while wearing the Nike Huarache Elite batting gloves.

Nike did not see any movement in usage for 2022, staying at 32% of MLB starting hitters. Nike, the official uniform of MLB, has been #2 behind Franklin for the past couple of years. Still, the brand’s magnetic attraction has lured a talented group of players rocking the swoosh. This includes:

See all of our featured Nike batting gloves here.

Adidas Batting Gloves | Worn by 8% of MLB Starting Hitters (-1% from 2021)

Trea Turner donning the Adidas adiZero 4.0 batting gloves.

After Franklin and Nike, there’s a pretty steep dropoff with Adidas coming in third. Adidas’ roster has a lot of talent, all of which rock the long-standing Adidas Adizero 4.0 Batting Gloves (Available at BaseballExpress.com for $20-$35). Here’s some of Adidas’ heavy hitters:

See all of our featured Adidas batting gloves here.

Here are the remaining batting glove brands worn by MLB starting hitters:

Under Armour14
Mizuno6
Bruce Bolt5
Marucci4
Lizard Skin3
Jordan3
Easton3
Asics2
New Balance1
JAX1
Kyle Tucker is one of few MLB starters that is known to go gloveless in the batters box.

And a drumroll for final category up for consideration in the WPW 2022 Bat Report: men who go barehanded at the plate. This category contains two MLB starters, and here they are:

  • Trent Grisham
  • Austin Hays

For our loyal readers who made it all the way to the end of this report, check out this custom Vullo Bat Company maple fungo bat made for the Texas Rangers:

What do you think about our 2022 MLB bat and batting glove report?  Let us know in the comments.

3 comments

  1. Would love to see a breakdown of Maple vs. Birch and how that trend has changed over the years. For 2023, it would be interesting to see what the puck knob trend looks like.

  2. Franklin is a great brand. The genuine leather palms on these gloves also thrilled me. It’s important since using this equipment has allowed for the best grip and bat control possible. When I use Franklin batting gloves, I no longer even consider the danger of my bat slipping from my hands.

  3. Please clarify. You mentioned Grisham and Hays as being the only two Major League starters that bat barehanded, yet you also mention Kyle Tucker goes gloveless in the batters box. What is the difference?

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