Torpedo bats enter in 2022: Yankees just tip of iceberg, dozens stars using them

Follow Us

The 2025 MLB season is barely underway, yet the New York Yankees have already commanded the spotlight with an offensive showcase that’s turning heads across baseball. Their opening series featured an eye-popping 15 home runs and 36 runs scored, prompting widespread discussion not just about their performance, but about the unique equipment powering their success.

Behind this extraordinary display sits an unconventional piece of technology known as the “torpedo bat” – a legal but revolutionary modification that’s rapidly transforming hitting approaches throughout the league, with the Yankees at the forefront of adoption.

What is a torpedo bat?

Unlike traditional baseball bats, torpedo bats feature a distinctive bowling pin-like silhouette with an expanded barrel (sweet spot) that dramatically narrows toward the end. This intentional design repositions the bat’s mass concentration closer to the barrel, creating a more formidable contact point. Despite their unorthodox appearance, these bats fully comply with MLB standards, which regulate dimensions but not barrel tapering specifications.

Torpedo bats are engineered to enhance exit velocity, streamline swing mechanics, and maximize power output, particularly benefiting players with quick, compact swing patterns.

The innovative concept originated with Aaron Leanhardt, an MIT-educated physicist and former Yankees hitting analyst now working as a field coordinator for the Miami Marlins. The design emerged during his analysis of Anthony Volpe’s swing metrics – an early indication of the Yankees’ behind-the-scenes innovation efforts.

“Credit to any of the players who were willing to listen to me, because it’s crazy,” Leanhardt explained to ESPN. “Listening to me describe it is sometimes even crazier. It’s a long-running project, and I’m happy for the guys that bought into it.”

Leanhardt had reportedly made prototype torpedo bats available during spring training as early as 2022.

Who are using torpedo bats?

The Yankees have predictably been early adopters of this technology. Notable players, including Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Volpe, Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, and Austin Wells, have all incorporated torpedo bats into their arsenals since at least late 2024.

Stanton reportedly wielded a torpedo bat during his remarkable postseason performance last year, when he launched seven home runs. However, he also mentioned “bat adjustments” as a potential factor in the elbow issues that subsequently placed him on the injured list.

The phenomenon is now spreading rapidly throughout the league. According to Yahoo Sports and photographic evidence, the following MLB players have employed torpedo bats during the 2025 season:

• Elly De La Cruz, SS, Cincinnati Reds
• Adley Rutschman, C, Baltimore Orioles
• Jose Trevino, C, Cincinnati Reds
• Dansby Swanson, SS, Chicago Cubs
• Nico Hoerner, 2B, Chicago Cubs
• Ryan Jeffers, C, Minnesota Twins
• Francisco Lindor, SS, New York Mets
• Cody Bellinger, OF, New York Yankees
• Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B, New York Yankees
• Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, New York Yankees
• Anthony Volpe, SS, New York Yankees
• Austin Wells, C, New York Yankees
• Junior Caminero, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays
• Davis Schneider, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

De La Cruz particularly captured attention this week when he debuted a torpedo bat and proceeded to go 4-for-5 with two home runs and seven RBIs in a decisive victory over the Rangers.

While the Yankees’ adoption was previously documented, numerous players on other teams have begun using torpedo bats in 2025. Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman is a confirmed user. Blue Jays outfielder Davis Schneider and Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers were photographed wielding torpedo bats during the opening series. Rays prospect Junior Caminero has also implemented a torpedo bat early this season.

According to information shared by Cody Bellinger, the Cubs experimented with torpedo bats last season, with both Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner now appearing to use them in 2025. Images have also surfaced showing Mets star Francisco Lindor using the specialized bat, despite his challenging 0-for-13 start to the season.

Even the traditionally conservative Braves organization is reportedly placing orders, with catcher Drake Baldwin having tested the design in last year’s Arizona Fall League.

From fringe to fad: Business of torpedo bats

As momentum builds, manufacturers are scrambling to fulfill escalating demand. Major bat companies, including Victus, Marucci, and Chandler Bats, now offer torpedo models online, priced between $199–$239.

Victus CEO Jared Smith recently told reporters that torpedo bats have become the company’s most successful product in its history. The specific model used by Anthony Volpe was released for sale during the Yankees’ home run exhibition, triggering a substantial influx of website traffic and purchases.

“It’s the most talked about thing in the baseball bat world since we started 15 years ago,” Smith remarked. “Any time you have that kind of success with a new product that looks kind of funky and has a cool name — I mean, it’s baseball season and it’s hot right now.”

Marucci’s website states their torpedo design redistributes more mass to the barrel, which consequently “maximizes the force exerted on the ball.” The scientific principle is translating directly into unprecedented sales.

Marucci is specifically marketing a torpedo bat utilized by Mets standout Francisco Lindor. Their product description emphasizes how torpedo bats concentrate more mass within the barrel’s sweet spot to enhance force transfer to the baseball.

Are they fair — or just flare?

While torpedo bats remain within MLB regulations, their rapid proliferation hasn’t escaped criticism. Some fans—particularly those not supporting the Yankees—have suggested the team is exploiting regulatory ambiguities in equipment design. Traditionalists are drawing parallels to the maple bat revolution that transformed hitting approaches in the early 2000s.

Nevertheless, there’s no indication that MLB officials intend to intervene. League representatives have confirmed that the bats satisfy equipment guidelines, and no competitive advantage is currently considered unfair—at least for now.

Though comprehensive statistical analysis is premature, the preliminary evidence is compelling. The Yankees’ historic 36-run, 15-homer offensive outburst against the Brewers wasn’t merely impressive—it was unprecedented.

Volpe, utilizing the torpedo model, connected for two home runs in the series. Bellinger, Goldschmidt, and Chisholm also homered, with ESPN reporting that all three were swinging torpedo bats.

While multiple factors contribute to team-wide offensive production, the timing of this explosion coinciding with widespread torpedo bat adoption is difficult to dismiss.

Final thoughts

While the Yankees organization is steeped in tradition, their embrace of cutting-edge technology could be the catalyst that propels them back to championship contention. Whether torpedo bats become the industry standard or remain a specialized option, they’ve already made a significant impact across major league ballparks.

Initial results suggest this innovation may represent more than a passing trend—it could fundamentally reshape hitting approaches for years to come.

And true to form, the Yankees are just pioneers of this revolutionary development.

What do you think?

Follow Us