Ash Falling Out of Favor for Major League Baseball Bats

[Dave Bunge]

Here's an article discussing the transition in MLB from using ash to using maple for bats: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/20/sports/baseball/ash-bats-baseball.html

It's partly driven by reduced availability of good quality ash blanks, but also due to some desirable properties of maple. The article also has some good info on the emerald ash borer infestation which is causing the reduced supply of ash.

Here are some quotes from the article:

Among native tree species, ash represents a tiny fraction of the continental woodlands. But there is one arena where ash has historically reigned: in baseball.​

​

Most of baseball history has been written with ash bats, from Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak in 1941 to Roger Maris’s 61 home runs in 1961 to Mark McGwire’s 70 homers in 1998.​

​

Today, however, ash has all but died out of baseball as the trees face beetle-driven extinction. This postseason, which stretches from early October to early November and began with 12 teams and more than 300 players, may be the first in generations that does not register a single plate appearance with an ash bat.​

 

[hockenbery]

This postseason, which stretches from early October to early November and began with 12 teams and more than 300 players, may be the first in generations that does not register a single plate appearance with an ash bat.

Very interesting.
How many used a wooden bat for the first time in a professional game?

 

[robo hippy]

I have always wondered why hickory bats are not used. I know it is great for shock absorbing. I keep wondering how long until the major leagues go to aluminum..... or some other composite material.

robo hippy

 

[Richard Coers]

Partially due to ash availability? I would assume that is 100% the reason. When maple was started to be used, the shattered maple bat became a safety concern. Chunks of maple flew out as far as to endanger the infield players. All maple bats must have an ink test dot on them to prove the grain is straight down the blank.

 

[William Fordham]

Hmmm, interesting. I have had 2 Ash bat blanks in my shop for 10 years. Had a guy that wanted me to make him of couple 1940's era baseball bats. He sent them to me with the promise of sending an original bat to use for dimensions. He never sent the bat and never answered my emails.

 

[Michael Nathal]

I have always wondered why hickory bats are not used. I know it is great for shock absorbing. I keep wondering how long until the major leagues go to aluminum..... or some other composite material.

robo hippy

Ash and maple are about the same density. Hickory is about 15% heavier

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

We got a pallet of bat blank cut offs last year and a lot of info abniout bats. The number of bats used in pros is amazing , as many as 120 per player. The player picks the bats. of three bats one may be a reject, one a practice bat and one a game bat as to how the selection process goes. He told us the reason for the change is Ash splinters (dangerous) and Maple breaks more or less even (not into splinters). Lot more to tell just not tonight.