Aaron Holmes 
The New York Yankees made history by smashing nine home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers. This franchise record sparked a nationwide conversation about their secret weapon. Their custom ‘Torpedo’ bats, designed by an MIT physicist, feature a unique barrel placement closer to the hands that changes how players connect with the ball.
Players like Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe proved the bat’s effectiveness by knocking it out of the park. Some people question these bats’ legitimacy, but they fully comply with MLB’s Rule 3.02. The rule permits bats up to 2.61 inches in diameter and 42 inches in length. Baseball enthusiasts are witnessing an exciting blend of physics, state-of-the-art technology, and America’s favorite pastime that revolutionizes how players approach the game.
The Science Behind Torpedo Wooden Baseball Bats
The Yankees’ torpedo bats showcase an amazing mix of physics and baseball analytics. These bats are different from regular wooden ones. They don’t have the usual cylindrical barrels – instead, they distribute weight in a way that helps players hit better based on real game data.
The whole concept started when the Yankees’ analytics team made an interesting discovery. They watched players like Anthony Volpe and found that most hits connected near the label area instead of the barrel [1]. This finding changed everything about how they thought about making bats.
MIT physicist Aaron Leanhardt, who players nicknamed “Lenny,” came up with a clever solution. He moved more wood mass to where players actually hit the ball [2]. The design puts extra density closer to the hands and creates a torpedo-like shape that packs more punch on impact.
The science behind this makes perfect sense. A baseball bat’s effectiveness depends on how it transfers energy when it hits the ball. Research shows that energy spreads differently based on speed and where the ball hits [1]. These torpedo bats put the mass right where it needs to be for the best energy transfer.
Players get some real advantages from the engineering too. The bats feel lighter because more weight sits near their hands. This means they can swing heavier bats with better control [3]. The design also makes the barrel look bigger without going over MLB’s 2.61-inch diameter rule [1].
The physics really shows its brilliance in how it reduces mistakes. Former Yankees player Kevin Smith puts it well: “Your just misses could be clips, your clips could be flares, and your flares could become barrels” [4]. Even tiny improvements in contact quality can make a huge difference in results.
These bats solve a basic baseball problem – wooden bats usually break 250-500mm from the knob [1]. Extra mass in this vital area means the bats might last longer and work better while staying within MLB rules.
The most fascinating part is how this design challenges old ideas. Baseball has been around forever, but these torpedo bats show we can still find new ways to work within the rules of a “smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter” [1]. The Yankees just found a smarter way to use what was already allowed.
How Yankees’ Custom Bats Compare to Traditional Wood Baseball Bats
Baseball’s traditional wooden bats followed a simple design for decades – heavier at the barrel end with a gradual taper toward the handle. Torpedo bats represent a fundamental change by rethinking where mass should be concentrated.
The bat’s barrel placement marks the most noticeable physical difference. Traditional bats have the barrel at the end, while torpedo bats move it closer to the label and hands. This creates a distinctive bowling pin-like shape that players find unusual at first [5]. The Yankees’ analytics department found this modification after studying players like Anthony Volpe, whose hits often connected on the label instead of the barrel [2].
Torpedo bats offer several performance advantages. These bats concentrate more mass at the actual point of contact, which makes the harder part of the bat strike the ball [6]. This strategic redistribution means “your just misses could be clips, your clips could be flares, and your flares could become barrels” [5].
The weight distribution is nowhere near traditional bats. While standard bats are end-loaded, torpedo bats place more weight toward the hands. Players can swing with greater control because these bats feel lighter despite their potentially heavier overall weight [3]. Former Yankees player Kevin Smith shared his experience: “It kind of feels like those old Wiffle ball bats you used as a kid, the barrel feels MASSIVE the first time you pick it up” [5].
BBCOR aluminum bats used in college baseball outperform wood bats by 10.7% [7]. Yet torpedo bats stay within MLB regulations as “one piece of solid wood” [1]. They tap into the full potential of the permitted 2.61-inch diameter barrel [8] in strategic locations.
Players need time to adjust to the bat’s unusual feel. Smith admitted, “Looking down at it in the box made me laugh almost every time” [5]. Notwithstanding that, elite hitters might gain meaningful advantages at the plate – especially when their hitting profiles match the bat’s design principles.
Yankees’ Record-Breaking Performance With Torpedo Bats
The New York Yankees freed an offensive explosion on March 29, 2025, that shattered records and left baseball fans speechless. The Bronx Bombers demolished the Milwaukee Brewers 20-9 in a historic display with a franchise-record nine home runs in a single game [1][2][9].
Something unprecedented happened in team history as the Yankees hit home runs on the first three consecutive pitches of the game [10]. Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Aaron Judge all went deep to start the contest. This set the tone for what became a historic afternoon for wooden baseball bats with the unique torpedo design.
Aaron Judge delivered a masterclass performance with three home runs including a grand slam, marking his 40th career multi-homer game [10]. His third-inning grand slam pushed the Yankees’ lead to 12-3, putting the game beyond reach [11].
The new torpedo bats showed their impact across the lineup. Anthony Volpe, whose hitting pattern inspired the bat redesign, smashed a three-run homer in the second inning [11]. Jazz Chisholm Jr., another torpedo bat user, added his own blast to extend the lead to 13-3 [11].
The Yankees’ offensive barrage included:
- Four first-inning home runs (Goldschmidt, Bellinger, Judge, Wells)—the first time in franchise history they’ve hit that many in an opening frame [11][10]
- A seventh-inning shot from Oswald Peraza that set the new franchise record [6]
- A total of seven different Yankees connecting for home runs [10]
This nine-homer performance ranks among the greatest power displays in baseball history, tying the 1999 Cincinnati Reds for second-most in a single MLB game [10]. The 1987 Toronto Blue Jays hold the record with ten home runs in one contest.
Baseball bats could be at a turning point. Former Yankees infielder Kevin Smith explained that the torpedo design concept makes perfect sense—it places more wood where contact occurs [4]. After this historic performance, other teams will likely take a closer look at these innovative wood baseball bats.
How Other MLB Teams Are Responding to the Torpedo Revolution
Baseball teams have noticed the Yankees’ torpedo bats, and word about these state-of-the-art wooden baseball bats is spreading faster through the league. Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch noticed “a little bit of conversation around spring training” about these redesigned bats [8]. “I don’t really understand it, the bat companies and stuff like that. But it will get plenty of attention now,” he said.
The analysis shows several interesting trends among competitors:
- MLB teams seem ready to follow the Yankees’ lead [9]
- Players have started to learn about weight distribution in their bats [12]
- The design’s legality has been confirmed, which clears the way for others to use it [2]
- Social media has helped spread awareness of this state-of-the-art design [8]
Players across MLB have started to think differently about bat selection. Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger shared similar thoughts even before the Yankees’ recent performance: “There’s ways to move the weight of the bat. Some guys like top heavy, some guys like hand-loaded bats. You just gotta find a bat that feels good, that kind of moves with you” [12].
Bellinger challenged baseball’s traditional equipment mindset: “You see these golfers, they’re very into their clubs. As baseball players, it’s like why are we just picking up a bat and saying, ‘Oh, this feels good?’ Why is there no science behind anything here? You can test your swing path, you can test your exit velocity. There’s data behind everything now” [12].
The industry seems ready to change. The Yankees’ decision to hire MIT physicist Aaron “Lenny” Leanhardt [2] shows teams understand the competitive edge in applying complex physics to bat design. Judge wasn’t using the torpedo model during his recent at-bats [2], but enough teammates have adopted them to start what could become a major transformation in baseball bat design.
These torpedo bats’ soaring win means other teams will create their own versions of these state-of-the-art wood baseball bats soon.
MLB’s Rulebook: Why Torpedo Bats Are Completely Legal
The baseball world buzzes with talk about the Yankees’ innovative torpedo bats, and their legality remains the key question. MLB Rule 3.02 sets clear guidelines for legal baseball bats: “The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood” [1][13].
The rulebook lays out four basic requirements:
- The bat must be smooth and round
- Maximum diameter cannot exceed 2.61 inches
- Maximum length cannot exceed 42 inches
- Construction must be one piece of solid wood
These requirements don’t specify where the maximum diameter should occur on the bat. The rules never demand symmetry or uniform tapering – they just require the bat to stay round and within maximum dimensions [2].
MLB has officially confirmed these torpedo bats follow the regulations [14]. A league spokesperson also stated that “the shape of the bat does not violate the rules” [8].
The rulebook also covers “experimental” bats. Manufacturers must “secure approval from Major League Baseball of his design and methods of manufacture” [8][13]. The ongoing use of these bats without league intervention shows this process was completed successfully.
The difference between “round” and “symmetrical” has come up before. Back in 2006, graphic designer Grady Phelan created the ProXR bat with an angled knob. MLB questioned its legality at first. Officials approved it after they saw it could “roll on a desk,” which proved it was round enough [15].
The Yankees’ torpedo bats meet all Rule 3.02 requirements completely. Any challenges to their legality would need new rules. These distinctive wood baseball bats fit MLB’s regulatory framework perfectly – they’re innovative yet traditional enough to meet baseball’s equipment standards.
Conclusion
Baseball’s history teaches us that groundbreaking changes often face doubt before players accept them as normal practice. The Yankees proved that teams can make the most important improvements within traditional rules through smart engineering and respect for MLB guidelines.
These torpedo bats do more than just modify equipment – they show how modern physics and up-to-the-minute data analysis can boost America’s favorite pastime. Nine home runs in one game made headlines, but the real story shows how this design redefines our understanding of bat construction.
These bats’ soaring win points to an exciting future where teams adopt scientific approaches to equipment design. Players might need time to adjust to the unusual feel, but what it all means makes adaptation worth it. The Yankees’ record-breaking performance shows how small changes in bat design create remarkable results on the field.
Baseball traditionalists can relax – these bats protect the sport’s integrity while redefining the limits of what’s possible. They follow MLB Rule 3.02 completely and prove that breakthroughs and regulations work together perfectly.
References
[1] – https://www.si.com/mlb/yankees-weird-new-torpedo-bats-had-mlb-fans-asking-same-question
[2] – https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/yankees-players-using-new-bat-style-explaining-torpedo-shape-and-why-it-appears-to-be-legal-under-mlb-rules/
[3] – https://www.aol.com/sports/did-yankees-physicist-designed-torpedo-224436079.html
[4] – https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/did-yankees-physicist-designed-torpedo-bats-play-role-in-9-hr-power-surge-vs-brewers-224436396.html
[5] – https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/did-yankees-physicist-designed-torpedo-bats-play-role-in-saturdays-power-surge-224436274.html
[6] – https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25178968-yankees-debut-custom-bats-players-new-sweet-spot-after-reviewing-analytics
[7] – https://physics.wooster.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Junior-IS-Thesis-Web_2011_Raabe.pdf
[8] – https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6240911/2025/03/29/yankees-new-bats-torpedo-home-runs/
[9] – https://www.si.com/mlb/mlb-official-word-on-legality-of-yankees-torpedo-bats
[10] – https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/new-york-yankees/news/yankees-new-bats-new-york-record-home-run-brewers/2ceaf0ff96cf520fd343f4c8
[11] – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/mlb/article-14550781/yankees-nine-home-runs-new-bat-shape-brewers.html
[12] – https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25178968-yankees-custom-bats-players-new-sweet-spot-dont-violate-rules-mlb-says
[13] – https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/mlb/wqn5ah4c3qtivwx3jatm.pdf
[14] – https://larrybrownsports.com/baseball/mlb-yankees-torpedo-barrel-bats/689422
[15] – https://www.fastcompany.com/90952749/how-a-graphic-designer-created-a-new-bat-for-major-league-baseball