At the beginning of the 2025 MLB season, the New York Yankees introduced a new bat that used technology to optimize hitting for players. The Yankees dominated against some of the highest-ranked teams and pitchers in the league, breaking records in the process. Reigning MVP right fielder Aaron Judge hit five home runs, contributing to the Yankees’ MLB record of 22 home runs in their first six games. Many players who had previously struggled in their major league careers excelled, causing some fans to question the origin of their sudden success. They discovered the key to the Yankees’ records: many of their players were using a torpedo bat –– an innovation with more wood in the middle and less wood on the outside compared to a regular bat –– making it easier for players to hit the ball at the bat’s barrel for a stronger hit. 

In total, over 20 MLB players have used the bat at least once during the 2025 season. The Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz used the bat in most of his games, including going 4-5 with two home runs in a game at the beginning of the season. Catcher Jose Trevino, one of De La Cruz’s teammates, has also been using the bat and has hit for a career high average of .278. 

While some players are seeing improvements with the new bat, others haven’t had the same success. Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm, one of the first players to use the bat, has been hitting a career-low batting average of .181, compared to his career average of .245.

While players test the new equipment, some fans have criticized the torpedo bats. Many compared the bats to Wiffle ball bats and mentioned rule 3.02, which states that bats cannot be more than 2.61 inches in diameter and 42 inches in length. However, the torpedo bat’s diameter and length keep it legal. Many players have defended the bats, saying they’re a good addition to help grow the game.

Following a game in which the Yankees put up 20 runs against the Milwaukee Brewers, Brewers relief pitcher Trevor Megill was enraged.

“It’s genius: put the mass all in one spot,” Megill told the New York Post. “It might be bush [league]. It might not be. But it’s the Yankees, so they’ll let it slide.”

The concept of torpedo bats emerged in 2024, when Yankees assistant minor league hitting coordinator Aaron Leanhardt was tasked with using quantitative data to analyze on-field performances. Leanhardt, who has a PhD in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, created the torpedo bat to try to improve the Yankees’ hitting performance based on certain comments he heard from players. 

“I think the eureka moment, really, was when players pointed to where they were trying to hit the ball, and they noticed themselves that that was not the fattest part of the bat,” Leanhardt told the MLB. 

When Yankees right fielder Giancarlo Stanton became the first player to start using the bat in October 2024, the bat soon made it to the major leagues. After Stanton saw success with the bat, hitting seven postseason home runs last year, the Yankees made the torpedo bat available for the rest of their players during spring training. 

While torpedo bats have received backlash from some players and coaches, others have stressed that the bat only plays a minor role in recent successes.

“It’s more the player than the bat,” Reds head coach Terry Francona told reporters.

Despite complaints, most baseball fans appreciate the addition of the new bat. Those who oppose the bat and advocate for their removal, including many MLB pitchers, are being overshadowed.

Amid the discussion, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned that the bat will not be banned.

“I believe that issues like the torpedo bat and the debate around it demonstrate the fact that baseball still occupies a unique place in our culture because people get into a complete frenzy over something that’s nothing at the end of the day,” Manfred told the New York Times. “The bats comply with the rules.”

The effects of torpedo bats go beyond on-field results, altering the way players and coaches view the game. Because of this invention, baseball society will likely begin taking a deeper dive into analytics and statistics to determine the most advantageous strategies. New discoveries could be made faster, improving player performances.