We’re thrilled to share thatAuthentic Bats was featured in a recent NPR article covering one of the biggest stories in baseball this season — the rise of thetorpedo bat.
Unlike traditional bats that gradually increase in diameter from handle to barrel,torpedo bats widen and then narrow again — resembling the silhouette of a bowling pin. This novel geometry is designed to shift weight closer to the hitter’s hands, reducing swing weight and improving bat control without sacrificing performance.
“If you lower the swing weight, you increase your swing speed — which is super important for batted ball speed,” explains Lloyd Smith, mechanical engineering professor at Washington State University, in the article.
⚾️ Why It Matters
As NPR notes, while some of baseball’s biggest stars still swing classic models, hitters across the league — from the Yankees to the Cubs, Rays, and beyond — have experimented with torpedo bats in spring training, BP, and even games. Analysts, physicists, and players are intrigued by its blend of science-backed innovation and on-field results.
“The bat’s design boosts one often-overlooked stat: confidence,” says Penn State acoustics professor Dan Russell. “If a hitter believes it works — it works.”
🔗 Our Role in the Movement
Here atAuthentic Bats, we’ve pioneered our own version of the torpedo: theRPG Torpedo Bat. Designed for elite control, explosive speed, and barrel-driven dominance, the RPG is already becoming a favorite across college, travel, and pro ball.
Crafted to the exacting standards of David Chandler, our founder and one of the most revered batmakers in the game, every RPG model reflects our brand’s mission: Innovate. Elevate. Repeat.
🧠 Learn More, Swing Smarter
If you’re new to Authentic or curious how the RPG stacks up, we’ve built a few helpful resources:
What Are Torpedo Bats? Inside the Science, the Hype & the Custom RPG Bat by Authentic
Over the opening weekend of the 2025 MLB season, the New York Yankees made history—15 home runs in three games, including nine in one day. The secret weapon? A game-changing new design known as the torpedo bat (also called the bowling pin bat), which we have for sale.
Since then, players across the league—and fans everywhere—have been asking:
What are torpedo bats?
Why are torpedo bats better?
Can I buy a torpedo bat?
Are torpedo bats legal in MLB?
What company makes torpedo bats?
Let’s break it all down—and show you how Authentic Bats is leading the way with our RPG™ Bat, a custom-designed evolution of the torpedo bat concept.
⚾ What Is a Torpedo Bat?
A torpedo bat is a new style of wood bat that features a barrel shape more like a bowling pin or RPG launcher. Unlike traditional bats with most of their mass toward the tip, torpedo bats redistribute weight closer to the hitter’s hands, which increases control and swing speed—while still delivering serious power at the sweet spot.
The design was originally theorized by MIT physicist Aaron Leanhardt, who collaborated with the Yankees’ analytics team to find ways to help hitters make better contact in an era of record-breaking pitch velocity. Interested in where you can buy a torpedo bat? Keep reading.
🔬 Why Are Torpedo Bats Better?
Torpedo bats:
Optimizes the Center Of Percussion ‘sweet spot’ mass.
Shift weight distribution for better swing control
Boost bat speed due to a more balanced feel
Maintain compliance with MLB’s Rule 3.02 (legal: one-piece, solid wood, round, under 2.61″ diameter and 42″ length)
MLB and MiLB players are already swinging these bats—and the early results are explosive.
💣 Introducing the RPG™ Bat by Authentic
While Authentic Bats did not invent the torpedo bat, we’ve taken the physics-based concept and pushed it to the next level with our torpedo bat for sale: RPG™ Bat—named for its unmistakable silhouette and explosive performance.
Combining theoretical physics with the world-class craftsmanship of David Chandler (founder of Chandler Bats and now Authentic), we’re proud to offer a bat that’s not only compliant with MLB specs but engineered for elite performance and feel.
🧠 “When you combine the physicist’s theory with the world’s best bat maker, you get the most refined torpedo bat on the market: the RPG™.”
Authentic is one of the very few companies currently making custom wood torpedo bats—and our RPG Bat is already turning heads across every level of the game.
RPG™ Torpedo Bat
It looks like a torpedo. Hits like a missile. Crafted by the best in the world. Introducing the RPG™ Torpedo Bat by Authentic.
Authentic Bats is now accepting custom orders for RPG TorpedoBats. These are made-to-order, based on your swing style, position, and performance needs.
If you’re a serious hitter and want to swing the same style bat that’s changing the game at the highest level, this is your moment to buy a torpedo bat for sale.
🔗 Contact us here to start building your custom RPG bat today.
Yes. As long as the bat complies with MLB Rule 3.02, it is 100% legal. All Authentic torpedo bats are made within regulation specs.
What company makes torpedo bats?
A handful of bat makers are trying. But Authentic Bats is one of the only brands manufacturing elite-level custom torpedo bats, built by a master craftsman using the finest pro-grade wood.
Where can I buy a torpedo-shaped bat?
Right here. We have torpedo bats for sale (check out our RPG bat). Reach out to our team to start building yours.
Are MLB and MiLB players using torpedo bats?
Yes – but while there are all of a sudden many torpedos in the water today, only Authentic has optimized it with their very own RPG torpedo bat.
What is a torpedo bat made of?
Torpedo bats are made from solid, one-piece wood, just like traditional MLB-legal bats. Most are crafted from maple, birch, or ash, depending on the hitter’s preference.
The key difference lies in the geometry, not the material: the torpedo shape redistributes mass toward the Center of Percussion (sweet spot) to maximize power and control—without changing the core materials.
Authentic’s RPG™ torpedo bats are handcrafted using only premium pro-grade wood, ensuring they meet both MLB regulations and elite performance standards.
The torpedo bat isn’t just hype—it’s a smart, physics-backed evolution of a century-old tool. And when it’s built by the best bat maker in the world? You get something game-changing. You get Authentic.
