https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2026/04/02/science-confirms-torpedo-bat-works-as-well-as-regular-bat/ Skip to site navigation Skip to site navigation Skip to content * Washington State University News and Information for Faculty, Staff, and the WSU Community WSU Insider * Go to WSU Twitter * Go to WSU Facebook * Go to WSU Linkedin Menu Quicklinks / Search Subscribe Close Quick Links Close Search [ ] [ ] (*) news.wsu.edu ( ) All wsu.edu Quick Links * Announcements * Press Releases News Categories * Arts & Culture * Awards & Achievements * Benefits & Training * Business & Economics * Campus & Community * Food & Agriculture * Health & Medicine * Politics & Society * Reports & Updates * Science & Technology * University Affairs * Veterinary Medicine Contact Us Close Menu Close Menu Search/Quicklinks * News * News Categories + Arts & Culture + Awards & Achievements + Benefits & Training + Business & Economics + Campus & Community + Food & Agriculture + Health & Medicine + Politics & Society + Reports & Updates + Science & Technology + University Affairs + Veterinary Medicine * Announcements * Contact Us * For Journalists + Press Releases + Institutional Data + Quick Facts * Subscribe * Search * News * News Categories + Arts & Culture + Awards & Achievements + Benefits & Training + Business & Economics + Campus & Community + Food & Agriculture + Health & Medicine + Politics & Society + Reports & Updates + Science & Technology + University Affairs + Veterinary Medicine + Close Menu * Announcements * Contact Us * For Journalists + Press Releases + Institutional Data + Quick Facts + Close Menu * Subscribe * Search Science confirms torpedo bat works as well as regular bat April 2, 2026 By Tina Hilding, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture * Share on Twitter * Share on FaceBook * Share on Linkedin * * share with email * share with link A baseball, a torpedo bat, and a traditional baseball bat laid on a floor featuring a WSU logo. In the first-ever laboratory experiments done on the bat, a research team determined that the torpedo bat and traditional bat perform equally well in hitting power with only a slight difference in the location of the bat's sweet spot (photo courtesy of the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, WSU). PULLMAN, Wash. -- The New York Yankees took the baseball world by storm with the newly designed torpedo bat last year, but the revolutionary design has ended up being no better than a standard bat for hitting the ball out of the park. In the first-ever laboratory experiments done on the bat, a research team determined that the torpedo bat and traditional bat perform equally well in hitting power with only a slight difference in the location of the bat's sweet spot. The researchers, including Lloyd Smith from Washington State University, Alan Nathan from University of Illinois and Daniel Russell from Penn State University, will present their work at the upcoming International Sports Engineering Association conference set for June 1-4 on the Pullman campus. "Wood is wood," said Smith, professor in WSU's School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and director of the university's Sports Science Laboratory. Smith said he wasn't exactly surprised at the findings. He has been studying bats for a couple of decades and has seen lots of excitement over the years -- as when people debated ash versus maple bats, for instance. The news about the torpedo bats confirms his theory that wood material just doesn't have a lot of pizazz. "When it comes to baseball, there's not a lot you can do with wood," he said. "If your goal is to keep the game steady and consistent and not have a lot of change, wood bats are good." If your goal is to keep the game steady and consistent and not have a lot of change, wood bats are good. Lloyd Smith, professor Sports Science Laboratory director Washington State University The torpedo bat went viral, receiving worldwide attention in spring 2025 when the New York Yankees used the new type of bat for the first time in a game and set a team record, hitting nine home runs in that game. Although the torpedo bat can be the same weight as a standard bat, it has a slightly different shape. The diameter of a traditional bat tapers from the handle to the barrel and then gradually increases to the tip of the bat. Researchers who made the torpedo bat removed wood from the barrel tip and added it to the sweet spot, so that the diameter tapers down from the sweet spot to the tip. For the study, the researchers created two maple bats that were duplicates of a standard Major League Baseball bat. Two additional maple bats were made with a torpedo shaped barrel that gave them the same swing weight as the standard bat. To measure the bats' ball-bat coefficient of restitution, or how much energy the bat returns to the ball, the researchers fired baseballs from an air cannon at a stationary bat and then used light gates and cameras to measure the speed of the incoming and rebounding ball. A torpedo bat hanging upside down from testing equipment as it rocks back and forth. Which is better? There may be a slight difference in the location of the sweet spot, but WSU researchers determined that torpedo bats and traditional bats performed equally well regarding hitting power. Watch torpedo bat tests The team found nearly identical performance for the torpedo and standard bats except that the sweet spot for the torpedo bat was a half inch farther from the bat tip than the standard bat. "It was actually pretty phenomenal how close they were," said Smith. Of course, baseball players don't care how much energy is lost -- they just want to know how far the ball can be hit, said Smith. In that case, the bats have the same swing weight, so that if a batter were blindfolded, he wouldn't be able to tell the difference in how they felt. But because the ideal spot to hit the ball is closer in than on a standard bat, the torpedo bat will actually hit the ball a little bit slower than a standard bat would, he said. "If you're comparing both bats at the sweet spot, the ball hitting the torpedo bat is going to be traveling a little bit slower than the standard bat, so it will hit the ball not quite as fast or as far," said Smith. For some players who like to hit the ball closer in, the torpedo bat might be a better option for them, though, he added. And because the barrel is wider in a place where those batters do hit, they will be more likely to hit the ball more often -- giving players a higher batting average. Media Contacts * Lloyd Smith, WSU School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, 509-335-3221, lvsmith@wsu.edu * Tina Hilding, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture Communications, 509-335-5095, thilding@wsu.edu * Share on Twitter * Share on FaceBook * Share on Linkedin * * share with email * share with link Categories: Science & Technology Next Story Sandra Haynes in profile WSU names Sandra Haynes EVP for statewide campuses April 8, 2026 The new role aligns leadership and operations at Everett, Tri-Cities and Vancouver campuses to better serve students, communities and workforce needs across Washington. By Communications staff, Washington State University Recent News [greekweek-] Greek Week success provides big support for Pullman downtown businesses April 8, 2026 Over 1,500 students from WSU Pullman's Greek community recently converged on downtown Pullman to help with many projects including spring cleaning, food distribution at the Community Action Center, organizing trivia for Bishop Place residents, and raising money to support local businesses. By Steve Nakata, Student Affairs Closeup of Jon Haarlow Jon Haarlow to lead Washington State Athletics April 7, 2026 Haarlow, who has served as interim athletic director since Nov. 12, 2025, will be introduced at a press conference in the Alger Family Club Room at Gesa Field, Monday, April 20, at 11 a.m. By Communications staff, Washington State University A closeup of an Angora goat. Rare Angora goat rejoins her herd after surgery at WSU April 7, 2026 A rare Angora goat from northern Idaho has returned to her herd after WSU veterinarians performed a minimally invasive surgery to remove cystic ovaries that had been threatening her health and behavior. By Devin Rokyta, College of Veterinary Medicine An overview illustratino of the new Plant Growth Facility at WSUs Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center. Construction begins for new WSU Plant Growth Facility April 7, 2026 Construction of the $18 million, 24,000-square-foot facility is expected to wrap up in a year, with an opening planned for summer 2027. By Seth Truscott, College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences An illustration of a hip replacement is shown. Turmeric/ginger extract shows benefits for bone implants April 7, 2026 Drawing on ancient medicinal practices, researchers show the extract improved bone bonding as well as killing bacteria and cancer cells. By Shawn Vestal, WSU News & Media Relations A closeup of a monarch butterfly fitted with a new solar-powered tag. New tech allows WSU professor to boost tracking of monarch butterflies April 6, 2026 New high-tech tracking tags are helping a WSU scientist follow monarch butterflies in near real time, offering new clues about their mysterious migration routes and how to better support their survival. By Scott Weybright, College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Recommended Features A pedestrian river path on the Vancouver waterfront. Selling the city: students elevate Vancouver's tourism strategy April 8, 2026 Light shines through the dome on the top of Terrell Library on the WSU Pullman campus. Deadline to test AI scholarly search tools fast approaching April 6, 2026 WSU-related Podcasts A microphone and a pair of headphones. From WSU: Food safety, WSU stories, science answers for kids, and more -- listen to podcasts from Washington State University. About WSU: A selection of programs about Washington State, produced by alumni and friends. WSU Podcasts * Content Guidelines + WSU Insider Guidelines + Press Releases Guidelines + Announcements Guidelines + Events Guidelines * Submission Information + Insider Submission + Press Release Submission + WSU Announcements Submission + WSU Events Submission * Additional Resources + WSU Brand Guidelines + WSU Editorial Style Guide + Social Media at WSU * Go to WSU Twitter * Go to WSU Facebook * Go to WSU Linkedin WSU News & Media Relations, PO Box 641227, Pullman, WA, 99164-1227, wsunews@wsu.edu (c) Washington State University 2026 * Access * Policies * MyWSU * Follow WSU