2021 Marucci CAT 9 Review - Bat Digest (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to break in a cat 9 bat? ›

The CAT9 Composite is constructed to be meaner, hotter and bolder. Follow this break-in guide to make sure your CAT9 Composite is ready to go come game time. Although the CAT9 Composite is hot out of the wrapper, most composite baseball bats still require a break-in to reach their optimal in-game performance level.

Since it comes in a -10, -8, and -5 it is easy to find just the right weight for every youth ballplayer. Durability - I easily have over 2,000 swings on this bat and it is holding up incredibly well. This is especially impressing since composite USSSA bats are not known for their durability.

While the CAT9 Composite and CATX Composite barrel is built using the same high performing MDX composite construction and features the same OLS Connection, the CATX Composite features a new S-40 Composite handle that is ~8-10% stiffer than the previous handle, which allows for faster energy transfer from player to ball ...

In BBCOR, the CAT 9 Connect is an end-loaded bat. Those looking for a lot of weight will like it. Those who are not, won't. In USSSA, the CAT 9 Connect swings just a bit heavier than the CAT 9–but both should be considered between balanced, or middle of the road swing weight bats.

Composite Bat Break-In Tips

To properly break in your composite bat, we recommend taking 150-200 swings playing soft toss or off a tee using real baseballs. Start off by swinging at about 50% of your typical swing. Slowly work your way up to full strength over the first 100 swings.

The microfibers that make up a composite bat become more compressed over time, which leads to a bigger trampoline effect and faster exit velocities.

Material Properties: Composite materials are designed to be lightweight, durable, and provide optimal performance. However, they can be more brittle than other materials. The carbon fiber used in composite bats is strong but also susceptible to cracking or breaking under certain conditions.

"If you're a player that's maybe starting in fall ball, hitting through the winter, going into spring ball and potentially any travel teams in the summer, you're probably going to get maybe one year out of your composite bat. It really varies by how many swings that you're getting in that bat,” says Brugnone.

Hitting composite bats at speeds faster than they are designed to withstand can cause premature cracking and damage the bat before reaching its full performance potential. 1. Hit 50 balls off a tee using about 50% power. Make sure to rotate the bat ¼” between each hit.

The Two Biggest Differences

The new Marucci Cat 9 baseball bats are made with the all new, exclusive AZR Aluminum alloy – which Marucci says is the highest grade aluminum ever put into a baseball bat. The Cat 8 uses the AZ105 Aluminum alloy, which is still an ultra high performance material for bats.

Is the Cat 9 aluminum or composite? ›

Further, the CAT9 Connect introduces the first-of-its-kind OLS Connection. This brand-new technology connects the aluminum barrel to the carbon composite handle from the outside in.

On average, the increased size is an added 2.5mm in diameter larger, in comparison to the CAT9, allowing for a more flexible barrel which in turn generates higher overall performance. Both the BBCOR and the Senior League (USSSA) CATX feature Marucci's all new Liquid-Gel Dampening Knob.

The 2021 CAT 9 in USSSA is a balanced to light swinging big barrel single-piece aluminum bat. Performance-wise, it does well in the space and performs as well as the DeMarini CF, which has dominated the area for years. In BBCOR, the bat swings heavier than most give it credit.

The biggest and most notable difference for the Cat 9 drop 3 is the upgraded alloy material. Marucci has moved on from the AZ105 aluminum of the Cat 8, and has outfitted the Cat 9 with a new and approved AZR alloy.

The CAT9 is the most advanced one-piece aluminum bat on the market. It is a precision balanced, one-piece alloy design with a medium M.O.I. For athletes who favor a mid-balanced metal bat, the CAT9 is the right choice.

Composite bats do require a 6-step break-in period for optimal performance. If proper care of the bat isn't taken during the break-in period and over the life of the bat, it may result in premature breakage or lowered performance. Marucci's CAT Composite line includes -5, -8, -10 and Junior Big Barrel models.

Aluminum / Alloy bats do not require a break-in period. These bats are ''hot out of the wrapper'' and can be used in a game right away. Composite bats may require a break-in period.

Second, breaking in a new bat will mean a better life span for your bat. If you use a composite bat right off the line, you could stress the inner resin unevenly. This could lead to dead spots. You'll know your bat has a dead spot if it hits inconsistently.