2023 Marucci CAT X Connect Review - Bat Digest (2024)

FAQs

Is the cat 9 connect better than the cat 9 Composite? ›

Which Cat9 is best? Marucci CAT9 vs. CONNECT vs. COMPOSITE

The best drop 8 bats are the Marucci Cat 9, Marucci Cat 9 Connect, Demarini CF Zen, and the Louisville Slugger Meta. These bats were chosen based on performance, popularity and independent testing. We will take a closer look at each bat and explain why it made the list for best drop 8 USSSA baseball bats.

Although there are plenty of great less expensive options, if you want the creme de la creme of USA bats for 2022, then the drop 10 USA Easton Ghost ADV is the winner, winner, chicken dinner. The bat has a fantastic feel, huge barrel, and top-end exit speeds.

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. You utilize this break-in period to loosen the resin and composite fibers inside of the barrel so the material can be more responsive upon contact.

With that said, if you have to play baseball or softball in temperatures under 60 degrees, here are some recommended bats: Marucci CAT 9 BBCOR Baseball Bat. Louisville Slugger Omaha BBCOR Baseball Bat.

Fundamentally, there are no differences between Drop 8 and Drop 10 bats other than the scale weight. Although each USSSA brand and model has its own vibe, the industry generally holds to these rules when moving from a drop 8 to a drop 10.

Most of our head to head comparisons have results that suggest the bats are no different in performance. However, a 3+ mph difference on 30 hits is a considerable difference. For this particular hitter, it is safe to say the CF performs better in a drop five than the Marucci CAT 8 in a drop 5.

Construction. The 2023 Marucci CAT X is a single-piece alloy bat with some tech in the knob that dampens stings on mish*ts. It also has a unique alloy to give it a huge barrel and hot out-of-the-wrapper performance.

2022 Easton Maxum Ultra USSSA

Boasting one of the biggest sweet spots of any 2022 Bat, the 2022 Easton Maxum Ultra will be a great option for those looking to square up each pitch in the zone for 2022.

What bat has the biggest sweet spot? ›

Aluminum bats allow baseball player to hit the ball farther and faster than with a wooden bat for a few different reasons. The first reason is that a player can swing an aluminum bat about 5 to 10 miles per hour faster than a wooden bat.

Weight drops vary in Senior League baseball, but players 10 years old and under often use a -10 weight drop bat. Players 11-12 years old will often use a -8 weight drop, and 13-year-old players often use a -5 weight drop to help them prepare for the transition to BBCOR play.

USSSA Drop 10 Review

The CAT 9 USSSA Drop 10 is many folks' favorite USSSA bat. It's wildly popular for its price point, feel brand name, and performance. Our players liked the size options, big barrel, light swing, and loud sound on contact. It feels like you hit the ball hard because you do.

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.

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. Both power-hitters and contact-hitters will enjoy the feel and performance of the CAT9.

The two-piece CAT9 Connect bat is crafted for ultimate power and an end-loaded feel that combines a carbon composite handle with the strengthened, thermally treated AZR alloy barrel.