Baseball: Will MIT physicist developed ‘torpedo’ bats be banned?

A new type of bat being used by many Major League Baseball (MLB) players this season has become the hottest topic of discussion for sports fans. After a few emphatic performances showing just how effective the new ‘torpedo’ bat can be, some fans are wondering whether they will be banned.

Developed by 48-year-old Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) physicist and Miami Marlins’ field coordinator, Aaron Leanhardt, the new ‘torpedo’ bat has taken the world by storm. So, what exactly is it?

The Sweet Spot

The logic behind the new bat is simple; players noticed that the thickest part of the bat, the tip, was not where they most often hit the ball. Thus, Leanhardt’s development of the torpedo bat began during his time as an analyst with the Yankees in 2022. And the result was, a bat which had more wood on the “sweet spot”, closer to the label, rather than the tip.

Years of redesigns based on player input, which Leanhardt stated was a “feedback loop” followed, beginning with the demoing of the first bats in the 2023-24 season. Now, in the 2025-26 season, they are taking over the game.

The New York Yankees are the more prevalent example of the difference torpedo bats can made. Their second game of this regular season saw them tie their franchise record for home runs in a game, with nine, on their way to a 20-9 thrashing of the Milwaukee Brewers. The next day, the Yankees broke the MLB record for most home runs through the first three games of the season, after recording another four homers in their emphatic 12-3 victory over the Brewers.

However, instead of celebrating the players, most of the discussion about the Yankees success has centred on the new bats. Some fans are defending the Yankees, such as one YouTube user who posted a comment under an ESPN Baseball Tonight video discussing the Pinstripers record breaking stretch.

“As far as I know, the only Yankees regulars who are using the new bat are Wells, Volpe and Chisholm. As usual, a bunch of people have a lot to say while knowing very little. Thank you, internet.”

Another user was more critical of New York in his reply to the above comment.

“Yea and what did those guys do? Hit multiple home runs which you don’t see from guys like that. Those bats will be banned soon.”

Players or the bat

In the Yankees 20-9 stomping of the Brewers, seven players in pinstripes hit homers. Aaron Judge went deep three times on his own, and notably, does not use a torpedo bat. However, Jazz Chisolm Jr., Cody Bellinger, Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe, and Paul Goldschmidt all do, and all went deep as well. Chisolm Jr. also went deep twice in the Yankees 12-3 win over the Brewers the following day.

The question is whether or not the bats are allowing the Yankees to put on the performances they have been. Only time will tell, as the season progresses and fans are able to compare batting statistics to previous seasons. So far, Yankees players are off to a great start. Chisolm Jr. hit a total of 24 homers in his 562 at bats in the 2024 season. Through the 12 at bats he’s had this season, he’s hit three already.

While its still too early to attribute Chisolm Jr. and other Yankees’ success to anything other than a great stretch of hitting, other players in the league are also experiencing the benefits of the torpedo bat. Elly De La Cruz used a torpedo bat for the first ever time this Monday, and recorded two home runs and a career high seven RBIs as he led the Cincinnati Reds to a 14-3 victory over the Texas Rangers.

Will they be banned?

Currently, based on MLB’s rules, the bats are completely legal. MLB rule 3.02 states:

“The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood.”

However, rules can change, which begs the question, if by the end of the season it becomes clear that the new bats are providing a noticeable improvement to players hitting, will they be banned? Considering MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s approach to rule changes, its unlikely. Notable rule changes implemented in the last few years have all been in service of creating shorter, more action-packed games to boost viewership and youth involvement.

Larger bases were implemented to encourage stealing bases. Similarly, limits on defensive shifts were introduced to combat the league-wide batting average drop in 2022. The introduction of the pitch clock has also led to faster games, reducing the over 3-hour game length time to a little over 2 hours and 35 minutes in 2024.

Even if bats are providing players with an advantage, it may be in Manfred and league’s best interests as the increased action will continue the strides being made to make the product more watchable. And as more and more players adopt the new bats, it may not be much of an advantage anymore. Although, it may become an issue if pitchers ERA’s begin to skyrocket