There are three standard barrel sizes for baseball bats: 2 ¼, 2 5/8, and 2 ¾ (full-size). The full-size barrels usually have a difference of 5 between their length and weight (conforming to rules set by many leagues and states regarding high school-aged players). Smaller bats should be selected with a difference of 8 or more between length and weight. For many young players, a 21 ounce bat that is 30 inches long is ideal.

Below is a rough guide for bat selection. It is simply a place to start and depends not only on the size of the player but the level of competition (better pitching may require a lighter bat). It is better to err on the light side rather than the heavy side. Today’s power hitters in the major leagues use lighter bats than power hitters of yesterday.