MLB
How MLB’s New Torpedo Bats Are Impacting Offensive Performance in 2025
Based in Canada, Gia is a Sports Casting contributor. She graduated from the University of Windsor with a Bachelor of Science, so she knows the make-up of a winning bet. Gia uses her analytical background to tell stories using the latest data and statistics. Her work has been sourced by Entrepreneur, Inquirer, and more. Gia is also interested in health, wellness, and yoga.
Get to know Gia Nguyen betterPublished7 hours ago on May 23, 2025
Torpedo bats made waves early in the 2025 MLB season, as the New York Yankees got off to a scorching hot start at the plate. Since then, the hype has cooled off considerably but some players using the new bat design are still experiencing significant gains.
This study examines a group of MLB hitters who have adopted the torpedo bat, comparing their performance in 2025 to the previous season across several offensive categories, including exit velocity, batting average, slugging percentage, home runs per at-bat, and OPS.
We’ll also take a look at the average impact that the torpedo bat has had on all of these stats and examine whether the new design will see more adoption in the coming seasons.
Key Highlights:
- The MLB average for all stats in this study increased, a sign that torpedo bats are having a net-positive impact league-wide
- 10 players using torpedo bats (55.5%) have seen their HR/AB increase by at least 20%
- 61% of torpedo bat s have experienced an increase in average exit velocity with an average jump of 0.48 mph
- Daniel Schneeman’s HR/AB are up 136% and his slugging percentage is up 25% in 2025, leading all torpedo bat s
- Paul Goldschmidt has increased his batting average by 94 points, a 38.37% jump year-over-year, the biggest jump among torpedo bat s
Note: all data is accurate as of Tuesday, May 20th, 2025.
Which MLB Players Are Making The Most Out Of The New Torpedo Bats?
For this study, we compared how 18 players using torpedo bats in 2025 have performed compared to last season.
Of all the players swinging torpedo bats, Daniel Schneeman, Cal Raleigh, Anthony Volpe, and Paul Goldschmidt have arguably seen the biggest impact at the plate but they aren’t the only players benefitting from the new bat design.
Perhaps most interestingly, players are using the bats in a slightly different manner, with some prioritizing power while others, like Goldschmidt, are using the bat to make more at the plate.
Let’s break down some of the players benefitting the most from swapping bats this season.
Cal Raleigh — C, Seattle Mariners
Raleigh is perhaps the most interesting case study, as he uses the torpedo bat when hitting left-handed, but not when hitting right-handed. He has improved his overall slugging percentage by over 28.2% so far this season and he’s hitting balls out of the park at an elevated rate, especially from the left side of the plate.
When hitting as a lefty, he has a .930 OPS in 2025 and nearly 8.7% of his at-bats have resulted in home runs. Compare that to last season, when only 5.3% of hit at-bats resulted in homers from the left side of the plate even though his average at the dish is identical (.235) in those situations. While that might not seem like a notable number, it represents a 64% increase and has him on pace to hit 48 home runs in 2025.
His barrel rate is also up 41.5% compared to last season. He has a barrel rate of 21.8% in 2025 compared to 15.4% in 2024.
That has allowed him to increase his overall numbers across the board
With that being said, Raleigh isn’t the only player experiencing a power surge thanks to the torpedo bat.
Daniel Schneemann — 2B, Cleveland Guardians
Perhaps no player has seen a bigger impact from using the new torpedo bats than Cleveland Guardians second baseman Daniel Schneeman.
As a rookie, Schneeman mostly struggled at the plate in 73 games last season, hitting just .218 with five home runs in 193 at-bats. In 2025, Schneeman has already eclipsed his home run total from a year ago while hitting .265 with an impressive .839 OPS through 39 games (105 at-bats).
Schneeman’s power surge leads all torpedo bat s, as he’s increased his HR/AB by an impressive 136% while improving his slugging percentage by 35.9% and his OPS by 25%.
Anthony Volpe — SS, NY Yankees
Volpe actually ranks second with an 87.35% increase in home runs per at bat this year.
The Yankees’ shortstop has already launched six long balls after hitting just 12 in 160 games (637 AB) last season.
While his average is slightly down (.235 compared to .243), Volpe’s slugging percentage is up by 16.5% (.424 compared to .364) and his OPS is nearly 100 points higher (.745 compared to .657 in 2024).
Dansby Swanson — SS, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson is also making the most of his opportunities with the new bat design at age 31. Prior to this season, Swanson had watched his overall power diminish in three consecutive seasons after hitting a career-high 27 home runs in 2021.
After hitting .242 with 16 home runs in 149 games (534 AB) last year, Swanson has improved his numbers across the board, raising his batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS by significant margins.
He’s also hit 10 home runs in 149 at-bats, meaning 5.3% of his at-bats have resulted in home runs, a 78.5% increase compared to last season.
Paul Goldschmidt — 1B, NY Yankees
Lastly, Goldschmidt has rekindled his swing at the plate with the torpedo bat, turning himself back into a .300 hitter.
Following a pair of disappointing seasons to end his tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals, Goldschmidt is making more this year and it’s showing up in the box score. He’s hitting .339 in 2025 compared to .245 a season ago and his OPS (.878) is up 38.4%.
As a result, he’s crossing the plate more often and has 31 runs scored through 47 games, putting him on pace for over 100 runs scored in 2025.
Honorable Mentions:
Two other Yankees are also making the most out of the torpedo bat this season — Austin Wells and Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Austin Wells — C, NY Yankees
Wells has watched his home runs per at-bat increase by 59% in 2025.
Despite the fact he’s batting 20 points lower than last season, Wells has seen steady gains in both slugging percentage and OPS, signaling a more consistent ability to drive the ball in 2025.
Jazz Chisholm — 2B, NY Yankees
Chisholm Jr. has also experienced a power surge, with a 56% increase in HR per AB.
The 27-year-old is also hitting more fly balls than ever before with a fly ball percentage of 37.3% compared to 25% a year ago.
While his batting average has dipped in a limited sample size, the added pop suggests the torpedo bat is helping him maximize damage when he makes .
Exit Velocity
Volpe has experienced the biggest change in average exit velocity among all torpedo bat s. He’s increased his average exit velocity by 3.3 mph, a 3.76% increase from a year ago.
In total, 11 of the 18 torpedo bat s (61%) have seen a positive impact on their average exit velocity with the MLB average jumping by 0.48 mph when using the new bat design.
| Player | 2024 Exit Velocity | 2025 Exit Velocity | Difference | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Volpe | 87.7 | 91 | 3.3 | 3.76% |
| Ryan Jeffers | 86.9 | 89.9 | 3 | 3.45% |
| Austin Wells | 88.4 | 91 | 2.6 | 2.94% |
| Cody Bellinger | 87.8 | 89.7 | 1.9 | 2.16% |
| Junior Caminero | 89.7 | 91.4 | 1.7 | 1.90% |
| Adley Rutschman | 88.2 | 89.8 | 1.6 | 1.81% |
| Nico Hoerner | 85.7 | 87.1 | 1.4 | 1.63% |
| Dansby Swanson | 89.4 | 90.5 | 1.1 | 1.23% |
| Alec Bohm | 90.4 | 91.3 | 0.9 | 1.00% |
| Oneil Cruz | 95.5 | 96.2 | 0.7 | 0.73% |
| Cal Raleigh | 91 | 91.5 | 0.5 | 0.55% |
| Daniel Schneemann | 88.5 | 88.1 | -0.4 | -0.45% |
| Elly De La Cruz | 91.8 | 90.7 | -1.1 | -1.20% |
| Francisco Lindor | 90.9 | 89.7 | -1.2 | -1.32% |
| Paul Goldschmidt | 91.2 | 89.7 | -1.5 | -1.64% |
| Jazz Chisholm Jr. | 89.7 | 87.9 | -1.8 | -2.01% |
| Willson Contreras | 91.6 | 89.7 | -1.9 | -2.07% |
| Kyle Isbel | 88.1 | 85.9 | -2.2 | -2.50% |
| MLB Average | 0.478 | 0.55% | ||
HRs Per At-Bat
Ten players using torpedo bats (55.5%) have experienced their home run rate jump significantly since switching over to the torpedo bat. The average torpedo bat has seen a 16.6% increase in home runs per at-bat, a sign that players are able to generate more pop when making .
Daniel Schneeman leads the group with an 136.3% increase in HR/AB this season, followed by Anthony Volpe (87.4%), Dansby Swanson (78.5%), Austin Wells (59%), and Jazz Chisholm Jr. (56.1%).
On the other end of the spectrum, Nico Hoerner still hasn’t hit a long ball in 178 at-bats this season.
| Player | 2024 HR per AB | 2025 HR per AB | Difference | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Schneemann | 0.02591 | 0.06122 | 0.0353 | 136.33% |
| Anthony Volpe | 0.01884 | 0.03529 | 0.0165 | 87.35% |
| Dansby Swanson | 0.02996 | 0.05348 | 0.0235 | 78.48% |
| Austin Wells | 0.03672 | 0.05839 | 0.0217 | 59.01% |
| Jazz Chisholm Jr. | 0.04270 | 0.06667 | 0.0240 | 56.11% |
| Oneil Cruz | 0.03882 | 0.05674 | 0.0179 | 46.17% |
| Cal Raleigh | 0.06227 | 0.08824 | 0.0260 | 41.70% |
| Junior Caminero | 0.03636 | 0.04598 | 0.0096 | 26.44% |
| Cody Bellinger | 0.03488 | 0.04403 | 0.0091 | 26.21% |
| Kyle Isbel | 0.02083 | 0.02586 | 0.0050 | 24.14% |
| Elly De La Cruz | 0.04045 | 0.04103 | 0.0006 | 1.42% |
| Francisco Lindor | 0.05340 | 0.04663 | -0.0068 | -12.67% |
| Paul Goldschmidt | 0.03673 | 0.02825 | -0.0085 | -23.09% |
| Adley Rutschman | 0.03327 | 0.02532 | -0.0080 | -23.92% |
| Willson Contreras | 0.04983 | 0.03315 | -0.0167 | -33.48% |
| MLB Average | +0.0055 | 16.62% | ||
Batting Average
Players aren’t just hitting the ball harder using the new bat, they are also making slightly more . On average, torpedo bat s have increased their batting average by .003 points or 1.63%, a sign that they aren’t necessarily sacrificing for additional power.
In fact, there are some signs that players are using the bats differently. Goldschmidt has actually seen his power numbers drop with the torpedo bat.
His average exit velocity is down by 1.64% and his home runs per at-bat are down 23.1%, yet he’s made significantly more at the plate in 2025. As a result, his batting average is up 94 points to .339 this season, a 38.4% increase from a year ago.
Kyle Isbel, Daniel Scheemann, and Ryan Jeffers have also seen significant improvements in their batting average using the new bat design.
However, 10 of the 18 players in this study have seen their batting average decrease in 2025.
| Player | 2024 AVG | 2025 AVG | Difference | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Goldschmidt | 0.245 | 0.339 | 0.094 | 38.37% |
| Kyle Isbel | 0.229 | 0.284 | 0.055 | 24.14% |
| Daniel Schneemann | 0.218 | 0.265 | 0.048 | 21.91% |
| Ryan Jeffers | 0.226 | 0.269 | 0.044 | 19.27% |
| Cal Raleigh | 0.220 | 0.241 | 0.021 | 9.55% |
| Dansby Swanson | 0.242 | 0.262 | 0.020 | 8.26% |
| Nico Hoerner | 0.273 | 0.292 | 0.019 | 6.96% |
| Francisco Lindor | 0.273 | 0.280 | 0.007 | 2.56% |
| Cody Bellinger | 0.266 | 0.258 | -0.008 | -3.01% |
| Anthony Volpe | 0.243 | 0.235 | -0.008 | -3.29% |
| Willson Contreras | 0.262 | 0.249 | -0.013 | -4.96% |
| Elly De La Cruz | 0.259 | 0.246 | -0.013 | -5.02% |
| Alec Bohm | 0.280 | 0.264 | -0.016 | -5.71% |
| Junior Caminero | 0.248 | 0.230 | -0.018 | -7.26% |
| Austin Wells | 0.229 | 0.204 | -0.025 | -10.92% |
| Oneil Cruz | 0.259 | 0.220 | -0.039 | -15.06% |
| Adley Rutschman | 0.250 | 0.209 | -0.041 | -16.40% |
| Jazz Chisholm Jr. | 0.256 | 0.181 | -0.075 | -29.32% |
| MLB Average | +0.003 | 1.63% | ||
Slugging Percentage
Schneeman (+35.9%) and Raleigh (+28.2%) have seen the biggest improvements in slugging percentage this season.
On the other end of the spectrum, Alec Bohm (-19.2%), William Contreras (-15%), and Adley Rutschman (-14.3%) have seen the biggest negative impact on their slugging percentages in 2025.
Overall, the average slugging percentage among torpedo bat s has jumped by 0.012 or 3.82% this season among torpedo bat s.
| Player | 2024 SLG% | 2025 SLG% | Difference | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Schneemann | 0.368 | 0.5 | 0.132 | 35.87% |
| Cal Raleigh | 0.436 | 0.559 | 0.123 | 28.21% |
| Kyle Isbel | 0.367 | 0.448 | 0.081 | 22.07% |
| Dansby Swanson | 0.39 | 0.471 | 0.081 | 20.77% |
| Paul Goldschmidt | 0.414 | 0.486 | 0.072 | 17.39% |
| Anthony Volpe | 0.364 | 0.424 | 0.06 | 16.48% |
| Austin Wells | 0.395 | 0.453 | 0.058 | 14.68% |
| Cody Bellinger | 0.426 | 0.453 | 0.027 | 6.34% |
| Nico Hoerner | 0.373 | 0.365 | -0.008 | -2.14% |
| Oneil Cruz | 0.449 | 0.426 | -0.023 | -5.12% |
| Junior Caminero | 0.424 | 0.402 | -0.022 | -5.19% |
| Ryan Jeffers | 0.432 | 0.409 | -0.023 | -5.32% |
| Jazz Chisholm Jr. | 0.436 | 0.41 | -0.026 | -5.96% |
| Francisco Lindor | 0.5 | 0.461 | -0.039 | -7.80% |
| Elly De La Cruz | 0.471 | 0.41 | -0.061 | -12.95% |
| Adley Rutschman | 0.391 | 0.335 | -0.056 | -14.32% |
| Willson Contreras | 0.468 | 0.398 | -0.07 | -14.96% |
| Alec Bohm | 0.448 | 0.362 | -0.086 | -19.20% |
| MLB Average | +0.0122 | 3.82% | ||
OPS
Schneeman (+25%), Raleigh (+22.7%), and Goldschmidt (+22.6%) top the list of torpedo bat s who have seen the biggest change in their OPS this season.
As we noted earlier, all three of these players are getting results in a different manner with Goldschmidt focusing on generating more while Schneeman and Raleigh are generating more power and experiencing positive results across the board.
Some of the biggest names on the list have actually experienced a negative impact to their OPS when using the new bat design. Contreras (-14.4%), Bohm (-13.4%), Rutschman (-10.7%), and Elly De La Cruz (-10%) have all seen their numbers drop from a season ago.
Still, torpedo bat s have seen an overall positive impact on their OPS with the average OPS up by 0.0167 points, a 2.82% increase compared to last season.
| Player | 2024 OPS | 2025 OPS | Difference | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Schneemann | 0.671 | 0.839 | 0.168 | 25.04% |
| Cal Raleigh | 0.748 | 0.918 | 0.17 | 22.73% |
| Paul Goldschmidt | 0.716 | 0.878 | 0.162 | 22.63% |
| Anthony Volpe | 0.657 | 0.745 | 0.088 | 13.39% |
| Dansby Swanson | 0.701 | 0.791 | 0.09 | 12.84% |
| Kyle Isbel | 0.654 | 0.737 | 0.083 | 12.69% |
| Ryan Jeffers | 0.732 | 0.766 | 0.034 | 4.64% |
| Cody Bellinger | 0.751 | 0.783 | 0.032 | 4.26% |
| Austin Wells | 0.718 | 0.726 | 0.008 | 1.11% |
| Oneil Cruz | 0.773 | 0.778 | 0.005 | 0.65% |
| Nico Hoerner | 0.708 | 0.699 | -0.009 | -1.27% |
| Francisco Lindor | 0.844 | 0.811 | -0.033 | -3.91% |
| Jazz Chisholm Jr. | 0.76 | 0.714 | -0.046 | -6.05% |
| Junior Caminero | 0.724 | 0.662 | -0.062 | -8.56% |
| Elly De La Cruz | 0.809 | 0.728 | -0.081 | -10.01% |
| Adley Rutschman | 0.709 | 0.633 | -0.076 | -10.72% |
| Alec Bohm | 0.779 | 0.667 | -0.112 | -14.38% |
| Willson Contreras | 0.848 | 0.726 | -0.122 | -14.39% |
| MLB Average | +0.0167 | 2.82% | ||
Conclusion
As Major League Baseball continues to evolve, so does the technology behind the tools of the game. In its inaugural season, the jury is still out on whether or not the torpedo bat is truly making an impact but the initial data is net-positive, especially in the power department, where some batters have experienced increases in exit velocity, home runs per at-bat, and slugging percentage.
The numbers show that traditional barrels generate 2–3% more power at the very end of the bat, but torpedo bats produce 5–7% more power closer to the handle, according to the Baseball Performance Lab. As a result, there might come a time where different bat types are used situationally or against certain pitchers, similar to the way a golfer has a club for every distance and lie.
Against pitchers who crowd hitters on the inner part of the plate, the torpedo bat could be a useful tool that can help maximize bat speed, generate harder , and put more runs on the board. When facing pitchers who live on the outer half of the plate, the traditional barrel may still offer better plate coverage and control, making it the preferred option in those matchups.
While more time and data are needed to draw firm conclusions, the early signs suggest that the torpedo bat is here to stay, for better or worse.
