How JUICED are MLB baseballs? (exit velocity test)

One of our viewers is an avid MLB baseball collector and he set us up with some big-league balls!! Today we're on the @HitTraxOfficial testing out a NFHS-certified Wilson A1010HS1 High School Baseball against a 2021 MLB Baseball and the allegedly "juiced" 2019 MLB Baseball.
You can find our BBCOR/USSSA bat rankings along with our Bat Bros merch at baseballbatbros.com/

[@baseballbatbros]

and one thing I forgot to mention: Every MPH of exit velocity adds about 5 feet of distance. So if a ball is hit 95 mph at a 30-degree launch angle and it goes 375 ft, an extra 5 mph of exit velo would make that ball go about 400 ft.

[@eightybeatss.]

goat

[@boysandbats]

Thats just insane...

[@Caydooh]

Wow..

[@jacobsantucci1334]

Wow

[@lucasalthage23]

2019 was a good year for exit velo

[@PrimoPatzz]

Hit a 2019 MLB ball with one of the old juiced bats, I wanna see 120

[@ogsandiegopadresandcharger8866]

And on like 85 mph instead of 50 or 70 whatever you use so you can hit it even harder

[@ogsandiegopadresandcharger8866]

With a machine obviously

[@BryanKuchta]

YESSS

[@blakenorton6047]

That would be awsome

[@CaponeCraps]

Creamsicle...

[@NoName-tx5gt]

We need swing speed as that is the biggest factor in exit velocity, and secondly the batter should not know which ball is being thrown. As much as he doesn’t want to he will subconsciously influence the results.

[@JustinDelValle-or9pb]

I don’t think this is a fair assessment of exit velocity. Pitch speed can change exit velocity just as much (or more) as bat speed. Also, missing the sweet spot in the barrel can cause a huge drop in exit velocity…. Too many factors here to say the BIGGEST one is bat speed. They all can make huge impacts on exit velocity.

[@loganpollei4181]

This video deserves a ton of views. It has been talked about for a while now by a lot of people but it’s awesome you guys actually did something to prove it. Good work

[@KickCHIEF]

now we see how aaron judge is breaking the record ;)

[@rudypot683]

Not a fair test high school baseball is hit with a aluminum bat exit velocity will be higher. Test the high school ball with your best aluminum bat and test mlb ball with wood and see your exit velocity.

[@shanecook7280]

This is a huge video for players and serious fans .

[@King_Immanuel]

I will say that when I got my first ever MLB ball from a game it definitely felt different from a normal ball. Seams felt much tighter and the ball was 1000% harder. Felt like a rock compared to HS balls

[@tima.478]

And the seems are super flat which equates to much less drag than a high school ball with those huge laces.

[@tima.478]

@Trigger Warning Yep, which gives you an inkling of how good a pro pitchers curve ball really is. If they threw a high school ball it would be almost like a wiffle ball...lol.

[@tima.478]

@Trigger Warning Yeah back then he was a unicorn for sure! Now every high school has a guy or 2 throwing mid/low 90's, it's crazy the development now. They have so many great tools and training available now for sure. In the 80's when I played Double A/Triple A ball, mid 90's was the fastest we ever saw. Injury eventually took me out. Staying healthy is the number 1 reason most guys don't stick. Hardly is it ever the lack of ability, most guys that are borderline MLB adjust to that and eventually move on up. Staying healthy was my most time consuming job in pro ball. The playing just comes naturally. We used to always joke that during the games was the only time we could chill...lol. SOOOO much preparation and repetitious practice takes place, when it's "game time" you literally can just take it easy.

[@empathy800]

@Trigger Warning not common at all for a high schooler to pitch in 90's- even today! If you're in high school pitching at even low 90's, you're getting a scholarship off the bat (no pun intended).

[@empathy800]

@@tima.478 LOL....Not every high school has a pitcher that can throw in the 90's. Seriously?? That's beyond skill and development- especially at such a young age. A high school pitcher pitching in low 90's with all the best training has an innate ability. Just like in academics, hard work can get you pretty far, but the ones that are in the top 5% of the class are simply gifted and not just from hard work.

[@MarkyCannoli]

It would be so interesting to test a 2019 ball against a ball from the 98-99 season.

[@zuzmw]

yes

[@sergiowaters]

Yes!

[@satanspit4101]

Well I have 18 balls from 98 season. All autographed though. So no you can't wack them with a bat.

[@wingracer1614]

I'd like to see some balls from April and May this year versus balls from June and July this year. People were hitting nothing but duds the first two months then in June the balls started leaving the park with ease. Would be fun to see if it was just the short preseason or if the balls changed.

[@estebanleon5826]

Great video! The only suggestion I would have is to have the batter not know what’s being pitched. That would eliminate any confirmation bias that may happen unconsciously. Like if the batter believes that the 2019 ball is juiced before he swings, then he may swing harder to prove that is true. I’m not doubting the results. Just suggesting a better way to test the project. Good luck!

[@TheSchmitt]

My thoughts exactly.

[@RussCR5187]

Yes, and there are other ways of scientifically assessing "hardness".

[@nowayjose596]

That is 100% a reason to doubt the results. Along with all the other variables in this "test" that make it far from scientific.

[@thecrossmethod6192]

They should have also randomised the order the balls were thrown. I suspect there would be a benefit from the batter and pitcher being more warmed up in later rounds.

[@estebanleon5826]

@@thecrossmethod6192 I like that.

[@tylerhumphrey4996]

I’d love to see a green zen vs 2019 ball

[@milesofgamingandfriends4320]

I like the way you think

[@moderndaycaveman8516]

off a machine for some extra velo

[@evanharnum2101]

good god😭

[@dougy.7083]

he just made that video 😂

[@willbomersbach2253]

If you can get your hands on some 2022 baseballs I'd be interested to see those exit velos considering the complaints the players are getting on not only how they feel as a pitcher but the hitter as well. I don't remember who it was but they said it was like hitting a rolled up pair of socks

[@aschmidty11]

I think the feel from the pitchers complaint has been more about how the balls aren’t as rubbed up

[@phild8095]

Will Middlebrooks posted that a top 5 hitter message him “Dude, it’s like hitting rolled up socks.”

[@dustyc324]

@@aschmidty11 poor grip, now pitchers are getting different injuries. more forearm injuries than normal because they outlawed the sauce and made the balls harder to grip.

[@B_HarTz]

Ya theirs a video that explains why mlb is losing views not only in tv but in stadiums And they took a poll and asked what people wanted to see more of... between rivalry physical fights or stolen bases, they said more home runs lol So 2022 and 2023, damn the most HR in history and since 2019, overall hr is going up each season Which is why baseball still sucks and haven't been to a game or tuned in unless it's the playoffs lol

[@youraveragemexican1014]

2019 balls with cat 9 composite would be insane

[@roberttirschman6524]

Will, See if he can get a hold of some Homerun Derby balls. You know those are going to be Super Juiced.. Great video. You were hitting seeds.

[@twmccoy100]

A video with those multi colored HR derby balls would be awesome for sure.

[@Datamining101]

it would be so interesting to see an actually scientifically controlled test for density/elasticity/etc.

[@quakers200]

Blind test needed. Knowing what ball you are hitting can make a difference. Also need to know pitching speed etc. Not saying you can't learn from this, just may not be as conclusive

[@bencarufel]

We use Pecos league (MiLB spec) for homerun derby on the weekends…and we also hit A1010S’s sometimes. Huge difference. Like, night and day. Wood bats only, and easy 20-25 feet extra distance with the MiLB spec balls.

[@bs5kb24]

Wow I play in the Pecos league and never really thought about the balls being different. Thanks for the info because I def hit the ball harder in games than when training.

[@janetdimitroff3739]

So glad you finally got this video out!! Loved how it turned out.

[@falcon1378]

Insane, and Juan Soto is launching them 114 mph with regularity. Imagine how hard he hit in live ABs back in 2019.

[@Nicckk1127]

119-121 Easily

[@danetodhunter9525]

gancarlos stanton!

[@Max-wd6og]

Why 2019?

[@falcon1378]

@@Max-wd6og cause the balls were juiced, and he was hitting like a monster on the way to snatching his Nationals the Pennant.

[@orbit3232]

@@Max-wd6og did you even watch the video?

[@lefthookheaven6377]

It’s crazy on a couple of occasions I’ve watched big leaguers hit a ball in the air that they thought was a pop fly and it just carries and carries right over the wall

[@edschneidmuller9496]

Some of Alonso's homers to the opposite field even this year surprise the guys in the booth . He hit one over the center field fence the other day that looked like it was a flyout to center but just kept going. In 2019 he hit many to the opposite field that he just flicked his wrists at. Not so many this year.

[@dogwashthefirst597]

Backspin

[@mikegibbons2889]

Thank you for doing this test. It answers why so many opposite field MLB homeruns were happening in 2019. Now they have come down to reality and their averages came down right with it all.

[@Syrinx14]

Would be awesome to see you guys do a vid where you take like 15 of each ball (2019/2021/HS) and pitch them in a random order and see how many you can guess right based on the feel of them off the bat.

[@jeffrey.a.hanson]

Took BP with Oakland A’s in 2010 after a severe foot injury and hit 10+ home runs in a row…including a jam shot to center. I was a good D1 power hitter, but every MLB predraft workout continued to shock me. Changed my entire view on power.

[@boysandbats]

MLB balls are just insane dude. Thanks for the new banger!

[@michaelheim612]

Loved this video. Content is always amazing. I say it a lot Yous bring class to the game. Thanks Will and the Fellas.

[@baseballbatbros]

🧡

[@Trx3n]

Love your content bro keep doing what your doing

[@ThomasParrish]

loved this video man, so crazy how much of a difference it actually made, didn't expect it to be that obvious

[@relativelynormalhedgehog4450]

Love your videos would love to see some older bats from 2015-2019 like the Easton beast x speed or the Easton adv project(I know their both Easton bats but you get my point)

[@WFKTHETHIRD]

I'm about to turn 56 & the balls I played with in HS were light years different when compared to the balls the MLB was using way back in the 90's...The late, great Hall of Famer Tom Seaver spoke of this when he was doing Yankee telecasts, in fact I believe he cut some baseballs in half to illustrate how different they were from when he was an active player...

[@supernintendochalmers8088]

I’d wanna see mlb balls with Bbcor bats. HS balls may be worse with wood bats, but the effect could be different with metal or composite.

[@roberttada1240]

Best video yet! Thank you!

[@WOEX_]

Now get a -5 and use the juiced balls and see what happens 😭😂😂

[@brianbecher5781]

*CRACK* 😂

[@jayss10]

He might punch one through the net and through the wall....

[@camdenslazer1988]

He did

[@mikeh.9954]

We've played in 16U PBR & PG tournaments this summer. Both myself & my son have been surprised at how 'squishy" some of the baseballs have been ...

[@TheShire26]

This video is awesome and I’d love to see this done double blind. Fantastic video boys.

[@zekers27]

Yo keep doing what your doing man my favorite channel on KZbin

[@mikeh.9954]

Epic content Will! Thx for posting ...

[@sixstringjc]

Nice video! Please try the same experiment at altitude here in Denver! And add in a baseball from the humidor. Would love your thoughts!

[@evanw9125]

The best sound in the world is Will hitting with a wood bat the yelling get out

[@bfkc526]

Definitely the coolest video yet!

[@natenavarro9600]

for sure i’ll say the first time i got a big league ball when i was 8 i noticed a huge difference between those balls and the balls i used back then in game. the difference is truly crazy

[@TheKadachi213dos]

This was awesome to watch!

[@kyllonen06]

Was waiting for you to finally do this test

[@billboyle7866]

When I was a kid growing up in the late '50s and '60s we didn't pay any attention to the baseballs we used. All were Little League quality balls. We had a box of them and played with them until the covers failed. At 15, one of my buddies, a giant of a kid (6'7" 270 lbs) smacked a baseball so far one day we couldn't believe it. Again a LL ball. We got a 100' tape out and measured the distance. It was just at 400'. This is where the ball came to rest. I can't imagine how soft those balls must have been compared to what kid's are playing with today, let alone the pros. BTW, all bats were wooden back then. Baseball has changed, like golf. Guys hit drives off the tee today that were unimaginable in the '50s and '60s.

[@bobbobbers7486]

best kind of content there can be on youtube. instant subscribe

[@aidanoconnor1276]

I’ve been looking for a 33/30 Bbcor to replace my vandal. I’m not looking for something too heavy but I am looking for something with more power. Both the guardian and missile 2 are out of stock in 33/30. Would the string king metal 2 be a good option?

[@zackhample]

Interesting! And hey, nice exit velo(s) my dude.

[@CooperNance]

Crazy how different highschool balls are to mlb balls

[@codymoster3027]

Should’ve used these 2019 mlb balls for the Guinness book HR attempt😂

[@beatriznova8010]

I love your vids keep up the good work

[@ballgloveking]

This was so fun to watch

[@robertflint4115]

Guessing it wasn't just the balls that where "Juiced". Rock on BBB's

[@blest5132]

awesome work

[@BLK-zx2wg]

Will been it that weight room big dawg 💪🏾💪🏾 was hitting high 80s at the beginning of BBB with wood bats 💯

[@bobapep20]

It might not just be the compression of the ball. It might also be the cover might be slightly different. Smoother. I remember reading a comment somewhere that a Japan player the first time he picked up an American ball he could barely hold on to it because it was so slippery. A smoother cover will definitely change the aerodynamics. Less drag.

[@sntslilhlpr6601]

It's not very intuitive, but smoother doesn't necessarily = less drag. A smooth golfball will be harder to grip, but it actually has more drag than a dimpled one. Also, Japanese baseballs are smaller and more grippier, so that alone could explain his surprise when first holding an American ball. I 100% agree with you that there's more going on here than just exit velo, though.

[@Cody_Shock23]

Love the content

[@benjamindacunha6974]

First time I’ve seen you use a grip on a wood bat. I always wondered why you haven’t before. It seems like at least half of the MLB guys are using grips/lizard skins now. It makes sense for you going back and forth with so many metal bats. Great video as usual!

[@rytriez1863]

Love the vids

[@jakethesnake1237]

Oh my god you are literally my favorite KZbinr

[@benreyes1928]

wadup wadup it's will here with baseball bat bros, always makes me happy

[@Aether550]

Great video!

[@no_reason2755]

i live in colorado so i have a few old MLB balls that have been drying out in the colorado climate for a few years, it feels noticably lighter than my old HS balls. gonna go take BP with them soon and i cant wait

[@emzy_season9996]

can u use the 2023 select pwr??

[@lucasscott6984]

This is gonna be your most viewed video I guarantee it haha absolutely insane

[@carsonjewett3349]

it just goes to show how impressive the records are that were set back in the day by babe ruth and hank aaron; they did all of their stuff without juiced baseballs

[@caseysmith544]

It was thought that Babe Ruth had Jucied balls during the season he set the single season home run record that stood until PED player broke the record.

[@sil-80nick]

We need to see bat speed as well so we can analyze that with exit velocity and distance. This became clear with the high school balls getting smoked but not having exit velo. We need to know if the bat is moving as fast.

[@responder2246]

We had 2 types of baseballs in HS and American Legion. Wilson 1010's and 1012's. When pitching. The 1010 was better imo. The high seams allowed a sharper cut/slider and wicked curves. The 1012's had flatter seams and after a few hard smacks became marshmallow like. You could feel the soft spots on the ball. I didn't care for the 1012's. Oh. The 1010's seem to be "slicker" and would eat up a r/handed hitter crowding the plate. Great video.

[@haydenackart5000]

Great video👌

[@noahpace57]

Will over here flexing his three par of Bruce bolts

[@EdBauer50]

To be scientifically valid, you must either do a blind test where you don’t know which type of ball you’re hitting or use a batting machine and a pitching machine tested for consistency. In fact, your being “shocked” actually detracts from the scientific validity. But if your test spurs further tests, then it was worthwhile. Good job.

[@irwinshung809]

I agree! With both paragraphs.

[@irwinshung809]

@@philp7353 It's not about honesty. It's about how science is done. We know that honest people fool themselves all the time! Exact same reasoning behind double-blind tests to counter the placebo effect and other sources of bias, intentional or not.

[@timothybarry508]

Absolutely correct. Lots of potential for bias in these results.

[@jeremyschwartz3683]

I'd love to see a comparison between other commonly used balls like the Diamond DOL-1, USSSA balls, marucci balls, cheap walmart 8U balls, etc.

[@jabo2619]

Conclusive results indeed and pretty controlled as well. I’d say no need to guess about juiced balls anymore. Great proof.

[@noahroberts7600]

would be curious to see if the metal bats in high school make up for the difference in the ball to where it’s almost equal.

[@reedgregorytv7317]

not only that, but then add the additional force and velocity of pitchers in those respective leagues. a high school pitcher varying from anywhere between 70-90mph (depending on level of competition and age), compared to max MLB dudes topping 102 and what not. that adds even more distance!

[@ben_dover_69420]

are we not gonna talk about how the guy pitching hit 49.4 perfectly about 4 times in a row in the beginning? what a goat

[@duhbigcat1848]

Beautiful Swing

[@troveteam]

2019 ball + Air Linea bat from early 2000s = Intervention from Space Force

[@mdleweight]

If the batter knows which ball he is hitting he can subconsciously impact the final result.

[@brianbanks3044]

Rawlings and MLB, "Our balls are the same standards as previous editions".....way to let them know the numbers don't lie, Will..MLB knows exactly what they did

[@bozsquad6146]

Good stuff!!

[@toddlu3365]

Great video

[@johnwilliams4326]

I honestly think, out all your videos this one is going to hit a major milestone what you did cuz no other channel has done when you've done with these baseballs..

[@ThatBaseballGuy13]

Learn how to use proper English/grammar

[@metaphoria3]

Dangg I wanna try lol ever thought about hitting old baseballs from the dead ball era or even up thru the 90’s..?

[@blakethetank]

I would love if you did this like every couple of years and even tested minor league balls. This is a great video!

[@buffalosoldier19d42]

Great video. One thing I would change is throw a mix of balls where the batter doesn't know what he's hitting. And I don't know how much of a break you were taking (editing) but I could hear you getting winded. Take breaks in between sets to get your strength back. I'll bet you can get higher numbers out of the 2019 balls. And I loved the brush back pitch. "Man the ball feels so much different." Yeah right. He was tired of you jacking his pitches. LOL

[@metaphoria3]

Great case study Will 🤓📝📉

[@sawyerbreitsprecher8106]

I'm going to be playing high school ball where I need to use a bbcor bat and I am a contact hitter what bat do you recommend?

[@proper_noun436]

demarini voodoo one piece

[@shankster0170]

It makes sense that the high school balls are different from the major league ones due to how aggressive the laces are sticking out of the ball (aerodynamic ball flight). But the 2019 balls were kind of unbelievable, I noticed even the slight difference in the high school to college baseballs, but wow!

[@Algorerhythm]

When you cut them open you can see how tighter the thread windings are and also the core is made from a different material than the core of high school baseballs.

[@user-io9gm5fq8t]

Will be cracking me up w the editing 1:41

[@ra3975]

great Job

[@ravenblackwing7888]

5:47 105.7FM… The Riiiiiiiide

[@shaunwagner9644]

Would be interesting to see the difference in the special marked balls they brought in this season for the Pujols and Judge HR chases.

[@modano1509]

I’ve got a bunch of 2003-06 balls; I wonder if they would have any difference to todays or 2019.

[@evan.t1403]

Cat 9 comp -5 with 2019 balls were would be unreal

[@ALQPV]

Love ya Will

[@michaelsimien7380]

can you do a video of hitting the 2019 MLB balls with a drop 5 or the redline

[@charlielajeunesse78]

Will you should review some of the tru tempered bats please

[@randylackey8294]

Every Dad in here is now googling where to find 2019 MLB baseballs so their sons can hit PR’s in exit velo testing.

[@MyYTaccountName]

Redline C core from the late 90’s versus 2019 MLB ball, let’s gooooo!!!

[@cohenpeter]

The distances per EV on each ball seem different. It seemed like the HS ball had less velocity, BUT carried pretty well; it could be the laces affecting the aerodynamics. This of course, is based on the results of the simulator's calculations as it senses the ball's trajectory. Would the balls decelerate at the basically the same rates or do these baseballs have different enough aerodynamics so as to have different air resistance affected deceleration rates, thus altering the distance irrespective of EV and launch angle?

[@braylonfletcher1521]

Could you do a video comparing the adv hype bbcor to the Maxum ultra bbcor on field

[@ImReverseGiraffe]

When I was in high school I got the chance, due to my dad being a season ticket holder, to do BP at the Reds stadium. Used a wood bat and MLB balls. I was hitting ropes to the outfield and hit a few that one hopped the wall...at 15.

[@andersonkaufmann7356]

You should try using the Cooperstown Bat Company bats.

[@EHMSL1226]

Never knew this tbh! Honestly you'd think the balls would have to be a bit more tame as these dudes just destroy the ball and the pitches are so fast. Being an MLB 3rd basemen must be scary with these guys ripping balls out at 115mph+ lol

[@Toby-nv1rj]

You should hit the 2019 MLB baseball with the -5 Cat 9 composite🔥

[@timpoos4635]

500 foot hit is probable

[@Best-ru2fs]

Like bombs for days