Fred Fontz is a diehard baseball fan who has been around dugouts and baseball fields his entire life. He has approximately 30 years of experience as a player, captain, and coach.
Like many baseball fans, Fred started out with dreams of making it to the major leagues. He didn’t reach those dreams but still has a passion for passing the game along to younger generations.
He’s still active in his community and the relationships that he’s built on the ball field let him see some of the newest equipment as soon as it makes it to the ball field.
Aside from writing about the best equipment in the game, Fred has a passion for the history of baseball. He helped form a Civil War Base Ball team that plays up and down the Eastern United States. He’s been the expert who provided historical data for local film producers. Fred has also been part of the Smithsonian Institute’s "Living History" exhibit and worked for the Library of Congress as part of MLB’s All-Star Weekend in Washington D.C. in 2018.
Fred’s community connections and love of the game allow him to provide a review of equipment based on actual player feedback. His decades of experience allow him to look at trends in equipment and identify up-and-coming brands.
The 2021 Warstic Bonesaber may have the most unique appearance of any BBCOR model on the market. NCAA regulations don’t allow white bats in game play. The Warstic is as close as you’ll find to a true white color. They’ve also opted for a taper that runs to the end of the bat rather than having a...
Stinger is known for their wooden bats. They’ve made their way into the BBCOR game and the Nuke has become a social media staple. Players seem to love this one-piece alloy bat. Players rave about the grip and claim that it has great pop.
The Marucci CAT9 is a two-piece model that is hot out of the wrapper. It’s a quality bat that provides some solid pop.
Easton decided to bring back a classic this year. The B5 (fondly referred to as “The Green Easton”) was first introduced in 1978. It was the bat of choice for guys like Bonds, Gwynn, McGwire, and Bo Jackson when they were still amateurs. The B5 is an end-loaded, one-piece aluminum bat.
For some reason, the market of Junior Big Barrel bats is the most confusing market you’ll find. Some models specifically call themselves “Junior Big Barrels” while others are just considered “youth” bats. You can also search “Coach Pitch” bats to help.
