Written by Mark Bailey
The Easton Ghost is coming for the new baseball season, and Baseball Bible asks; is it truly one of the best baseball bats on the market? Find out right here, right now, with our Easton Ghost 2020 review.
First of all, let’s check out the promotional video for the Easton Ghost:
Here is what Easton had to say about their new bat:
The All-New Dual Stamp Ghost Double Barrel bat features a patent-pending DOUBLE BARREL design that is engineered to provide players the best possible feel, pop and sound.
Every level of hitter will experience success with the Ghost due to its unique double-barrel construction, 2-Piece Connexion+™ technology featuring Nitrocell™ foam for a better overall feeling bat.
The XTX™ Xtra Tough Resin Matrix technology provides the most durability and flexibility with an extremely low barrel compression.
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In this article...
About The Manufacturer
When buying bats of this caliber, it pays off to know who made them. After all, in the sporting industry, using a bat that was produced by a trusted manufacturer will ensure that you get the level of performance needed to hit those home runs and bring the trophy home for your team.
Easton Sports was incorporated in 1985 by Jim Easton. Ever since its inception, the company has strived to produce the best bats on the market that combine durability, performance, and signature pop all in one swing.
Sizes
I’ve reviewed many bats that had amazing performance but a severe shortage of options when it came to barrel length. Fortunately, this isn’t one of those bats at Easton that come in five different barrel lengths. The shortest length that you can get this bat at is 30 inches.
The 30-inch variant weighs in at 20 oz. If you want something slightly longer than the shortest option, then you could go for the 31-inch variant that weighs 21 oz. There are also variants available for the 32 and 33-inch barrel lengths for the mid-tier sizes—weighing in at 22 and 23 oz, respectively.
Finally, the longest barrel that you can get on your Easton Ghost is a 34-inch model that weighs in at 24 oz.
You might be worried that, like with other bats, the price will grow steeper and steeper as you increase the barrel length, but you’ll be happy to know that the price of the bat remains constant regardless of which size you choose, allowing you free choice without burning a hole in your wallet.
Mass Approved
Getting a premium bat that was built for home runs is all well and good, but it won’t be beneficial if that product isn’t certified by major associations. That being said, you’ll be happy to know that this bat is approved for use by pretty much every board you can think of. Let’s start with the obvious question, is it USSSA-approved?
The answer is a resounding yes! The United States Specialty Sports Association approves all Easton bats for use. It’s also certified by the Allen Sports Association, Norman Showcase Academy, and Impact Sports Academy.
Plan on using this bat in an overseas tournament? You won’t face any problems there either, as it has been officially certified by the International Softball Federation, extending its reach considerably in comparison to other bats.
Balanced Swing Weight
If you prefer end-loaded bats, then it’s worth noting that this bat has a balanced swing weight. That being said, I personally prefer balanced bats like the Easton Ghost over end-loaded ones.
I know it’s a pretty controversial topic, but at least hear my logic out. While you won’t get that arc that you notice with end-loaded bats, balanced weights will allow you to swing faster — which can translate to more power if you use proper technique.
It also makes it easier to hit the ball on time since you can go from your idle stance to full swing in no time at all. What use is having the power arc of an end-loaded bat if you’re striking out due to slow swings?
Contact hitters generally prefer balanced bats since they can get insanely high swings off of them without sacrificing any level of control. All that being said, I’m the type of guy who likes to give merit where merit is due.
While I prefer balanced bats, there are still some pros to end-loaded bats. If your physique can handle the top-heavy nature of end-loaded bats, then the added mass can indeed help you produce more powerful hits.
Any physicist will tell you that more mass in the hitting zone will increase the distance and velocity of the ball. Still, I wouldn’t want to risk striking out and causing my team’s victory just for the chance of looking cool with an end-loaded bat.
2-Piece ConneXion+ Construction
Beyond the balanced weight and wide variety of barrel lengths available, one of my favorite things about this Easton bat is the fact that it features 2-piece construction. If you’re new to baseball, then you might be wondering why that matters so much to me. Well, there are a few reasons why I praise this design.
The first benefit of 2-piece bats is the fact that there’s a higher level of flex when you come into contact with the ball. Bats like the Easton Ghost that are constructed in a 2-piece fashion produce a whip effect that can drastically hasten your swing speeds and thus increase the power upon contact.
Contact hitters with average or even below-average swing speeds tend to favor 2-piece bats for this very reason, as the whip effect can compensate for them and produce some truly marvelous home runs right when their team needs it most.
In the interest of due diligence and objective analysis, I have actually used my fair share of one-piece bats over the course of my baseball career. The thing I hated most about them was how stiff they felt whenever I made contact with the ball.
This would make my muscles sore after just a couple of hours of training, which is a big problem when I’m trying to put in four to five hours to improve swing speed or bat control. That being said, there is one benefit to one-piece bats.
The fact that they don’t flex at all means you won’t lose any power from your swing. This is mostly why power hitters prefer one-piece bats, as they don’t need the whip effect to assist them and would rather just retain the swing power that they generate themselves.
All that being said, if you aren’t the next Babe Ruth — at least in terms of power hitting — then you should probably stick to 2-piece bats.
One-Year Warranty
Let’s face it, high-end bats like this one don’t come cheap — unless you’re buying off-brand knockoffs that shatter on the first hit, anyway. While rather costly, these bats are a major investment as they’ll help you improve your skills and win games for your team.
You can’t put a price on the happiness of your teammates. Still, much like with any investment — be it a house or a car — it’s essential that you protect it with some insurance. When it comes to bats, this insurance comes in the form of a manufacturer’s warranty.
It shocks me to see expensive bats that aren’t covered by a warranty. Fortunately, this masterpiece that Easton has released comes with a one-year warranty to give you peace of mind that your investment is protected no matter how hard you swing.
It’s worth noting that I’d still recommend this bat even if it didn’t come with a warranty. I got mine quite a while ago, and it’s been through a couple of hundred swings, at least.
Verdict
I don’t baby my bats, I rough them up, but even after heavy usage over a short period of time, my Easton still feels like it’s fresh out of the box. What can I say? When you buy a quality bat, you can expect it to last you for a very long time. We’ve named this bat #1 in our best softball bats fastpitch category for a reason. If slowpitch is your thing, I’d recommend reading our Miken Velocit-e Ultra II review.
Easton Ghost 2020: Where To Buy
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