Torpedo Bats Take Over MLB, Sportsbooks: Public Company Sees Soaring Demand For Home Run Hitting Baseball Bat

Anyone following Major League Baseball in the 2025 season has heard about torpedo bats, a new trend of bats that have seen impressive results for those using them.

A deep dive into legal bats shows soaring demand and a public company that gives investors exposure to the latest hitting trend.

What Happened: The New York Yankees lost the 2024 World Series, but if early results for the 2025 season are any indication, the team may be back with a vengeance.

The Yankees are currently 3-2 on the season and the team’s run differential of +19 ranks third best in the league behind the undefeated Los Angeles Dodgers (+22, 8-0) and San Diego Padres (+25, 7-0) which have played more games than them.

Through the first four games of the season, the Yankees had 18 home runs, breaking an MLB record for the first four games of any season. The team also had nine players hit home runs in the stretch and three players hit at least three home runs in the stretch, MLB firsts, as reported by CNN.

Helping the Yankees make history could be torpedo bats, a newer customized bat that is shaped like a torpedo and allocates extra wood to each hitter's "sweet spot."

The bats are legal as they fall within length and wood requirements and are made by an MLB-approved manufacturer.

Among the Yankees players using the bats are Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt.

"I don't know the science of it… I think I still hit the ball the same, like, exit velocity as I always did. I just feel like it gives you a feeling of — just feeling like you have more to work with," Chisholm Jr. said, as reported by CNN.

The bats were developed by former MIT physicist Aaron "Lenny" Leanhardt, who spent time with the Yankees organization and is now a staff member for the Miami Marlins.

The Winning Company? While the big question will be if torpedo bats continue to see demand from MLB players and other baseball players, one company is already seeing increasing sales.

Victus president Jared Smith told cllct that he has not seen demand like the torpedo bat in his 15 years in the industry.

"Of course, we are going to lean into it," Smith told cllct.

Smith said the Yankees and Baltimore Orioles are among the teams that have tested torpedo bats in the company's bat lab.

Smith said the question is how long the demand will last.

"It will definitely be here for good now. I'm not sure if it will take over the league or it will just be a fad."

Victus is owned by Fox Factory Holding Corp FOXF, a company known better for its bikes.

"The Torpedo has definitely achieved cool status," Smith added.

Fox Factory's business lines are predominantly bicycles, on-road and off-road vehicles, side-by-side vehicles, all-terrain vehicles and vehicle products. The company acquired Marucci and Victus, two baseball equipment makers, in 2023. The companies are the makers of the official bats for Major League Baseball.

“Torpedo Shape. Victus Built. Get your hands on the most talked-about bat in the game,” Victus’ website reads.

Fox Factory's fourth-quarter financial results saw the company's Specialty Sports Group post a 33.3% year-over-year increase in net sales helped by the acquisition.

The next quarterly results from Fox Factory could show if there was an immediate impact for this business segment thanks to torpedo bats. The company commentary could also highlight if it is boosting guidance for the sports segment.

Why It's Important: Sports leagues evolve and new technology often makes players and teams better, which sometimes can break records and also create a more enjoyable experience for fans.

Betting on players to hit home runs has become a top bet for sportsbooks for the MLB season. Both DraftKings Inc DKNG and Flutter Entertainment FLUT -owned FanDuel are leaning into the torpedo bats. Each sportsbook has sections featuring players who have used torpedo bats during the season.

On DraftKings, bettors can easily place wagers on the players using torpedo bats to hit a home run, get an RBI or hit a double. It’s not just Yankees players who are using the torpedo bats either.

Some players and baseball fans are skeptical of the torpedo bats and while legal, question the integrity of those using them.

"It's about fairness and equality," Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy said in a recent interview.

Portnoy said his hatred of torpedo bats is not about his dislike for the Yankees, but instead for the integrity of the game.

As long as MLB players keep hitting home runs with torpedo bats, the newer hitting tool will likely be a trending topic in baseball.

FOXF Price Action: Fox Factory stock closed Thursday down 15.92% at $20.91 versus a 52-week trading range of $20.78 to $54.86, hitting new yearly lows on Thursday. The stock is down 25.6% year-to-date and over 50% over the past year.

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