The new 2020 Omaha BBCOR by Louisville Slugger was released at the end of summer. See what we think about this new bat!
A few months ago, all of the big bat companies began to reveal their 2020 BBCOR bats. A few decades ago this would have meant one or two bats per company.
Not anymore.
The most popular brands are releasing anywhere from 4-8 different bats each year. Louisville Slugger is no different as they have released 8 different bats so far. You can check out all of the 2020 Slugger bats here.
Why so many different models?
The answer is really quite simple. This allows them to market at many different price points, as well as customize different bats towards specific hitters (power hitters or those with higher bat speed etc.)
The Omaha was once the signature bat for Louisville Slugger.
Now it can easily be overlooked with all the hype surrounding bats like the Meta Prime.
We had the chance to pick up a 33 inch model of the 2020 Omaha as soon as it was released and wanted to share what we thought!
Table of Contents
Louisville Slugger 2020 Omaha BBCOR
- MX 7U1+ alloy barrel for increased stiffness and pure energy transfer on contact
- One-piece design with VIBEX premium vibration damping handle construction that reduces sting on mishits
- 6-Star premium end cap design for power and performance
- Optimized swing weight by length for the perfect feel through the zone
We unboxed this bat in the cages right before we started taking some swings. It was put to the test straight out of the package!
All of the 2020 BBCOR bats from Louisville Slugger feature a blue, black and grey color scheme. This Omaha has a really sleek grey design and I loved the finish.
I think no matter what I will always have a special place in my heart for the Omaha. I remember my first multi home run game I was swinging maybe the hottest bat of all time, the Omaha Gold.
The walls were so thin they’d be flat as a pancake by mid-season but hey, you could hit that thing a mile!
Construction
The 2020 Omaha is a one piece bat featuring a MX 7U1+ alloy barrel. The challenge with a one piece bat is dealing with the vibrations. Because of the solid construction, a hit off the cap or on the hands can really rattle you.
To deal with these mishits the Omaha uses the VIBEX premium vibration dampening handle. This absorbs a lot of the vibrations produced due to poor contact and prevents it from all being transferred to your hands.
We like the LS Pro Comfort grip as well. It is really tacky and has a nice cushion to it. It’s not quite a premium Lizard Skin grip but overall it felt good.
Performance
When we were testing the Omaha it performed very well on solid contact. This is no surprise as this bat is always a great choice.
On the sweet spot it performed right up there with bats that were hundreds of dollars more expensive.
On miss hits you will get some sting, but it’s nothing unbearable. If you’ve played baseball long enough it’s not something you haven’t experienced.
If you really want ultimate forgiveness you will need to look at the premium two-piece bats. Overall I think Slugger did a great job with the performance of this bat while keeping it at a price tag that will be attractive to nearly anyone looking.
Who is the 2020 Omaha Best For?
Pay close attention here because the swing weight changes based on the length of the bat. This could effect performance if you don’t get what you expected.
The 29, 31 and 32 inch versions have a very light swing weight. This is a great option for someone looking to maximize bat speed, barrel control and contact.
In the 33 and 34 inch models the MOI or swing weight increases. This is intended for hitters that are a little bigger and stronger that want to maximize power when they make good contact.
Other terms you have have heard used to describe a heavier swing weight is “end loaded” or “top heavy.”
If you would never use the “power hitter” to describe yourself than you make want to consider other options. The 33 and 34 inch Omaha’s are actually some of the heaviest swinging bats from Louisville Slugger in the new line.
If you really want to stay away from a heavy swing weight then you want to check out the 2020 Solo BBCOR. This is another one-piece alloy bat but is the lightest swinging bat in the 2020 lineup from Slugger.
Louisville Slugger 2020 Solo BBCOR
- Premium SL hyper super-light alloy Barrel with thinner wall design for maximum pop
- One-piece design with vibe premium vibration damping handle construction that reduces sting on mishits
- Sped composite end cap removes weight for increased swing speed
- Ultra-balanced swing weight Our lightest swinging BBCOR model
The Solo has a composite end cap which removes some of the weight and gives it a nice balanced feel in all lengths.
Remember that all of the 2020 bats can be customized, however you are going to pay a premium to do so.
You can plan on adding at least $100 to the retail price tag to get your custom design at LouisvilleSlugger.com
Even though this bat is one of the cheaper options from Louisville Slugger do not let that fool you. The Omaha has been one of the most stable models on the bat market for nearly two decades now! You don’t have that kind of track record without consistently producing a bat that gets results on the field.
This bat is a good buy and is going to complete with a lot of popular one-piece bats on the market. Once again if you are looking to find a “Best Value” bat then look no further than the 2020 Omaha.
Overall Rating: 4/5 Batflips
Have any other bats you think we should test?
Let us know in the comments and we will try to make it happen!
