2018 Mizuno Covert -9 USA Youth Baseball Bat Review

If you’re looking for a hybrid bat in this confusing era of USA Bat standards, then you’re probably looking for the 2018 Mizuno Covert -9 USA bat.

This is a hybrid alright, and it’s in fact the only hybrid bat that Mizuno is offering for the year.

This gives you a balanced swing weight and a drop -9 ratio. But a closer look will show that it actually offers quite a lot more.

Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Features of the New 2018 Mizuno Covert -9 USA Bat

Let’s see: It has a 2 5/8-inch barrel diameter, and it also has a drop -9 ratio.

It’s available in in 28 inches (19 ounces) to 31 inches (22 ounces). It has a balanced swing weight that’s easy to control.

What you’re probably itching to find out is if this 2018 Mizuno Covert YBB18COV9 is legal to use in the first place.

The answer is that yes, it is.

It has that prominent bat mark stamped in that area between the main barrel and the handle.

This means it’s one of the many USA baseball approved bats.

So when somebody wants to check your bat, you can just show them this mark and play resumes.

The Covert USA’s Construction, Barrel and Sweet Spot

This is a 2-piece bat, which uses Mizuno’s special “Link” Hybrid construction.

It connects the “Hot Metal” single wall aluminum alloy barrel with a composite handle.

The “CorTech” barrel is quite ingenious, as it’s been made with adjusted wall thickness across the barrel.

This results in a huge sweet spot that doesn’t make you regret taking a swing even when you seem to mishit the ball.

The end cap has also been updated, and it’s now newly optimized.

It’s also part of the reason why the sweet spot is so massive. Also, the sound is improved because of this end cap.

Is The Handle Any Different Than Other Bats?

The handle is made with stiff carbon and it comes with a rather deliberate design that’s not just for a comfortable grip.

The handle minimizes the energy loss when you impact the ball at high speeds.

So you put most of the energy where it ought to go, which is on the ball so it will take off quickly.

You don’t get the energy going into the handle and then into your hands.

It’s not that this is an uncomfortable handle to hold, however.

That’s certainly not the case.

It has the Speed-Helix grip on the handle, which makes it more comfortable to grasp. The grip also improves the durability.

Pros of the 2018 Mizuno Covert -9 USA Baseball Bat

This 2018 Mizuno Covert -9 USA baseball bat actually has a lot going for it.

First of all, there’s the enlarged sweet spot that makes this bat quite forgiving when you make mistakes.

It allows you to swing and make contact and you get a bigger chance of driving the baseball. You’ll get solid contact.

The bigger sweet spot also means that there’s a smaller chance that you’ll get vibrations traveling down the length of the barrel and into your hands.

Once you’ve broken this in, you will find that it’s also quite good at minimizing the sting of the vibrations that reach your hands.

The handle works very well in putting back the vibrations towards the ball and not towards your hands.

It also helps that this gives you a huge sweet spot to work with. The sweet spot on the barrel is the area that you want to make contact with the ball.

More About The Covert Sweet Spot

Hitting it in this spot means making solid contact with the ball, and you can get that ball going fast and hard.

At the same time, the sweet spot is also the area which when hit by a pitch doesn’t really result in vibrations that will sting your hands.

The bigger sweet spot means there’s a smaller area that the ball can hit to create such vibrations.

This is also perhaps one of the most comfortable bats you will find in the USA Bat-eligible category. Among hybrids it’s pretty much unmatched.

Your grip will be extremely comfortable and it will feel natural in your hands as you hold and swing it.

With this bat in your hands, you won’t have any sort of discomfort that can distract you from hitting as effectively as you can.

It’s so easy to swing, especially when you’re trying to aim it at a particular spot in the strike zone.

Weight Distribution and Quickness

It helps that the weight distribution is quite balanced, so it doesn’t feel like you’re wielding a heavy mallet in your hands.

The quickness of your bat through the zone will allow you to put some zing into your hits, and you can also catch up to fastballs better than you have before.

Of course, let’s not forget that this is one of the legal bats you can use for Babe Ruth, Dixie, Pony, AABC, Cal Ripken, and Little League.

You have that unmistakable USA Bat label stamped between the barrel and the handle, and the umpire can just glance at it to confirm you have an eligible bat.

Video: 5 Great Features of the 2018 Mizuno Covert USA Baseball Bat

Cons of the 2018 Mizuno Covert USA Baseball Bat

The 2018 Mizuno Covert USA baseball bat isn’t really for everyone. It’s actually best for contact hitters who can deal with a bat that’s a little bit shorter than usual.

It’s for contact hitters since the weight distribution is balanced, while power hitters generally prefer a more end-loaded weight distribution.

The -9 drop can also be a problem, especially for those who have trouble reaching pitches on the outside part of the plate.

For example, in other bats that weigh 20 ounces, the normal length of the bat will be 30 inches.

Some bats even have an -11 drop so you get 31 inches. Some prefer the -10 bats like the 2018 Rawlings Quatro USA approved bat.

With the -9 drop, you will have to settle for 29 inches in length if 20 ounces is the most comfortable weight for you.

The pop is also nothing special.

Admittedly, that’s mostly due to the new USA Bat rules. The point of the new rules after all is to ensure that the bats perform a little bit more like wooden bats.

So you can say goodbye to those trampoline effects you’ve been used to.

However, even compared to other USA bat models this bat merely provides adequate pop.

Also, there’s the fact that you may have to break this in properly.

That’s especially true when you want to minimize the vibrations properly. You will need about 150 solid swings until it works well enough that you don’t sting your hands when you make contact with the pitch.

Finally, this isn’t exactly a bat that you can call cheap.

While it’s not among the most expensive, it’s also certainly not among the most affordable USA Bats available.

So if you’re not really serious about doing your best, you really can’t justify the expense.

Verdict on the 2018 Mizuno Covert YBB18COV9

This has been made for youth players and contact hitters.

The emphasis is not really on the pop, which is after all difficult to achieve given the new wood-like performance standards that’s allowed in Little League.

The bat makers focused on providing utmost comfort and exceptional balance, and they’ve succeeded nicely with the 2018 Mizuno Covert -9 USA bat.

The quick swing through the strike zone is an absolute joy. This is one bat that’s almost guaranteed to give young players the confidence they need at the plate.

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