My two cents on bats. As a money conscious parent (My family may say cheapskate) I do not believe in spending a lot of money on bats. Can bats produce success, yes. This success, if not followed by the right message, may only be short term. I would much rather have a child spend less on a bat and practice with that bat until it is worn out. Eventually at the highest levels, the equipment is all the same. Can you purchase a bigger sweet spot, higher exit velocity, more forgiving swing? Yes, but these things do not give your youth player the feedback that they need to get better. That sting on their hands tells them that they did not hit the ball properly.  Although a good wood bat might produce a little less distance on that fly ball, once they transition to the same bats that everyone else can buy, they will get better results.