Tech Bit: Zepp builds advanced smart bat for MLB superstar Mike Trout

A quick look at the new smart bat that Angels centerfielder Mike Trout will be using in practice to improve his swing.

Tech Bit takes a quick look at new technology and gear—and the stories that go with them—in the sporting world.

Product: Old Hickory Smart Bat
Brand: Zepp

Description: Mike Trout had already embraced adding the Zepp metric-measuring device to his Old Hickory bat. Now, Zepp has improved on the process by embedding its 3D Swing Analyzer inside the bat for a true smart bat. “Introducing a smart bat is a big moment for the game,” Trout says. “Having Zepp combined with my signature bat will help give me an edge.”

Courtesy of Zepp

The Zepp technology captures swing data that Trout and coaches can analyze. Previously, the Zepp sensor mounted onto the bat as a separate device, but by placing the removable sensor in the 28-mm cavity in the knob of the 30.8-mm wood bat, the smart bat with a natural feel and no distractions. Trout debuted the bat during spring training in Phoenix, but Zepp expects the bat to be publicly available this June.

The SI Extra Newsletter Get the best of Sports Illustrated delivered right to your inbox

Subscribe

Tim Newcomb covers stadiums, sneakers and training for Sports Illustrated. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.