Louisville Nexus (-12)

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Feb 20, 2021
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DD just turned 11 yo, and 2022 will be her 1st yr at 12U. 5’8” & approx 110 lbs. Hit well with Easton Crystal 31” -13 last year. Tried a 32” Nexus at local store last week and liked it. I couldn’t find a review for Nexus here, and it looks like -11 is usually recommended for U12, but wondering if that advice differs for tall and thin younger U12 players. Any advice? I like that the Nexus is under $300.


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CoreSoftball20

Wilson = Evil Empire
DFP Vendor
Dec 27, 2012
6,215
113
Kunkletown, PA
Well, most manufacturers will make a top tier drop11...most drop12s are going to be a lesser bat tech wise hence the prices. Remember, 229 is retail...meaning that bat should be able to be had for 180-200 max...just do some shopping if thats the bat you choose.

I am definitely not a fan of drop12s when you start getting to 31+ inches in length. I think you should be at a drop11 at that point atleast. There
are plenty of nice, balanced drop11s
 
Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
DD just turned 11 yo, and 2022 will be her 1st yr at 12U. 5’8” & approx 110 lbs. Hit well with Easton Crystal 31” -13 last year. Tried a 32” Nexus at local store last week and liked it. I couldn’t find a review for Nexus here, and it looks like -11 is usually recommended for U12, but wondering if that advice differs for tall and thin younger U12 players. Any advice? I like that the Nexus is under $300.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
At that price I would not buy that bat. You are too close to getting a top of the line model.

12u was a million years ago for me and mine. I don’t know where you are seeing -11 recommended for players that age but most kids were swinging -10’s by that age and dd #2 was swinging a 30” -9 Rocketech her first year of 10u. The -11’s were just coming out at that point, not many used them.

If she was swinging a bat that light last year, I wouldn’t move her up too much too fast, probably a -11. If you measure the width of her shoulders multiply by two you will be close on length. In my opinion, getting her in a -10 is what you should be working toward.

I see it’s your third post. Welcome. If you are buying a new bat, reach out to ^^^Coresoftball^^^. He can probably sell you a better bat for the same money or maybe even less. When your dd is done with it, you will have a bat you can sell and put the money toward the next one.
 
Oct 26, 2019
1,375
113
At that price I would not buy that bat. You are too close to getting a top of the line model.

12u was a million years ago for me and mine. I don’t know where you are seeing -11 recommended for players that age but most kids were swinging -10’s by that age and dd #2 was swinging a 30” -9 Rocketech her first year of 10u. The -11’s were just coming out at that point, not many used them.

If she was swinging a bat that light last year, I wouldn’t move her up too much too fast, probably a -11. If you measure the width of her shoulders multiply by two you will be close on length. In my opinion, getting her in a -10 is what you should be working toward.

I see it’s your third post. Welcome. If you are buying a new bat, reach out to ^^^Coresoftball^^^. He can probably sell you a better bat for the same money or maybe even less. When your dd is done with it, you will have a bat you can sell and put the money toward the next one.
The selling used is great advice. The last 3 bats my daughter has used have all been Demarini CF’s and were purchased for around $150. After she used them for about a year I was able to sell them for pretty much the same thing I bought them for. I put a new grip on them and clean them up. Kids that age just don’t wear out bats and we have had great luck with the durability of the Demarini CF’s.
 
Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
I see used bats all the time on FB marketplace that if you cleaned them up with a little Softscrub and threw a new $8 grip on it would look brand new! Especially the “young player” sized bats!

I sold any used bats on EBay. Cleaned them up good, put lots of pictures on the post and tried to sell them in the spring if I could. I was usually pleasantly surprised at how much I got for them to put toward new equipment.
 
Nov 20, 2020
995
93
SW Missouri
I see used bats all the time on FB marketplace that if you cleaned them up with a little Softscrub and threw a new $8 grip on it would look brand new! Especially the “young player” sized bats!

I sold any used bats on EBay. Cleaned them up good, put lots of pictures on the post and tried to sell them in the spring if I could. I was usually pleasantly surprised at how much I got for them to put toward new equipment.

It’s incredible how many perfectly good used bats are on eBay for not much money. Sometimes it takes checking daily to find what you want. I think it’s a good way (in conjunction with DFP’s bat database) to try different lengths/weights. I’ve yet to go backwards on a purchase when reselling whatever DD didn’t like. In many cases I made a few extra bucks.

It’s how we found DD’s cage/cold weather bat after purchasing a Ghost from Core.
 
Nov 20, 2020
995
93
SW Missouri
@HunterMO What did you end up with for the backup?

A 2015 Xeno of all things. Same length and drop as her Ghost. After a new wrap and a scrub of the barrel it looked almost brand new. Found it on eBay for $75. I used DFP’s bat weight database to compare different weights of the same length. This bat (on paper) matched her Ghost. And after a few cage sessions going back and forth between each she says the swing feels identical.

Obviously the Xeno’s performance isn’t that of a Ghost. But for cage work who cares.
 
Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
Holy cats! That’s a good deal. Is that the purple one? Those were nice bats.

DD’s college has been slow to get bats due to supply chain, she is swinging an LXT from ‘17 or so, we have been abusing it with 68 mph dimple balls and it is launching rockets.
 

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