2017 Marucci CAT 7 Connect Review
Anyone interested in a high quality, mid-price range aluminum alloy bat will be impressed with the 2017 Marucci CAT and everything that it has to offer. The piece is a truly balanced one and it’s characterized by a light swing weight (click here to see Best BBCOR Bats of 2017).
In a world where oversized bats with huge barrels are becoming the norm, CAT & by Marucci offers a nice alternative. The following comprehensive review will help you figure out whether the bat is the right one for your needs (check out top BBCOR Bats here).
2017 Marucci CAT 7 Overview
This is a one-piece aluminum bat that’s a bit more expensive than other alloy models but that still is characterized by an excellent price to quality ratio. In many ways, the bat is similar to its predecessors –CAT 5 and CAT 6. Still, a couple of innovations enhance the experience and make CAT 7 a better pick.
Other reviews of this bat are high on it too.
One of the most important differences is the improved alloy used. This unique Marucci material is called AZ4X and it increases durability without adding to the weight of the bat. In addition, the barrel design has been modernized to increase the size of the sweet spot two times.
A few other technical specifications determine the superiority of Marucci CAT 7 over other less-expensive one-piece aluminum bats :
- AV2 knob that reduces vibrations upon ball impact
- A balanced design for enhanced control
- Ring-free barrel technology that eliminates dead spots
- -3 length to weight ratio
- 2 5/8 inch barrel diameter
- A 12-month manufacturer warranty
Biggest Advantages
The 2017 Marucci CAT 7 BBCOR has a number of characteristics that hitters seem to enjoy the most. Several of the BBCOR bat’s most important advantages include:
- Ideal for hitters who like a light swing: the alloy and the design of the bat ensure a light and balanced swing. This is interesting because few stiff power one-piece alloy bats are capable of providing this benefit.
- Large sweet spot: the new design does optimize the sweet spot massively in comparison to the Marucci CAT 5 and 6.
- Loud pop: the material that the barrel is made of guarantees a pop that doesn’t compare to any other. This is one of the characteristics that most of the buyers were particularly impressed with.
- Excellent vibration reduction: the technologies used to deal with negative vibrations are effective enough to help players overcome the issue and forget about it. Even when players did get jammed, they didn’t experience the typical vibration issues for such a situation.
- Well-made: the bat is beautiful and it feels solid because of the quality of materials used. If you’re interested in a piece that will remain in an excellent condition for a long period of time, you’ll be happy with this one.
A Few Shortcomings
The negative aspects of this item aren’t that many but they still need to be mentioned for a completely unbiased review:
- A bit heavier than CAT 6: if you’ve previously used Marucci’s CAT 6 BBCOR bat, you may feel that CAT 7 is a bit heavier. The bat is still well-balanced and most players get used to the difference relatively fast.
- Slippery grip: during the first few uses of the bat, the brand new grip may feel a little bit slippery. After a few sessions, the issue gets resolved on its own. Players that have sweaty hands may consider using batting gloves.
- Some people don’t like the loud pop: while some players live for the loud pop that their bats make, others feel distracted by the sound. As already mentioned, Marucci CAT 7 has unsurpassed pop. For some players, this characteristic can be seen as a disadvantage.
Final Verdict
The 2017 Marucci CAT 7 BBCOR bat is a wonderful piece of equipment because of the excellent price to quality ratio. The company has also managed to build upon the positive aspects of its CAT 6 and introduce several great innovations.
If you like one-piece aluminum bats that are perfectly balanced, characterized by a light swing and a loud pop, you will be happy with what the CAT 7 has to offer. This isn’t a specialized bat but rather a crowd pleaser. As a result, you may end up having teammates wanting to use yours all of the time. This is as far as shortcomings go with the piece.