There are three major parameters to consider when fitting a bat to a ballplayer. Height and weight are the first parameters to consider. A little leaguer cannot march up to the plate with a Ruthian 42-inch wooden club, but he needs more than a toothpick.
Second, understanding what a bat is made of, wood or composite metals, is also extremely important. Lighter is not always better. Just ask Tyrus Cobb who believed baseball was about base hits and moving runners along, not hitting home runs.
Thirdly, determining the technology of the bat, its barrel size, taper, grip and weight are underrated aspects of the batting choice. If George Brett had used grips affixed to the handle instead of pine tar he would not have had a home run nullified against the Yankees in 1983.
The first parameter is the perfect starting point. Two charts describing the relationship between age, height, weight, and length of bat can be viewed under The Perfect Fit In A Bat on the blog page at Diamond Baseball Bats. See link below.
The second parametric decision concerns bat materials. With the current banning of metallic bats around the country the only choice may be wood in the not-to-distant future. Ash, maple, birch, bamboo, hickory, or combinations of each can be selected. The quality of the wood is the most salient feature. The big "duh" is the higher the quality wood the better the bat. This means the longer and wider the grain from older, denser trees, the better. Wood lends itself to the perfect fit more than its metallic cousin. High quality ash beats lower quality maple every time. Wood brings a classic feel, and oh that great sound! The bat maker's sense of wood quality is everything in the baseball bat business. Now with the Little League moratorium on composite bats bat quality has become a primary focus for players and their sponsors.
Composite metal bats are still available, however. Some state jurisdictions intend to test their trampoline effects and make the impact of a batted ball more like that of the wood bats. Metal bats are supposedly more durable than wood bats and are alloyed with combinations of zirconium, zinc, copper, magnesium, graphite, titanium and aluminum. Aluminum alloys that are frozen and then reheated provide the greater durability while lessening sting and elongating the flight of the ball. Manufacturers claim that metal bats have a wider sweet spot than wood bats, but this is unproven.
Wood bats can be shaped, sized and tapered to a ballplayer's swing. It is really the only way to go if you know exactly what you want. Review the blog and your options at
http://www.diamondbaseballbats.com