In a move that will blend the old school with the new, Marucci Sports and Diamond Kinetics announced the release of Smart Bat Custom Cut — a handcrafted Marucci maple baseball bat designed to hold a Diamond Kinetics SwingTracker inside its handle.
Marucci’s Baton Rouge, La.-based brand has become a staple among big league hitters, boasting endorsements from Anthony Rizzo, Buster Posey and Albert Pujols, while SwingTracker is one of the most trusted swing sensors on the market today.
With the Smart Bat, the duo hopes to marry Marucci’s industry leading craftsmanship, with DK’s foothold on the minutia and mechanics of the baseball swing.
“Smart Bat is another step toward unlocking the power of information, in a seamless user experience, to help players improve their skills and advance their level of performance” Diamond Kinetics CEO C.J. Handron said in a statement.
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DK’s SwingTracker harnesses the power of inertial measurement units (IMU’s) to capture and report countless swing related data points. Via Bluetooth, the sensor relays metrics related to speed, power, quickness and control to a paired mobile device.
A dual locking technology holds the SwingTracker securely inside the knob of a wood Marucci baseball bat, while also allowing users to easily remove the sensor when it needs a fresh charge. All Smart Bats are scheduled to ship with the latest version of DK’s sensor which will have twice the sensing range, and an updated gyroscope and accelerometer.
“Marucci is very excited to launch this product and embrace new technology,” Marucci Sports CEO/Co-Founder Kurt Ainsworth said in the statement. “With the growing popularity of metrics, analytics, and technology among players, the Smart Bat will hopefully encourage more swings, more practice, and overall more baseball.”
For Marucci fans that already own a SwingTracker, the company has announced a new option that will allow customers to elect to have any personalized bat shipped “Smart Bat ready.”
Alongside the Smart Bat, Marucci will also introduce its first ever mobile application for iOS mobile devices. The app will feature exclusive content from Posey and Rizzo and is designed to interface directly with Diamond Kinetics’ SwingTracker app.
Smart Bat will hit the market at a retail price of $179.99.