Numerous medical studies have been conducted and published in authoritative medical journals over the past two decades on injuries in youth sports, including baseball.
NONE of these studies has suggested that non-wood baseball or softball bats should be banned.

Proponents of Int. 341-A have argued that, “everyone knows balls come off aluminum bats faster than wood.”

• A 2003 study by Nicholls, Miller, and Elliott titled, “A Numerical Model for Risk of Ball Impact to Baseball Pitchers” and published by the American College of Sports Medicine in 2005 refutes that argument, saying:
• “This is the first study to evaluate the performance of wood and aluminum baseball bats in terms of the maximum risk to the pitcher from balls hit directly toward him.”  The study says, “it was shown both wood and aluminum bats can produce BEV (Ball Exit Velocity) that exceeds the reaction time of pitchers… (.4 of a second as determined by Cassidy and Burton.)

• The American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness in a 2001/2002 study titled, “Risk of Injury from Baseball and Softball in Children” said, “Baseball and softball for children 5-14 years of age should be acknowledged by pediatricians as relatively safe sports.  Catastrophic and chronically disabling injuries are rare…”  

-   The American Academy of Pediatrics’ went on to make seven (7) recommendations for making youth baseball and softball safer.  NONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE RELATED TO BATS!

• The journal Pediatrics in 2002 published a University of Pittsburgh study conducted to determine the baseline injury rate for children ages 7-13 participating in community organized baseball, softball, soccer, and football.

-     The study concluded in a two (2) season review of 1,659 children that the Frequency of Injury Per Team Season was three (3) for baseball, two (2) for softball, three (3) for soccer, and fourteen (14) for football. 
-     The study concluded that youth football should be a priority for injury studies.  It’s only recommendation related to baseball and softball was for leagues to consider using face guards on batting helmets to prevent pitched and thrown ball injuries.

• A 10 year study by Mueller, Marshall, and Kirby titled, “Injuries in Little League Baseball from 1987-1996” concluded that, “Based on data, youth baseball appears to be a very safe sport, but there are areas where injury prevention is possible.”

• The study revealed that the greatest number of injuries were to base runners (21%), followed by infielders (20.7%), batters (19.2%), outfielders (14.2%), catchers (12.6%) with pitchers being the least injured (7.2%).  Ball related injuries were:  32.3% pitched or thrown balls, 20.2% batted balls.