Warstic Bat Company

An Equation of Sorts

What do you get when you add two erstwhile professional baseball players (one a former major league All-Star), a rock star, and a bunch of money?

Any guesses?

No?

Just try.

Still no?

Okay, okay, here’s the answer: a bat company.

Yes, that’s right, a baseball bat company called Warstic.

History Lesson

Pt. 1

Warstic was founded in 2011 by Ben Jenkins, a former professional ballplayer turned graphic designer. Jenkins played in the Philadelphia Phillies organization from 1996 through 1997 until his career was derailed by injuries. He combined his love for baseball and his artistic aspirations to create Warstic.

Pt. 2

In 2013, Jack White, formerly of The White Stripes, and avid Detroit Tigers fan, was down in Florida for Spring Training. Ian Kinsler had recently been traded to the Tigers. White, being the bona fide rock star that he is, was allowed to come on the field and chop it up with the players for a bit. He and Kinsler met, exchanged pleasantries, and went on their way. Over the next few years they kept running into each other and developed a friendship based on their mutual love for music and baseball. Their friendship eventually led them to investing in Warstic.

What is a ‘Warstic’?

Warstic Sports Inc. makes baseball bats. That is one answer. Another answer is that they are a ‘stic’ (stick, get it?) based sports company. Not only do they make baseball bats, both wood and metal, but they also make ‘stics’ for softball, lacrosse, hockey, hunting and fishing, surfing, skating, snowboarding, golf, and tennis.

Phew.

That is a lot of ‘stics”

But, for the sake of sanity, we are going to focus on their main product, and the product that baseball enthusiasts–and players–would be most interested in, the bats.

The Bats

The two best things about Warstic bats are that they encompass style and high performance. What more could a consumer want out of any product?

Their bats are reminiscent, stylistically, of 19th-century baseball bats, which tended to be painted with various designs, showing off the personality of the player. The ballplayer looking to purchase a wooden bat can choose from stock bats, designer custom, or custom pro. The custom pro bats might be the most fun, because the ballplayer has the opportunity to design their own bat. You can choose wood type, length, weight drop, cupping, stain style, barrel color (every color imaginable is available), logo color, and engraving color; yes, you can also personalize your bat with your name. You can even add a pro hard gloss finish if you are looking to shine up your life a bit. All of Warstic’s bats are made to order, from producer to consumer, and they are an independent company, so they are beholden to none.

The Gray Matter

The product is great, but the message is greater.

Warstic is not just a sporting goods company. They are a way of life. To use their product, you must subscribe to their mentality (not literally, of course, but, you should). What is their mentality?

Be a warrior. Battle.

It is the Warstic sense that when a batter goes to the plate it is time to hunt. They are hunting for their pitch. They must show their grit, gratitude, and learn it to earn it. All of these words, or phrases, are written on their website with explanations of the Warstic way.

There are also videos and a Warstic podcast in which various baseball players, coaches, or personalities that fit the Warstic mold are interviewed.

You are not just getting a bat. You are getting a religion, a way of life, and a family.

The Pro Warstic Family

Warstic was approved for use in Major League Baseball in 2016 and since then their family of professional players has only grown. Their Pro-Team consists of some of the best players in the game, including Justin Upton,  Kevin Pillar, Nick Castellanos, Matt Kemp, Jake Mangum, Brent Rooker, and the last person to win the Triple Crown, Miguel Cabrera. Not a bad group of guys to have in your family.

Why Warstic?

Why wouldn’t you want to look good, act right, and do your thing in style?

Warstic is a company that demands that you respect the sport, yourself, and others. They preach a well-rounded approach to life and insist that it is not the weapon (the bat), but the warrior that matters. Warstic teaches that you must work hard to succeed, which is something that we all need to be reminded of sometimes. It is just nice that there is a company like Warstic that cares enough to tap us on the shoulder and remind us who we really are.

Also, their bats are beautiful.

Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images