Inventor of New York Yankees’ ‘torpedo’ bats is a former professor at the University of Michigan

The New York Yankees have taken the baseball world by storm to start the 2025 MLB season. By crushing a franchise-record nine home runs in one game against Milwaukee this past weekend, all attention was shifted to the Bronx Bombers. Star Aaron Judge has registered 11 at-bats through three games and already has four home runs. Jazz Chisholm Jr. has three homers, while Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells each have a pair.

So why are all these players for the Yankees hitting so many home runs to start the season? Is it sheer coincidence? Are steroids back in the big leagues?

Nope. It’s good ole science The Yankees recently implemented a new type of bat that shifts the weight to the portion of the bat that is most likely to make contact with the ball.

You may be asking, ‘Why does Maize n Brew care about the Yankees’ torpedo bats?’’

The answer is simple: the inventor.

Aaron Leanhardt, commonly known as “Lenny,” attained a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan before getting his Ph.D. in physics from MIT. Learnhardt returned to his alma mater to be a physics professor at Michigan from 2007-14.

In 2017, he pursued a total career change, leaving the world of academia for a career in professional sports. Leanhardt left teaching to coach at Dawson Community College (Montana) as the recruiting coordinator and hitting coach. He also had a brief stint as an assistant in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League.

Shortly thereafter, Leanhardt was picked up at the lower levels of the NYY organization in 2018. He worked his way up through the ranks before finally landing a gig as an analyst with the Yankees in Dec. 2023. It was then that the “torpedo” bats were created.

Leanhardt’s primary responsibility with the Yankees was to be the liaison between the analytics department and the hitters. He was tasked with explaining complex analytical models and data into simple, actionable insights for the players.

Interestingly enough, Leanhardt is no longer in the Yankee organization. This offseason, he was hired by the Miami Marlins to be their field coordinator.

Though his research is just now gaining popularity thanks to the offensive outburst by the Yankees, users of the “torpedo” bats are not solely Yankees. Per Yahoo Sports, the below list of players have all been confirmed to use a “torpedo” bat so far this season:

• Adley Rutschman, C, Baltimore Orioles
• Dansby Swanson, SS, Chicago Cubs
• Nico Hoerner, 2B, Chicago Cubs
• Ryan Jeffers, C, Minnesota Twins
• Cody Bellinger, OF, New York Yankees
• Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B, New York Yankees
• Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, New York Yankees
• Anthony Volpe, SS, New York Yankees
• Austin Wells, C, New York Yankees
• Junior Caminero, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays
• Davis Schneider, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

It will be fascinating to see this list expand throughout the season if the bats continue to help players hit for power. It will also be fascinating to see how pitchers react to these new bats, as there are surely adjustments to be made.

For now, let’s marvel at a Michigan alumnus and former professor changing the game of baseball.