Yelich Makes History at LSMF

It’s hard to come by a lot of firsts for a company that dates back over 130 years, but Miami Marlins star outfielder Christian Yelich became the first player in company history to sign his bat contract on site in January 2015.

The 23-year-old lefty met with Louisville Slugger officials and production staff during his visit to get an up close and personal view of the bat-making process.

Yelich enjoyed his visit, and was impressed by the craftsmanship. He said, “Coming here, getting to see everything that goes into it, all the hard work that goes into making that bat you’re going to use, makes you appreciate it a little bit more.”

Master bat craftsman Danny Luckett even hand-turned a maple S318 model Louisville Slugger bat for Yelich that the Slugger used on Opening Day.

“The thing about the S318 is the handle is kind of similar to the aluminum bat I used in high school, and it was just a comfort thing for me,” said Yelich. “I picked the bat up, I used it, liked it, and stuck with it ever since.”