Before putting his intellect to use the creation of a baseball bat that would allow New York Yankees to link Home Run records, Aaron Leanhardt spent years studying and teaching physics.
Leanhardt is the brain behind the “Torpedo” bat, which made the headlines this season after the Yankees hit 15 circuits during their first three games, with nine circuits from players using the design of the bat.
But the development of the unique piece of wood – it looks more like a bowling pin than a traditional bat, with a thicker average and tapered end – was not the result of a life spent around the game. Instead, it was the application of the skills and knowledge that he cultivated in higher education.
Leanhardt received a doctorate. In MIT physics and spent seven years teaching physics at the University of Michigan before deciding to go to baseball, according to a 2024 profile of the New York Post.
He started as a university baseball coach before being hired by the Yankees in 2018. During his six seasons with the team, he climbed the ladder of his low level affiliates to finally be appointed analyst of the major team league.
Captain of the Yankees Aaron Judge told the post that Leanhardt, who was hired by the Miami Marlins as a field coordinator, was an expert in the breakdown of complex data in a way that players could understand and act.
His history in research and the academic world have also made him a rapid study.
“From what I understand, he knew nothing about bats and in two weeks, he knew everything about bats,” said Padres Brandon Lockridge, who worked with Leanhardt in the past. “Just dive, look for them.”
The result of two years of work was the so-called bat Torpille. Although the bat made several appearances last season, the success of the Yankees in the first weeks of the 2025 season drew more attention to Leanhardt than ever.
But in an interview with press scrum this week, the MIT graduate, 48, has deflected any credit for the circuits that were struck by Torpille bats.
“In the end, this is the dough, not the bat,” said Leanhardt. “These are strikers and their typing coaches, not their typing tools. I am happy to always help these guys to improve a little, but ultimately it’s up to good swings on good locations.”
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