About

Mattingly Sports Products was founded by former New York Yankee Don Mattingly, one of the elite hitters of the 1980s and 1990s and now one of the game’s most respected hitting coaches. During Don’s time as a player, he discovered that the key to increasing hand quickness and bat speed could be found in the grip, and more specifically, positioning the bat in the fingers rather than the palms. After much experimentation, Don eventually discovered that trimming the bat handle into a rounded “V” shape allowed him to effectively position his fingers and maintain the proper grip throughout the swing.

He took this concept to a friend in the lumber business, Jim Wells, and eventually the V-Grip was born — the now famous handle design on all Mattingly bats. Soon after, Donnie hooked up with seasoned businessman Skip Shaw to develop Mattingly Sports, so that baseball and softball players of all ages, across the USA, would have access to the only bats on the market proven to improve a hitter’s swing.

This blog is an extension of Mattingly Sports, and serves as a place where all players, coaches, and enthusiasts can congregate to share hitting tips and success stories. Hopefully you will find this blog enjoyable, and maybe learn something that will help you become a better hitter!