It may have something to do with last September's dropping of a lawsuit filed by bat manufacturer Easton against the NCAA. (si.com)
MLB has since mandated that bat manufacturers place an inkblot on the handle of every maple bat they make. (discovermagazine.com)
The bat manufacturer Easton released the first true aluminum bat, opening the floodgates for other companies to put their own versions on the market. (sbnation.com)