On Saturday, March 29th, the New York Yankees put on an offensive showcase, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 20-9 while launching a franchise-record nine home runs. But what made this game even more intriguing was the introduction of a new and innovative piece of equipment — the torpedo bat. This bat, designed to optimize contact and maximize power, is the result of years of research, collaboration, and a willingness to challenge baseball’s long-held traditions.
Regardless on what industry you are in, the story behind its creation is a testament to the power of creativity in leadership.
5 Leadership Lessons on Creativity from the New York Yankees’ Torpedo Bats: A Masterclass in Innovation
Per this article and this one from The Athletic, we learn he following are five leadership lessons on creativity from the New York Yankees’ t0rpedo bats.
1. The Power of Asking the Right Questions
Every great innovation starts with a question. Aaron Leanhardt, a former MIT physicist-turned-baseball coach, asked two fundamental ones:
- Where are players making contact with the ball?
- How can we maximize their success at that point of impact?
For Anthony Volpe, the data showed a surprising trend — he was consistently hitting balls on the label rather than the traditional sweet spot of the bat. Instead of forcing Volpe to change his swing, Leanhardt and the Yankees’ analytics team asked a revolutionary question: What if we moved the barrel to where he actually makes contact?
2. Gather the Right Information
Creativity is rarely a solo endeavor. The Yankees’ analytics department dug into the numbers, looking at thousands of Volpe’s swings. The data backed up their hypothesis — adjusting the barrel could lead to more barrels and fewer mishits. But knowing this was not enough. They needed to turn knowledge into innovation. Leanhardt put it best: “It’s just about making the bat as heavy and as fat as possible in the area where you’re trying to do damage on the baseball.” This wasn’t guesswork; it was the result of exhaustive research and precise engineering.
3. Collaboration: The Silver Bullet to Turning Ideas into Reality
Once the concept was clear, the real work began. This is where most creative ideas die — because execution is hard. Leanhardt had to work with players, coaches, bat manufacturers, and even MLB officials to bring the torpedo bat to life. He said, “You really just are communicating with each company and trying to find the person who really knows the wood and knows how to turn the wood on a lathe. You just build a relationship with those guys and convince them that this is something that’s in their best interest to produce for their players.” This is a crucial leadership lesson: The best ideas rarely come to life in isolation. They require partnerships and buy-in from multiple stakeholders.
4. The Slow Buy-In Process
The nature of innovation is that people resist it — especially in a tradition-heavy industry like baseball. Despite the promising concept, there was not immediate acceptance. “It took years for a radically new bat design to come along,” Leanhardt explained. “The industry kind of stayed the course for quite some time.” Innovation is never an overnight success. It takes perseverance, patience, and as the next point tells us – proof.
5. Results: The Ultimate Validation of Creativity
Then, on March 30th, 2025, the Yankees hit a franchise-record nine home runs in one game. Suddenly, the conversation shifted from skepticism to intrigue. Former Yankee Kevin Smith summed it up perfectly: “You’re going up with a weapon that can be better. Your just misses could be clips, your clips could be flares, and your flares could be barrels.” Even Tigers manager A.J. Hinch admitted: “I don’t really understand it… but it will get plenty of attention now.” In leadership, you cannot have creativity without creation. Results drive ultimate acceptance. Once an idea proves itself, the skeptics become believers, and what was once considered radical becomes the new standard.
Conclusion
The torpedo bat is more than just an innovation in baseball—it’s a blueprint for how creativity drives success in any field.
- Ask the right questions.
- Gather the right information.
- Collaborate with the right people.
- Be patient with the process.
- And when the results come, be ready for full acceptance.
Because in the end, creativity is not just about thinking outside the box — it is about changing your industry.
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