Wooden bats were standard issue in the early days of baseball. However, as technology improved, aluminum bats became cheaper to mass produce. Moreover, aluminum bats are lighter, and have properties that can send a baseball flying farther than a wooden bat. The Crisco-Greenwald Batting Cage Study proved rather conclusively that aluminum bats increase the speed and distance of a hit ball by roughly 10 percent across the board.

On the Other: The Pros Use Them

Wood bats are used in professional baseball in the interest of keeping the playing field even and maintaining a universal understanding of expectations, as well as for safety reasons. This has opened the market to high-quality wooden bats that are sold to amateurs, minor-league players or children at somewhat marked-up prices. The allure of using what the professionals use keeps buyers buying even if the bats are not as effective.

Bottom Line

If performance is your top priority, then aluminum is the clear winner. That material will squeeze every inch of potential out of your home-run hit. If you're just playing for fun or the love of the game, there's definitely no harm in using a wood bat. In the end, of course, neither material will make you a better player, so go with what makes you feel more comfortable.

Source:

"Physics and Acoustics of Baseball and Softball Bats"; Daniel A. Russell, Ph.D.: Why Aluminum Bats Can Perform Better Than Wood Bats

Baseball Bats: Wood Baseball Bats

Baseball Tips: How to Choose a Wood Baseball Bat