Louisville Slugger M9 Maple Wood Baseball Bat I13 33 Inch Louisville Slugger M9 Maple. 1516 Inch Handle. Approximate -2 Length to Weight Ratio. Black Smith Finish. Kiln Dried for Optimum Moisture Content. Large Barrel. Maple Wood. Pro Cupped End. Turning Model I13. Maple is a very dense timber with a greater surface hardness than ash. Many players believe this hardness gives them better performance. Maple is a closed-grain timber, making it less prone to flake like ash and allowing for more durability. Maple is generally considered as more popular right now. It has become prominent over the last decade, driven by MLB players using maple.