The bat involved in last month’s controversial Little League bat flip sold for $9,882 at auction early Friday morning.
One hundred percent of the proceeds from the auction of 12-year-old Marco Rocco’s bat will be going to Haddonfield Little League, the league in which Rocco plays.
“I was watching it on my phone. I was shocked,” said Joe Rocco, Marco’s father. “I didn’t know what to expect, but as it got to the last hour or so, there were multiple people outbidding each other to the goal line.”
Rocco tossed his bat after hitting a two-run homer in the top of the sixth inning during Haddonfield’s game on July 16. He was ejected and given a one-game suspension, which would have kept him out of the championship round the following week.
His family was told Marco’s actions were “unsportsmanlike” and “horseplay,” prompting them to take legal action. The court ultimately ruled in favor of Rocco, who then returned for Haddonfield’s first game of the double-elimination tournament. Haddonfield was ultimately eliminated.
Rocco’s suspension and reinstatement caught the baseball world’s attention, including that of the New York Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer, who both expressed their support of Rocco.
Hosted by Goldin Auctions, Rocco’s bat drew a total of 68 bids over 10 days.
“It’s very significant, you know, I didn’t expect that, but I’m happy,” Joe said.
The bat flip was also commemorated with a pin earlier this month, an idea conceived by former MLB players and family friends Jeff and Todd Frazier, who suggested it could be popular among the pin-trading community at the Little League World Series.
The pins depict Rocco, wearing his No. 10 jersey, flipping his bat, with “BATFLIP 2025” inscribed below and “Haddonfield” on the left.
Joe Rocco and the Fraziers helped design the pins, 75 of which were made to honor the 75th anniversary of Haddonfield Little League.
According to Joe, the pin was a hit at the tournament, which concluded on Aug. 24.
“It was very chaotic. It was a highly coveted pin,” Joe said. “Most people were willing to give up just about anything to get it … but we chose to hold on to at least a few.”
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission.
(Photos of Marco Rocco signing his bat at Goldin Auction headquarters and the bat flip pins: Courtesy of Joe Rocco)