Floyd’s Prospect Bat Co. among Madison Street Festival craftsmen
MADISON – Long before professional baseball arrived in Madison, Wesley Floyd was sharing his dedication for the game in an outlet for youth and their families.
Floyd owns Prospect Bat Company. He will be a vendor in Crafters’ Cove at Madison Street Festival on Oct. 5. “It’s always been a dream to have a family business centered around baseball,” he said.
Floyd creates four types of bats:
* Custom Pro Grade, highest quality — A game-use bat individually cut to specs with Grade-A lumber, free of knots and straight grain. “Each bat is custom engraved with colors, as requested. Each player is individual, and each bat is as well — a true one-of-a-kind product,” Floyd said.
* Coach’s Fungo — High-grade lumber, custom cut to each coach’s specification. Fungos are usually 35 inches long with a skinny 2.25-inch barrel.
* Trophy — Designed for ceremony use, awards or gifts. While he cuts most as Prime Grade, the bats throughout the process may have defects that disqualify them for game use. Many people buy trophy bats as senior team souvenirs at end-of-school seasons.
* Baby Bats — “These little gems are custom cut to the length that a baby was born.” For example, a 17.5-inch bat for a baby who is 17.5 inches at birth. On the barrel, Floyd engraves the baby’s name and other birth facts.
“Baby Bats are a really cool keepsake. Lots of folks take a monthly picture next to the bat to see the baby’s growth over their first year,” he said.
His primary supplier of wood is in Summerset County, Maine.
The company name gives credit to the family farm in Prospect, Tenn., where they have a sawmill. By 2020, Floyd wants to produce their own billets (large dowels) from locally sourced maple and birch hardwood.
The Floyds have three children. Their 10-year-old daughter plays softball. Their seven-year-old enthusiastically plays baseball in Monrovia. Their youngest is almost two years old.
“Baseball is a special part of our lives. I was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and have stayed close to the game,” Floyd said. His father, Marty, has worked as an advisor scout for several Major League Baseball teams. Floyd’s nephew just finished his college baseball career.
When Floyd receives a large order, the entire family pitches in to fill it. Occasionally, they sacrifice the dining room table to make shirts, bat bags or prepare shipping boxes.
“It’s still really cool to see folks in our shirts on social media or a video of someone using our bats,” he said. “As a family and a company, I hope we never lose that connection to the game.”
For more information, call 256-679-4698, email wesley.floyd@prospectbats.com and prospectbats.com.
