Axe Bat unveiled a corporate restructuring and hired a new marketing director to manage its growing brand of baseball and softball bats.
The new corporate structure makes Axe Bat a business division of Baden Sports Inc. and focuses more resources on product development, marketing and sales. The new Axe Bat team, led by Senior Vice President Jay Helmick, will continue to operate from Baden Sports’ corporate headquarters in Renton, WA.
Joining Axe Bat as director of product marketing is Trevor Stocking, formerly of sports sensor startup Zepp Labs. Based in Chicago, Stocking will oversee Axe Bat’s technical product marketing, contribute to research and development and work closely with professional players, organizations and development partners nationwide.
“The organizational changes we’re making today position us well for the next phase of our growth, allow us to react quickly to market demands and affirm our commitment to developing bats that support the swing and improve player performance,” Helmick said. “Trevor’s experience collecting and analyzing swing data, coupled with his passion and knowledge of the game, make him a perfect fit for our business. We’re excited to have him on board and are looking forward to his contributions in all areas of product marketing.”
Stocking, one of Zepp’s first employees, helped develop that company’s baseball and softball sensors and played a key role in consumer education. In the process, he compiled a swing data library, developed a network of bat-industry partners and managed marketing relationships with some of professional baseball players, including Josh Donaldson and Mike Trout, the last two American League MVPs. Stocking also was instrumental in the launch of a smart baseball bat earlier this year.
“I’ve seen data on millions of swings, from pros to tee-ball players; in my analysis, Axe data consistently showed players achieving more speed, more control, and a shorter swing,” Stocking said. “From the moment I saw that, I was sold on Axe Bats and wanted to be a part of the revolution.”
