El Paso bat company supplies Major League Baseball players

EL PASO, Texas -- Located just blocks away from Southwest University Park is the Powerbull Bat Company.

It's a baseball bat manufacturer that is actually licensed by Major League Baseball.

The company is owned by Raul Salazar and his business partner, Kurt Gross.

Salazar and Gross both had a love for baseball and they weren't afraid to swing for the fences.

"Once you see these kids get up there and they're using your bat and all these people are watching on television, it's a really awesome feeling," Salazar said.

Salazar, a former baseball player at Cornonado High School, started Powerbull in Mexico in 2003.

His bats were first used by players in Mexican professional leagues.

Salazar had dreams of his own making it to Major League Baseball, but his bats were the roundabout way he eventually made it to The Show.

"I never thought that in one way God would actually permit me to get back in there," Salazar said. "So now that I'm in there with the players and our bats are in there, it's a great feeling."

Salazar needed some help along the way and that's when Gross joined the company as co-owner of Powerbull.

Salazar handles the fabrication side of the company, Gross the business side.

"I had no idea that in my life, I would be manufacturing bats," Gross said.

The two developed a close friendship, and in 2018 Salazar decided to move the company to El Paso.

They moved the factory just blocks away from the ballpark of the El Paso Chihuahuas, the AAA affiliate of the San Diego Padres.

In May of 2019, Powerbull would obtain a license to supply baseball bats to Major League Baseball players.

It was a difficult and costly process, but Powerbull got a helping hand from the El Paso Chihuahuas.

"You need a sponsor to get your license," Gross said. "They (EP Chihuahuas) connected us with their parent company (San Diego Padres) and that's what established and helped us get out major league license."

Andrew Knizner, catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, was the first player to use a Powerbull bat in a MLB game in July of 2019.

Just when Powerbull was gaining some momentum, Covid-19 struck and the MLB season was suspended.

Powerbull had to adjust and their focus turned to spreading the word about their bats, and getting those bats into the hands of as many players as possible, whether it's MLB players or little league players.

But there's another target group for the Powerbull Bat Company.

"We're focused on the up and coming Latino player within the minor leagues right now that we know are going to be the next level of stars," Gross said.

Powerbull is gaining traction, but there's still a long way to go, and Salazar and Gross are committed to making Powerbull a home run.

"That's why we're in here working everyday, so in four years I see Powerbull up there on the map competing with the biggest companies in the market," Salazar said.

Powerbull bats are available for purchase either online at powerbullbatco.com or by visiting the companies factory located at  512 W. Paisano Street.