heh, heh, heh....you said "wood"....heh, heh.
My kid plays fall baseball (16U) and they use aluminum/composites on Saturdays, wood bats on Sundays.
Even at this level we're seeing some potentially dangerous splintered bats, whether the bat is maple or ash. Part of the game, but I suppose some definitive research is needed to determine whether it really is the type of wood alone that is responsible for these mishaps or, as Jacko said, the lathing.