Or they're really dry.
That too! They're definitely drying out bats much more aggressively, they're practically twice the size they were a good 20 years ago for the same weight.
It can happen with general wear and tear mind, but I think that of the 6 or so Kook Genesis bats I saw in my lifetime, 3 broke around the splice area, but not quite as dramatically as the Carberry break. It is a weak point in the bat, and there's not too much the consumer can do to protect that area, unlike the edges and toe!