"My first impression of it, I feel like we're on to something" - New York Yankees manager on board with electric pitching system, expected to be rolled out later this season
The New York Yankees have become the first team in Major League Baseball to experiment with a new technology that could change the very way baseball is played.
For as long as baseball has been played, the vital communication between a pitcher and catcher has been at the core of the game. Often using discreet and eclectic hand signs, the catcher surrepticiously tells the pitcher what pitch is best suited to be used on a particular batter at a particular time.
As of now, the MLB is considering using a technology that could change the way that communication is facilitated. The new technology, called PitchCom, will consist of several buttons on the catcher's wristband that will correlate to verbal messages. These messages will be delivered to the pitcher on the mound and pertain to what kind of pitch is best to throw.
The technology will use bone-conduction communicator technology. This relies on vibrations to bypass the ear canal and minimize the amount of gear the pitcher needs to wear. It will also reportedly have a negligible effect on the pitcher's ability to hear.
Yankees are using the pitchcom device to call signs for the first time this spring https://t.co/jbiUN96qZO
"Yankees are using the pitchcom device to call signs for the first time this spring" - @ Talkin' Yanks
Luis Severino of the New York Yankees among the first pros to sample new technology
On Saturday, April 2, the New York Yankees told All-Star pitcher Luis Severino that they would be sampling PitchCom technology in their forthcoming game that afternoon against the Atlanta Braves. Severino seemed unphased, pitching four innings and allowing a hit. The catcher on the other end of the channel was Kyle Higashioka.
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the technology, "I want to keep flushing that out the best we can. But my first impression of it, I feel like we're onto something. I thought it was really good."
The New York Yankees are not the only team who have sampled this revolutionary technology. Buck Showlater, the manager for the New York Mets, jokingly chided the communication channel, saying that it cannot fit around catcher Francisco Alvarez's forearm.
Buck Showalter says Francisco Álvarez can't wear the PitchCom wristband because it won't fit around his forearm 💪
On his mammoth home run: "That was loud" https://t.co/7rWbHjcYPI
"Buck Showalter says Francisco Álvarez can't wear the PitchCom wristband because it won't fit around his forearm" - @ SNY
It will likely be at least another season or two before PitchCom becomes widespread in Major League Baseball. It will be sampled in the AA League this summer, with many eager to see the results.