Batters need consistent and high-quality practice to development fundamental skills. Unfortunately, relying only on human pitchers means less time to practice, increased risk for injury for both the pitcher and the batter, and less consistency.
Baseball pitching machines solve the above problems and allow batters to practice independently while having control over the types of pitches they practice. In this guide, we explore the qualities that make the best baseball pitching machine for youth players.
Does a Pitching Machine Help for Baseball Youth?
Using a baseball pitching machine for youth practice can be a game-changing decision. That’s because these machines have the following benefits:
Increased Number of Reps
Increased Quality of Reps
Improved Reaction Times
Improved Hit Quality
Safer Practices for Both Hitters and Pitchers
When you use a pitching machine, you can choose specific pitch styles to practice hitting again and again. You don’t have to worry about wearing out your pitchers, either! With high-quality reaction training f , you gain access to a variety of customizable pitch styles, speeds, and intervals to take your hitting game to the next level.
How Does a Pitching Machine Work?
Pitching machines work by using wheels, a mechanical arm, or a catapult-like mechanism to launch balls instead of relying on a human pitcher. Out of these three categories, two- and three-wheeled machines offer the most in variety and reliability. That’s because operators can adjust the speed of the wheels to manipulate the rpms of each pitch. Doing so gives wheel-based machines the ability to pitch curveballs, breaking balls, and many more!
The secret science behind baseball and softball pitching machines is that they can emulate a wide range of pitch speeds without needing to match the exact velocity of a specific pitch. For example, the MaxBP Pro Machine can replicate a 118mph pitch using the high + turbo setting at a distance of 25 ft.
MLB players use pitching machines to keep their hitting fundamentals sharp throughout the entire season. To achieve this goal, hitters need machines that can replicate a wide variety of game-day scenarios. Two- and three-wheel machines are best because operators have control over each pitch’s rpms, which enables customization.
Many MLB teams are also investing in high-tech machines that can emulate the pitching styles of specific pitchers. While these machines are an exciting way to prepare for a specific matchup, price tags that range in the tens of thousands of dollars reserve this technology for the pros.
How Often Do MLB Hitters Use Pitching Machines?
Pitching machines are a regular fixture in MLB practices, from spring training to the regular season and even through playoffs. Because of their reliability and ease of use, pitching machines are fantastic for cranking out reps during batting practice or when warming up before a big game.
Do Pitching Machines Help Your Hitting in High School?
Pitching machines are helpful for players from youth leagues to varsity sports and all the up through the pros. Fundamentals are key at any level, and pitching machines help players develop both reaction time and connection quality when batting.
Pitching machines are especially helpful for high school athletes because they increase the safety of batting practice. By giving pitchers time to rest their arms and greatly reducing the risk of both batters and pitchers getting hit with high-speed balls, these machines develop important skills while decreasing the chance of injury.
Do Pitching Machines Throw Different Pitches?
The best baseball pitching machine for youth practice is one that can throw the types of pitches you’ll experience on game day. Wheel-based machines can adjust the rpms of each pitch, which allows you to practice hitting curveballs, breaking balls, and any other pitch that relies on spin.
Two- and three-wheel machines can throw curveballs by spinning the wheels at different speeds to apply spin to the pitch. Mechanical and arm-pitching machines can’t impact the RPMs of the ball, so they can’t throw curveballs.
Do Pitching Machines Mess Up Your Timing?
Pitching machines challenge batters to react more quickly and accurately. Arm machines retain many of the same visual cues as a human pitcher, while wheel machines remove these visual cues. With fewer visual cues, batters must learn to react more efficiently, which will lead to more connections on gameday.
How Do I Choose a Pitching Machine?
The best youth pitching machine is both safe and customizable. Your machine should do it all when it comes to pitch styles, speeds, and intervals. With MaxBP, that’s exactly what you get. For example, the MaxBP Original Pitching Machine offers:
Ability to control pitch rpms to throw right- and left-handed curveballs, sliders, breaking balls, changeups, and cutters
Equivalent pitch speeds range from 32mph all the way up to 146mph
Pitch intervals of 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 seconds
Challenge Your Skills with MaxBP!
Perfect practice makes perfect. MaxBP reaction training machines can emulate the gameday conditions you need to practice most—without the need for a human pitcher! With the ability to control pitch styles, velocity, and intervals while retaining variety within the strike zone, you’ll notice improvements in reaction time and connection quality that yield exciting results!
