How to choose the right pitching machine.

In baseball and softball, there is a saying: ‘You get what you train for.’ That means anyone who wants to prepare themselves or their team to play well in a live game needs to invest in the right pitching machine.

For many people, when they look for a pitching machine to buy, they look for one that replicates the curve ball and fastball. Those are difficult pitches to master, and they are even more difficult to replicate, but there is more to consider when choosing the right pitching machine. 

Below are some other factors to consider when determining the best pitching machine to buy.

• Play type

The machine you purchase should not only throw pitches that emulate those of the style of pitch on the field, but it should also emulate the difficulty of those pitches. The speed of a pitch will differ depending on the skill level of the players.

When choosing which pitching machine to buy, it is important not to buy one that is above or below the skill level of the players. The speed at which a pitching machine throws can be adjusted, but some can be adjusted to MLB speeds and others cannot be adjusted to a little league speeds.

• Durability 

Another consideration is how much wear and tear a pitching machine can take and how long someone can use it. The more you invest in a new pitching machine, the longer you can expect it to last.

Of course, how long it will last will also depend on how often you use it and how well you take care of it. But paying for a pitching machine with a longer warranty will ensure you can come back every day and practice your hitting without the worry of your machine breaking down. 

• Timing

Often, pitching machines limit the number of repetitions a player can do throughout practice, which means timing is an important consideration. The highest quality pitching machines will enable you to set the speed and angle of the ball for each batter.

Of course, the benefit of that for the players is the ability to practice against their individual skill level. It also allows for coaches to get a better idea of where and who they want to put into the lineup of each game.

• Portability

Fortunately, most pitching machines are portable and are able to be plugged into an outlet using an extension cord. But sometimes a pitching coach may want to bring a pitching machine onto the mound too far from an outlet for an extension cord to reach.

In that case, another consideration is choosing a generator for a pitching because most pitching machines don’t run on batteries. Pitching Machines will need at least 1500w to 1800w inverter generators to get them powered up to their maximum speed.

Below are four pitching machines we recommend:

1. BATA 2Pitch3 Pitching Machine

2. Junior Hack Attack Baseball Pitching Machine

3. First Pitch Baseline Pitching Machine

4. JUGS BP1 Combo Pitching Machine