Which Pitching Machines To Choose

Our List of the Best Pitching Machines

Nearly every baseball and softball facility in the country has at least one pitching machine. Pitching machines lead to a more efficient training session with consistent pitching. This allows athletes and coaches to optimize their time spent in the cages and get bigger gains as they prepare for game day.

On Deck Sports offers a full selection of pitching machines from top brands such as Iron Mike, Hack Attack, Jugs, Atec and others. These pitching machines come in a wide range of options including one-wheel, two-wheel, three-wheel, automatic feed and more.

Our selection combined with the experience of our facility experts will help you figure out which pitching machines are the right fit in your facility.

One, two and three-wheel pitching machines are all “stand-behind” machines. This means that a coach or player generally has to stand behind the machine and feed the ball into the machine. They are best paired with a L-screen to protect the feeder.

Nearly all of our pitching machine options have feeding accessories that allow multiple balls to be loaded into a machine without the need for a coach or player feeding the machine. This lets coaches spend more time with the athletes and lead to greater improvements.

One-wheel, or single-wheel, pitching machines are generally at the best price point. They simply have a single spinning wheel and a guide to put the ball into contact with the wheel. The ball is sent down a chute to increase the accuracy. These machines are generally the easiest to use.

The next step up is a two-wheel pitching machine. This is the pitching machine that has been in use by teams and leagues for a long time. The baseball or softball is loaded into the guide and shot out between the two wheels. This generally raises the price a bit, but still sits at a good price point. Often times, the two-wheel machines deliver a more consistent pitch and it best suited for higher levels of training. This includes college and professional teams and facilities.

The top of the line in stand-behind pitching machines, and arguably the hottest option on the market, is three-wheel pitching machines. This allows for a better sight line for batters, allowing for a more realistic batting experience of picking up the ball. These machines generally give you more options for pitches, giving different speeds and deliveries to change how the ball comes at the batter. They are the best way to get a professional training experience for your athletes.

One option that is popular with larger facilities is the Iron Mike line of pitching machines. Iron Mike machines are automatic loading pitching machines that allow you to give more attention to your batters during practice. They are perfect for high-volume facilities, allowing batters to get in and out of the cages faster. The machines have different size hoppers for loading and can hold anywhere from about 35 to 600 baseballs, or 25 to 400 softballs.

Our facility experts know the pro’s and con’s of these machines and can help you select the right pitching machine for your facility. Call 800-365-6171 or contact one of our experts for more information about pitching machines in your facility.