The New Baseball Technology That Pros Already Want Banned

Earlier this year, MLB announced that PitchCom, a piece of tech that makes sign stealing pretty much impossible, has been approved for use during the 2022 regular season. The tech inhibits sign stealing by simply removing signs from the equation. Instead of complex and subtle hand signals, a catcher will be able to communicate with the pitcher through a pad worn on the gloved hand. Buttons on the pad can be used to signal what type of ball the pitcher should be throwing, and the message is then relayed to the man on the mound via an earpiece. PitchCom can also communicate with as many as three other teammates, which could help out with field arrangements.

Using the device is by no means mandatory; the League has just made the technology available to the teams that want to use it. If a side prefers to keep using their fingers, then they have that option, too. There are also concerns the devices could be hacked by less scrupulous teams that are intent on gaining an edge. However, the fact the NFL has used earpiece-based communication devices for years without issue may reassure some of the skeptics. This isn’t the first wearable piece of technology the MLB has approved, either. Back in 2017, the governing body approved the use of whoop straps to better track how players’ bodies are coping at various stages of the game.