Pitching machines are a great companion for self-practice. For both beginners and professionals, these machines help diminish a lot of stress and time. But if you’re planning to buy one, finding the best baseball pitching machine is gonna be a hard time.
Why won’t it be? There are tons of baseball sports equipment manufacturers who are working in this segment. Besides, you may not know which features to consider.
As a professional baseball coach, I’ve spent plenty of time with these gears throughout my career. In my experience, Franklin Sports, SKLZ, and Louisville Slugger are some of the best names in the market.
So, I packed this personal review with 5 of the best baseball pitching machines from these brands, developed mainly for amateurs. Let’s check out why it’s worth buying any of them.
Factors That Need to Consider Before Choosing a Baseball Pitching Machine
Choosing the right baseball pitching machine can significantly enhance training, but it’s essential to consider several factors before making a purchase. Here’s a breakdown of the key elements to keep in mind:
1. Skill Level and Age of the User
Youth Players (Little League/Beginners): Younger players benefit from machines with adjustable speeds, softer balls (like dimple balls or lighter training balls), and a focus on safety. Look for machines that are easy to load and operate. Portability is also a plus for transporting to practices.
Intermediate Players (High School/Competitive Youth): As skills develop, players need machines that offer a wider range of speeds, different pitch types (fastballs, curves, sliders), and greater accuracy. Durability becomes more important as usage increases.
Advanced Players (College/Professional): Serious players require high-performance machines that can simulate game-like conditions. These machines often feature advanced capabilities like variable pitch speeds within a single delivery, realistic spin, and the ability to throw a variety of pitches with precision.
2. Intended Use and Training Goals
Hitting Practice: Most pitching machines are designed for hitting practice. Consider the types of pitches you want to practice against.
Fielding Drills: Some machines can be adapted for fielding drills, throwing ground balls or fly balls. Look for machines with adjustable launch angles.
Pitching Practice: While less common, some machines are designed to help pitchers refine their mechanics.
3. Pitch Speed and Types
Speed Range: Ensure the machine’s speed range matches the player’s current abilities and future development. Younger players need slower speeds, while advanced players require higher speeds.
Pitch Types: Do you need a machine that throws only fastballs, or do you want the ability to simulate curves, sliders, changeups, etc.? More advanced machines offer a wider variety of pitch types.
4. Portability and Power Source
Portability: If you plan to move the machine frequently, consider its weight, size, and whether it has wheels. Battery-powered machines offer great portability, but you’ll need to consider battery life.
Power Source: Electric machines are typically more powerful and consistent, but require access to an outlet. Battery-powered machines are convenient for travel but may have limitations in power and consistency.
5. Ball Type and Capacity
Ball Type: Some machines are designed for specific types of balls (regulation baseballs, dimple balls, soft training balls). Consider the cost and availability of the required balls.
Ball Capacity: A larger ball capacity means less time spent reloading, allowing for more continuous practice.
6. Durability and Construction
Materials: Look for machines made from durable materials that can withstand regular use. A sturdy frame and high-quality components are essential for longevity.
Warranty: Check the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure you’re protected against defects.
7. Safety Features
Safety Cage/Net: A safety cage or net is crucial to protect the batter and others from errant pitches.
Automatic Shut-Off: Some machines have an automatic shut-off feature for added safety.
8. Budget
Price Range: Pitching machines range in price from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Determine your budget and find a machine that offers the best value for your needs.
9. Reviews and Reputation
User Reviews: Read online reviews from other users to get an idea of the machine’s performance, reliability, and customer service.
Brand Reputation: Choose a reputable brand known for producing high-quality baseball equipment.
10. Additional Features
Adjustable Height: Some machines offer adjustable height to simulate different pitching angles.
Remote Control: A remote control allows the batter to start and stop the machine without assistance.
Variable Delay: This feature allows for a variable delay between pitches, helping batters to improve their timing.
By carefully considering these factors, you can choose a baseball pitching machine that meets your specific needs and helps you achieve your training goals.
5 Best Baseball Pitching Machines Review
While sharing my experience in this review, I considered all the essential features, including the pros and cons of these five products. I also studied other customers’ testimonials to make this review more neutral and valuable.
1. Franklin Sports Mlb Electronic Baseball Pitching Machine For 4-12 Years – Best Budget Pitching Machine
Key Specification
- Included balls: 6
- Hold capacity: 9
- Pitching Interval: 7 seconds
- Angle Adjustments: Yes
- Flashlight indicator
- Range: 30 mph
Overview
After being founded by Irving H. Franklin in 1946, Franklin Sports has become one of the iconic brands in the physical sports industry. Without baseball, the sports equipment manufacturer also expanded its production line in soccer, ice hockey, football, pickleball, etc. So, you can surely bet on their goods with 100% reliability.
And if you want to impress your friends and get them to scrimmage with you, this pitching machine is the perfect set. The Franklin Sports MLB series is a high-performance pitching machine to make your batting practice more effortless and accurate.
Automatic 7 Second Pitching Interval
Featuring the latest in electronic pitching technology, the Franklin Sports MLB advanced pitching dock is a staple for any serious baseball player. The easy-to-use system includes a 7-second pitch speed setting.
It gives you enough time to take a hit, break, and get back to position again, following discipline. So, when setting up the machine for your practice, you get a consistent and calculated serve.
Indicator Light for Alert
While practicing with a pitching machine, the most common problem is you can’t predict the ball timing even though you know the interval. I didn’t find this issue with this Franklin Sports pitching machine. It comes with a flashlight indicator. The light blinks every time it throws a ball. So you can get prepared earlier.
Angle Adjustment for Flexibility
Practicing batting at the same angle won’t improve your hitting skills in other orders. You should also polish your hand-arm movements in other angles to become a versatile baseball hitter.
The Franklin Sports MLB edition pitching comes in very handy in this context. It features a rotatable neck. So, when you’re done with ducking, you can begin practicing flyball without changing your batting position.
Good side
- Angle adjustment allows the hitter to work on different shots
- 9 ball stocking capacity makes the practice effortless
- The electronic motor works fine while keeping the interval closely perfect
- Flashlight indicator is a great support for getting ready for a hit
- No need to buy balls separately, as comes with the unit
Bad sides
- Get clogged sometimes; however, it works again automatically
- The accuracy level still needs improvements
Why I Recommend
This Franklin MLB pitching is a great option for budget + quality seekers to maintain throwing rhythm and accuracy. If the clogged issue doesn’t bother you, it’s the best home pitching machine in this price range.
Related Baseball Products:
- Franklin Sports Baseball Pitching Target and Rebounder Net
- Rawlings Official League Practice Baseballs – 12 Balls
2. Louisville Slugger Black Flame Pitching Machine – Best for Professional Baseball Training
The Louisville Slugger Black Flame Pitching Machine stands out as an exceptional tool for professional baseball training, offering a blend of versatility, portability, and precision.
Specification
- Included balls: Null
- Hold capacity: 1
- Pitching interval: Manual
- Speed range: 18-50 mph
- Angle adjustments: Yes
Overview
What can be better than if you can practice with a machine that legendary Babe Ruth uses? Well, that’s the value you’ll get with this Louisville.
The parent company, Gamemaster, was established in the mid-70s. They jumped into manufacturing baseball training equipment in 2000 while partnering up with popular brands like Louisville Slugger (a baseball bat manufacturer, even Babe Ruth used to play with their bats.)
Unlike other pitching machines, this one is suggested for professional baseball managers and players. Let’s check out why.
MLB Level Ball Throwing Speed
Most major league baseball players pitch at an average speed of 50-60 mph. If you want to polish your batting skills for the next event, you’ve to experience the speed on the practice ground.
This Louisville Slugger is a good pitching machine for the purpose. It can shoot baseballs at a speed of 18-50 mph.
Highly Adjustable
The pitching machine isn’t only for batting practices. You can also use it for catching and fielding drills. With the extensive adjustability option, you can change the neck position. Make a fly ball or ground ball as you prefer.
Fully Manual
The best part of manual pitching is you lead the machine according to your preparation on the base. There’s no hurry, no frustration.
Besides, you don’t have to fear getting out of charge since the machine follows a storing energy and throwing mechanism.
Your coach or partner just needs to insert a baseball in the holder and align the shooting head position as you prefer. When you’re ready, they throw the ball. However, this pitching machine isn’t meant for you if you’re more like a self-coaching guy.
Portability and Ease of Use
Weighing approximately 24 pounds, the Black Flame is lightweight and easy to transport, fitting conveniently into a vehicle’s trunk. Its manual operation eliminates the need for batteries or electrical cords, allowing for quick setup and use in various locations. This feature is particularly beneficial for coaches and players who require a reliable pitching machine in multiple settings.
User Testimonials
Users have praised the Black Flame for its impact on training routines. One reviewer noted significant improvements in their hitting skills, attributing increased confidence and better pitch tracking to regular use of the machine. Another highlighted its easy assembly, portability, and adjustable pitch settings, making it a valuable asset for both individual and team practices.
Good sides
- Can lead the ball at the maximum speed
- Allows to increase or decrease pitching speed
- Can be used for batting, fielding, catching drills also
- Very sturdy frame will last years
- Doesn’t require a battery or electrical outlet support
Bad sides
- Quite a hefty design that feels hard to carry or maneuver
- Requires a partner or coach to assist in throwing
Why I Recommend
If you want to become a professional baseball player, no matter in college, school, or minor league, this pitching gear is the best investment. I also suggest it for coaches who want to train their kids time-efficiently.
3. Franklin Sports Baseball Pitching Machine for 5-15 Years – Best for Youth
The Franklin Sports MLB Power Pitcher Pitching Machine is an excellent training tool designed specifically for young baseball enthusiasts aged 5 to 15. This machine offers a combination of adjustable features and user-friendly design, making it ideal for developing essential batting skills in youth players.
Specification
- Included balls: 6
- Hold capacity: 9
- Pitching interval: 7 seconds
- Angle adjustments: 4 Angles
- Height adjustments: 2.5-4 ft.
Overview
As mentioned earlier, Franklin Sport is one of my favorite sports equipment brands. I’m a bit biased about naming it again in this review. The reasons are nothing but its quality.
I use this gear to train up my kids in my backyard. And the flexibility and features this automatic machine has are unlike a typical baseball batting trainer.
If you’re looking for the best baseball pitching machine for kids and youth, undoubtedly, this Franklin Sports setup deserves your attention.
Utmost Adjustability Feature
While most automatic baseball pitching machines allow you to change the neck or head angle, this Franklin Sports tool also has a height adjustment feature.
You can minimize the height to as low as 2.5 ft. And if required, you can extend the machine to 4 ft. tall.
When it comes to angle adjustability, you can set it to 4 positions. Each position enables experiencing different types of balls like the soft toss, fast, pitch, grounder, and pop fly.
This enables you to play a diverse angle and height of pitching, which is common in the real baseball field.
Hour Full of Practice
When considering a pitching machine for your kids, battery backup is a serious consideration. You don’t want to ruin their motivation by getting out of charge.
Hopefully, this Franklin Sports auto-pitching machine won’t disappoint you with the backup. It consists of 4 C batteries, which can back the machine for up to 2 hours.
The runtime is comparably lower than the SKLZ pitching machine that I mentioned above. However, this compromise also cuts a lot of your costs, making it the best pitching machine for the money.
Not Heavyweight
While most auto-pitching machines weigh more than 10 lbs, it has a 5 lbs. of weight. Therefore it becomes much more convenient during carrying or maneuvering.
Holding Capacity
There’s no difference in the ball-holding capacity in both Franklins. This one also features 9 balls of stocking support. You’ll get 6 plastic baseballs with this unit. Also, the throwing interval is 7 seconds, just like the other edition.
Good sides
- Perfect choice for kids and teenage baseball learners
- 4 C batteries provide enough power to run throughout the training
- Four adjustable neck position allows throwing balls at different angles
- Height adjustment allows learning versatile hitting skills
- Comes with 6 plastics balls
Bad sides
- Some units are reported to have low battery backup
- Mainly suitable for kids due to lack of throwing speed
Why I Recommend
Though it’s intended for 5-15 years of baseball players, I recommend this only for kids below 10. The height and angle adjustability are the main selling powers of this pitching machine. If you can settle down with the comparably low runtime, it’s worth buying.
Related Products:
- Make Your Base Recognizable with Rubber Throw-Down Bases
- Pack Your Pitching Machine with Full Loads
4. Furlihong Electronic Baseball Pitching Machine Set with Bat, Balls, and Bag – Best Starter Kit
Specification
- Included balls: 8 Dimpled Balls
- Hold capacity: 20
- Pitching interval: 3-6 seconds
- Angle adjustments: 4 Angles
- Height adjustments: Yes
Overview
Searching for a full beginner baseball practice set for training your kids? If yes, this Furlihong kit is a great way to start.
The pitching machine set comes with the unit itself, a baseball bat, 8 balls, and stackers to hold them. Also, it has a moderate-quality carrying bag to maneuver all the instruments.
For Batting and Fielding
Furlihong made this pitching machine mainly for grooming kids’ batting and fielding skills. Thus the pitching speed is a bit slower than others.
It can throw balls at a 19 mph speed, which can reach a distance of 5.46 yards to 8.20 yards. A good spec is it allows you to change the speed.
4 Angle Positioning
With the neck adjustability feature, you can change the throwing angle to four different stages, starting from 90° to 45°. So, you can experiment with teaching batting at all possible heights.
Another good part is its flat base. You can easily mount the machine on any random tripod to adjust the height even more.
Extendable Stackers
The pitching machine has a stacker or tray for holding the balls. You can connect one or multiple stackers with the machine to increase or decrease its holding capacity.
AC/DC
Unlike other pitching machines, this one runs on both AC and DC power. You can either use the 4 D batteries or directly connect to a 6-volt outlet. So, there’s no worry of going out of charge ever.
Good sides
- Comes with full set for starting batting practice
- Very fastball delivery intervals for keeping the intensity of the playing
- 19 mph throwing speed is suitable for kids
- Allows customizing the throwing speed
- Support both AC and DC power source
Bad sides
- Only built for the kid segment
- The included bat quality is a bit flimsy
Why I Recommend
If you’re looking for a complete set to automate your kid’s baseball hitting training, this Furlihong pitching machine kit is a good deal. Please note it’s only for starters and kids. Don’t get it for professional training.
Related Products:
- Get a Net For Catching the Thrown Balls
- Champion Sports Plastic Baseball – 12 Pieces
Frequently Asked Questions
What pitching machine does MLB use?
Many Major League Baseball players prefer using the BATA-2 pitching machine for their training sessions. The machine can throw balls up to 100 mph speed.
What is the best pitching machine for kids?
Franklin Sports has some of the best pitching machines for kids ages 4-15. Among many models, the Franklin Sports MLB edition provides the most value for money.
Are pitching machines worth it?
Of course, using a pitching machine is worth it. When you’re practicing with your partner or friend, you can get this company to throw balls non-stop. They provide great support for both beginner and professional-level baseball players.
What should I look for in a pitching machine?
The most important features you should look for when buying a pitching machine are holding capacity, pitching speed, pitching interval time, power source, and backup time for battery-driven pitching machines.
For learners,
- The pitching speed should be 19 to 40 mph
- 3-7 seconds of pitching interval is adequate
- DC or battery-driven power source is required to enjoy portability. Make sure to have at least 4 C or 4 D batteries
- Adjustable angles are essential to groom batting skills at different heights
If you want to buy or gift a softball pitching machine to your love one, here are review on softball pitching machine.
Wrapping Up
That’s the conclusion of the best baseball pitching machine recommendation from my experience. In this review, I tried to share why they are the best in terms of performance, speed, runtime, etc.
And considering all the facts, the SKLZ pitching machine is a true deal-breaker. I also loved the overall specification and experience with the Franklin Sports MLB pitching machine.
Hello everyone. My name is Jason Butler, and I live in California, America. I was a professional AAA Minor League Baseball player. I lost my chance of playing MLB for injury issues, but I did not lose my love for baseball. I attended the coaching training program and am now working as a coach in a small school in San Diego.
I always love to share my experience and knowledge if that can help you. Play baseball, and stay fit.