If you are a committed baseball, softball, or tennis player, you know how important it is to practice regularly. The key element of your skills in these sports is hitting the ball, but to practice that, you need a team or a partner to throw the balls to you. Fortunately, there is a solution that allows you to practice your favorite sport on your own – pitching machines.
If you get a pitching machine, you can practice hitting the ball any time you want, and your coach or family member doesn’t have to stand there for hours mindlessly throwing balls to you. What’s more, with a machine, you can get very consistent throws tailored to your needs as a player, so you can practice hitting the ball coming at you at a particular speed from a particular direction. Most (if not all) professional sports teams use pitching machines, so you can be sure that you’ll be getting an experience worthy of pro players.
While pitching machines have a number of distinct advantages, they can also be rather expensive. This means that you have to treat them as an investment and make your choice wisely. Pitching machines differ by construction, weight, portability, pitching speed, and the type of balls that they can pitch, not to mention the price. This can all be pretty overwhelming if you’re looking for your first pitching machine, so we have come up with this overview of the 8 best pitching machines.
Louisville Slugger UPM 45
We find that the Louisville Slugger UPM 45 is one of the best pitching machines the market currently has to offer. This pitching machine comes at a very reasonable price, which is one of its strong selling points, but there’s more to it than that. The Louisville Slugger can pitch almost any type of ball you need, whether it’s a golf ball, a softball, or even a volleyball. What’s more, it also allows you to adjust the speed with which it throws the balls at you, so it can add a lot of flexibility to your practice routine.
Louisville Slugger is a completely mechanical pitching machine, which means that you’ll be independent of electrical outlets and batteries. At around 22 pounds, this pitching machine is also quite easy to move around the field even for younger players. The only downside to this machine we could find is that it is rather cumbersome, and, therefore, not necessarily car-friendly. Still, we find that the Slugger is a solid performer in all other aspects, so its advantages outweigh this one potential drawback.
Franklin Sports MLB Electronic Baseball Pitching Machine
If you need a baseball pitching machine that won’t break the bank, the Franklin Sports MLB pitching machine might just be the right one for you. Occasionally available for as little as $25, this little machine is a great helper for kids and teenagers seeking to improve their baseball skills. It is reliable, easy to use, safe, and inexpensive enough to not feel like a big investment that forces you to be committed to a sport even if you no longer enjoy it.
The Franklin Sports pitcher is completely mechanical, so it doesn’t require any batteries and it is very user-friendly. Simply choose the angle at which you prefer the balls to be pitched, load up to nine baseballs into the machine, step back, and practice! It delivers the balls at 7-second intervals, giving you time to analyze your previous hit and get ready for the next one. Also, a small red light on the front of the machine will inform you when the ball is coming, which is very helpful for beginner players.
The Franklin Sports pitching machine is not as versatile as most other machines on this list, but it does its one job remarkably well, especially if you consider the price tag. This is not the pitching machine for teams or advanced baseball players, but it is great for beginners and baseball enthusiasts.
Jugs Small Ball Pitching Machine
The Jugs Small Ball doesn’t offer the versatility of many other pitching machines on this list, but it’s a great all-rounder suitable for amateur to intermediate players looking to improve their hitting skills and develop better hand-eye coordination. It pitches small custom balls available for purchase separately. These balls are around half the size of a baseball and present a great practice opportunity for teams because they are harder to spot and hit than regular balls. Once you achieve mastery with small balls, there’s nothing to stop you from delivering great hits with baseballs or any other larger balls.
The pitching machine is optimized to deliver balls with normal pitching speed and from typical pitching height, but you can configure these settings manually if you like. Thanks to this versatility, you can take it slow with the smaller elusive balls at first and increase the pitching speed as your skills improve. It is lightweight and easy to transport or move around the field. Its robust construction makes sure that it is a safe and reliable option for younger players.
SKLZ Catapult Soft Toss Pitching Machine
Another budget-friendly option on our list, the SKLZ Catapult is a handy little pitching machine that can throw baseballs and practice balls in a number of sizes. It delivers the balls every 8 seconds, so you have some time to prepare after your previous hit. You can adjust the height of the machine and the speed of the pitch to fit your needs. The Catapult can be used by kids and adults, beginners and pros alike.
The SKLZ Catapult does require a power supply to work, so you can either plug it into an outlet or make use of its ability to function on battery power. It’s also very compact and lightweight, so you can easily take it with you to practice and move it around the field as much as you like. The machine holds eight balls at a time, so you don’t have to pick up the ball and put it back into the machine after every single pitch. As a nice bonus feature, the SKLZ Catapult can also throw tennis balls and the small practice balls used for the Jugs Small Ball machine above.
First Pitch Baseline Pitching Machine
First Pitch is known for making high-quality sports gear, and their Baseline pitching machine is no exception to the rule. Designed to be more convenient and accessible for the average player, the First Pitch Baseline cuts the price tag, yet delivers a great user experience.
This pitching machine can throw baseballs and softballs at up to 70 MPH, so it is probably going to be enough for all your practicing needs. You can configure the pitch height, angle, and speed to create the optimal practice pitches for you or your team members.
The robust build ensures that this machine very durable and reliable, and the reversible legs allow you to switch from baseball to softball mode quickly and easily. Parents and coaches of younger teams don’t need to worry about safety with the First Pitch Baseline because its electric motor is hidden away in the machine’s body and unable to cause any safety issues.
Heater Sports Baseball Pitching Machine
This pitching machine is a long-time favorite for many baseball players, so if you’re looking for something that has stood the test of time, this might be the machine for you. The pitching machine from Heater Sports works both with “real” baseballs made from leather and practice balls that are significantly lighter.
The use of practice balls is encouraged for beginner players and children because they are easier to play with and are less likely to cause damage if they hit someone or something at high speed. With this pitching machine, you can go on from a total newbie to a professional player and still keep using it due to its reliability and its ability to throw both types of balls.
The Heater Sports baseball pitching machine also has a convenient ball feeder for 12 balls. This means that you can practice your hits 12 times before you have to pick up the balls and put them back into the machine. It pitches the balls at 12-second intervals, so you’ll have enough time to concentrate on your next attempt.
You can adjust the height of the machine to practice different types of pitches, and you can also choose between 10 pitching speeds to accommodate your skill level. The machine requires a wall outlet or a generator to function, so bear that in mind if you need a particularly portable solution that’s independent of power sources.
Jugs Lite-Flite Pitching Machine
Jugs is a brand that takes its products very seriously, and that’s why you’re seeing multiple pitching machines from Jugs on our list. The Jugs Lite-Flite is a very efficient solution for beginner and advanced players thanks to its versatility and durable build.
The Lite-Flite pitching machine can throw multiple types of balls, including baseballs, softballs, and practice balls, but it is worth knowing that feeding any balls that weren’t produced by Jugs into this machine may end up damaging it. Consequently, it is a good idea to buy some Jugs balls to go with your new pitching machine if you go for the Lite-Flite.
Apart from the minor restriction with balls, the Jugs Lite-Flite gives you absolute freedom to practice your pitches. You can rotate and swivel the body of the machine around its base to simulate almost any type of pitch you could encounter in real life. The machine can even throw curveballs and sliders, so you’ll feel like you’re really out on the field with this one. It can also pitch the balls at a faster speed than any other machine on this list. You can set the balls coming at you at a whopping 85 MPH! Thus, the Jugs Lite-Flite is an ideal option for those who want to achieve proficiency in all aspects of their hitting game.
Jugs Softball Pitching Machine
The last entry on our list is a Jugs machine as well, and it is similar to the Lite-Flite in two key aspects: reliability and versatility. The swivel system is present on this machine, too, allowing you to simulate all kinds of pitches for different team members. Just like with the Lite-Flite, you don’t want to use regular softballs with this machine because they might damage it. However, if you feed it its “native” Jugs balls, this pitching machine will function for a very long time as it helps you become a better player.
A unique feature of this pitching machine is that it comes with a cart. This makes it noticeably heavier and less car-friendly than most other machines on this list, but it is very portable on the field. You can save yourself time and effort by simply rolling the pitching machine to the next spot on the playing field rather than having to carry it. Another nice bit of functionality allows you to configure its pitching speed precisely and see your current setting on a small dedicated display.