It’s great that you are supporting your child in building his baseball career, but there is more to it than just emotional support.
If you want to make sure that your child will be the best on the sport that he is pursuing, getting the best pitching machines for youth baseball is the right choice.
You are not always there to pitch for him and you are not always present physically to help him train so getting a pitching machine would fill the gap and help him improve.
However, you need to look for the best because this is not cheap equipment. Here are some of the top pitching machines that you can buy for your kids.
Top 5 Best Pitching Machines
1. Louisville Slugger Triple Flame Pitching Machine
The Louisville Slugger Triple Flame Pitching Machine might look very plain when you look at it, but this pitching machine is one of the best in the market, especially if you plan to do different drills for your kids.
It is considered as the ultimate pitching machine because it can do a lot of things for a price that you can afford.
The Louisville Slugger Triple Flame Pitching Machine can throw almost all types of balls like hard balls, dimple balls, softballs and even volleyballs with a speed of 18 to 45 miles per hour.
The best thing about this is that the speed controls are easy to adjust so you can set the speed depending on the ability of your children to pitch and work from there.
For balls that are made from plastic, this pitching machine can throw them up to 60 miles per hour and the softballs would be pitched with a 12-inch arc.
It can also throw a level pitch if you want your child to learn proper swing techniques. It is also very accurate when throwing strikes, grounders and even flies balls.
It can be operated manually and there are no batteries required. You don’t need electricity as well. You can easily move it since it only has a weight of less than 25lbs.
2. Franklin Sports Baseball Pitching Machine
The Franklin Sports Baseball Pitching Machine may look like a toy for some people, but it is actually one of the best in the market when it comes to pitching machines.
For every baseball fan, this is the best pitching machine that you can ever find because it is very easy to use. You just have to load the balls and ready yourself for the pitch.
All you need is a bot and a glove as well as a room where you can play. The Franklin Sports Baseball Pitching Machine allows you to adjust the angles and you can practice hitting fast pitches or soft tosses.
You can also adjust the angle if you want to practice pop flies or ground balls. This pitching machine comes with six compatible plastic balls that you can place on the ball feeder.
It can hold up to 9 balls and it will pitch the balls every seven seconds. This pitching machine also requires battery so you need to buy them if you want to use it.
It is a basic pitching machine for kids that are still learning the ways of baseball. This is not made to train more advanced techniques so make sure that you check it first before buying.
3. Jugs BP1 Baseball/Softball Combo Pitching Machine
Many of you are probably not looking at the price tag of the pitching machines. If you have the money and you want to use the best pitching machine that the industry has to offer, the Jugs BP1 Baseball/Softball Combo Pitching Machine.
It is very expensive, but the features are definitely at the top so it is popular for those who are really serious about baseball.
The Jugs BP1 Baseball/Softball Combo Pitching Machine has the ability to throw balls from 15 to 70 miles per hour.
With this kind of range, it is not only a good pitching machine for kids and teens because even older people can benefit from it.
One of the best reasons to buy this is that the machine can be swiveled 360 degrees. It means that aside from hitting practice, this pitching machine can be used to launch different pitches like ground balls, fly balls, pop-ups, and more.
This is compatible with softballs and baseballs. This pitching machine is electric-operated which means that you need to plug it to use it.
If you want to bring it outside with you, you can also get a battery pack offered by Jugs so you can use it anywhere you want. The battery can last for four hours straight and it doesn’t produce any noise.
4. BSN Bulldog Baseball/Softball Pitching Machine
The BSN Bulldog Baseball/Softball Pitching Machine looks sharp and professional when you look at it and it is definitely a great pitching machine. It is not too expensive and the basic features that your child needs are all there.
If you want to train your children to play baseball, but you don’t have the time, this is the best choice for you. This machine is capable of throwing balls from 30 to 60 miles per hour.
This is pretty good if your kid is still a newbie in baseball or he already knows how to play. The settings were converted from softball to baseball and it features durable wheels so you can move it with ease.
The pitch speed was already set by the manufacturer to help with different kinds of pitches. It is a pretty good choice if you want your child to familiarize himself with different pitches.
It is very portable and it comes with different speed settings. This is applicable for professionals and those who are still learning how to play.
Compared with other pitching machines, this is pretty affordable so it is a great investment for your children.
5. Franklin Sports MLB Electronic Baseball Pitching Machine
We have another Franklin pitching machine on the list and it is considered as one of the cheapest alternatives available right now.
If you are on a tight budget and you are looking for a pitching machine that can help your children practice baseball, this particular model is the best alternative that you can get for a good price.
The Franklin Sports MLB Electronic Baseball Pitching Machine has a seven-second interval every pitch so it is a good choice if you want to encourage them to practice their batting techniques.
The seven-second interval is to allow the kids to adjust and to improve their precision and accuracy when playing on an actual game.
This machine also has a red indicator light before the ball pitches so your kids can prepare their stance even before the ball is released from the pitching machine.
They won’t be surprised when the ball pitches and it can also prevent possible injuries if they did not see the ball coming. This pitching machine has a height adjustment feature so it is great for young athletes.
Buying Guide
Pitching machines are very expensive and the cheaper ones are not really on par when it comes to features and durability. This is the reason why you have to know what to look for in a pitching machine.
You will waste a lot of money if you won’t actually pay attention to what you are buying. Your pitching machine will be a form of investment, especially for your kids who are still learning how to play baseball.
If you want to invest in their future, here are some of the things that you should consider before you buy a pitching machine for youth baseball.
Lifespan and Durability
When you are looking for a pitching machine, you have to make sure that it would last for a long time. It is a long-term investment so you don’t want something that would break easily.
Most of the pitching machines right now can last from a year or two up to 10 years. It has different components like wheels, springs, gears, and more that can wear out while you are using it. If you buy a cheap product, they would break easily so you need to be very careful.
Most of the cheap products have the same features with expensive brands, but when it comes to durability and lifespan, they are completely different.
In general, the more expensive the models, the better its durability would be. More expensive models also have a longer warranty that will help you if you need to repair or replace damaged parts.
Different Types of Pitches
When looking for a pitching machine, you should always look for something that can perform different types of pitches. You have to remember that the goal of a pitching machine is to help your kids learn how to hit the balls.
If the pitching machines can only make a basic throw, how can they learn anything? The basic pitching machines are usually focusing on one pitch – classic fastball.
This is a basic and straight pitch, which is something that a machine can easily replicate. However, what would happen once your child managed to hit the ball from this kind of throw almost every time?
The speed of the pitch is not really a big problem because you can always adjust the speed, but you need a machine that is capable of making different kinds of pitches as it is the hardest to replicate.
Even if you are not a professional baseball player or you don’t know anything about it, the pitching machine can handle everything for you.
Power Options
There are pitching machines that run without any energy. They are usually manually operated so they are cheaper. There are also machines that would require an energy supply to run the motor.
There are two types of power options that you should think about: cordless and corded options. For the corded pitching machine, the machine should be plugged into an outlet.
The cordless option, on the other hand, will rely solely on batteries. The main benefit of corded machines is that they will unlimited power as long as they are plugged into the outlet.
The only problem is that you will need the pitching machine to be very close to the outlet and you cannot bring it to a place without any power source.
You will need to produce a long extension cord if you want to take it to a place further from the power source. As for pitching machines that are powered by batteries, they are more convenient to use and very portable.
Since they already have a power source inside, you don’t need to plug them into an outlet. The only problem is that the battery life is very limited. Once the battery runs out, you won’t be able to use it unless you have a spare battery with you.
If you are only using it inside the house or a specific training room, a corded pitching machine would be a good idea. If you plan to bring the pitching machine with you for practice, it is better to get a cordless pitching machine.
Conclusion
If you don’t mind spending a lot of money for a pitching machine, the Jugs BP1 Baseball/Softball Combo Pitching Machine is definitely the best choice. It is very expensive so you can expect that the durability and lifespan are definitely the best.
The features are also amazing since this type of pitching machine is not only made for youths and kids, but also for professional baseball players.
If you are on a tight budget and you want something that can help you train your kids, the Franklin Sports MLB Electronic Baseball Pitching Machine might be the one that you are looking for. It is definitely the best pitching machine if you are after affordability.
Although the features and durability are not the same with the Jugs BP1 Baseball/Softball Combo Pitching Machine, this is a popular choice for parents who want to train their children.
