Best Pitching Machines for All Leagues

Review & Comparison, Last Update February 20, 2024
Whether you want to improve your baseball techniques or you just play it for fun, pitching machines can help enhance your training and improve your confidence and strength. With one of the pitching machines we've selected for you, you'll be able to schedule your exercises yourself and practice the game both alone and with your team. ...Read more ...Read less
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BEST 2024
PROS
CONS
OUR VERDICT
Type
Classification
Speed Range
Speed Adjustments
Construction
Types of Pitches Thrown
Warranty
 
PROS

Thanks to the thought-out construction, this pitching machine is easy to transport and set to play just about anywhere. Even though it is designed primarily for the Youth League, it can be used by more pro players for developing hitting skills and performing swing repetitions. 

CONS

The wheel motor tends to tear the coating of soft baseballs over time.

OUR VERDICT

The beauty about the Sports Attack pitching machine is that it can be adjusted to players of all ages and skills. While the option to adjust the distance from the machine to a batter allows for developing hitting skills and hand-eye coordination.

detailed parameters
Type

Wheeled

Classification

Youth League

Speed Range

70+ mph

Speed Adjustments

Adjustable speed of all three wheels

Construction

Portable

Types of Pitches Thrown

Special 7.5" diameter vision training ball 

Warranty

5-year limited warranty

PROS

Designed from premium-grade steel, the Jugs Lite-Flite can easily be considered a durable and robust pitching machine. When fed with softballs, its pitching speed can reach up to 85 mph, with the flight distance reaching 25 feet.

CONS

Automatic feeder and an in-line switch are sold separately.

OUR VERDICT

With a full range of movements adjustable to all types of pitches, this Jugs Lite-Flite machine can become a perfect choice both for kids who only started to play baseball and for more experienced players wishing to hone their skills.

detailed parameters
Type

Wheeled

Classification

Newcomers and Youth League

Speed Range

15 - 85 mph

Speed Adjustments

Adjustable speed of the wheel

Construction

Portable

Types of Pitches Thrown

Baseball and Softball

Warranty

2-year warranty

PROS

It's very lightweight, easy to move and adjust and it doesn't require electricity. All you need is to adjust the string tension with a lever. 

CONS

Assembling may take some time.

OUR VERDICT

The Louisville Slugger UPM 45 is an ideal piece of equipment for novice players who need to work on timing and learn different batting techniques. 

detailed parameters
Type

Arm-action

Classification

Newcomers

Speed Range

18 - 45 mph - baseball
60 mph - Softball

Speed Adjustments

Pitching height, angle, direction, speed

Construction

Portable

Types of Pitches Thrown

Baseball and Softball

Warranty

60-day warranty

PROS

As compared to the rest of the pitching machines on this list, this one boasts the biggest capacity. Once loaded, you won't need to come up to it until all 25 balls are thrown. 

CONS

Suitable for honing batting techniques only. 

OUR VERDICT

This is a great pitching machine for use outdoors. Rechargeable, portable and compatible with almost all ball types possible, it can become a perfect coach for any novice and player from the Youth League. 

detailed parameters
Type

Wheeled

Classification

Newcomers and Youth League

Speed Range

N/A

Speed Adjustments

Pitching height, frequency, direction

Construction

Portable

Types of Pitches Thrown

Baseballs or Softballs, as well as Tennis, Whiffle, and Dimple Balls

Warranty

5-year warranty on machine (2-year warranty on the battery)

PROS

Features an in-line switch and auto feeder, which simplifies its use. 

CONS

The package includes only three balls. 

OUR VERDICT

With this pitching machine, anyone will be able to quickly overcome their fears and get ready for playing baseball live. The machine simulates live delivery height and allows players to adjust the speed of balls release so that they could develop the skill of focus and master their hitting skills.

detailed parameters
Type

Arm-action

Classification

Youth League

Speed Range

Up to 75 mph

Speed Adjustments

Manual or automatic feed 

Construction

Portable

Types of Pitches Thrown

Polyurethane-foam 5-in / 0.5-oz Small-Ball 

Warranty

1-year warranty

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Sports Attack Junior Hack Attack

Reach New Heights in Baseball

On their pass to success in any kind of sports, people often exhaust themselves by intense workouts and daily training. Baseball hasn't become an exception. Like all kinds of sports, it requires regular exercises. And it also requires that you play it not alone. To make it easier for both novice and professional sportsmen to practice more often and with more comfort, Sports Attack company has offered their solution - the Junior Hack Attack Baseball Pitching Machine - a machine that can help enhance both batter and catcher skills and teach to react well to a variety of pitches, including swings. The pitching speed this machine can reach makes up to 70 mph, which should be enough not only for novices but also for more experienced players. And it uses all types of balls that have the size of 7.5" and smaller. Such great specs along with multiple adjustable options make the Junior Hack Attack Baseball Pitching Machine a winning solution.

Review of Sports Attack Junior Hack Attack Baseball Pitching Machine

Mobile and Portable

The Junior Hack Attack baseball pitching machine is a clever solution not only in terms of its capabilities but also in terms of its construction. With this machine, you will not be limited in options as to where to go practice playing baseball. Once you remove two supports, the whole machine will fold almost flat and you will be able to carry it with your hands or wheel anywhere you need. When fully disassembled, the Junior Hack Attack baseball machine doesn't take up much space and may fit even in a small trunk of the Mini Cooper. So if you seek mobility and portability, you will hardly find a better machine. Backed up with a 5-year warranty, it guarantees durability and long-term use.

Sports Attack Junior Hack Attack Baseball Pitching Machine in the use

The Gear Your May Need

Every batter knows if you have a good baseball bat, half the battle is won. Make sure yours isn't worn out and fit for the game. If it isn't, look through these five best bats and upgrade your old one.

Detailed review of Sports Attack Junior Hack Attack Baseball Pitching Machine

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $2,199.00
Stock In stock
ASIN B0058QNZWG

 

Jugs Lite-Flite Machine

A Pitching Machine that Suits All Leagues

The JUGS Lite-Flite Machine is that type of pitching machines that suits perfectly users of all ages and of all skills. The option to adjust the angle of pitching enables even very young baseball players to try catching balls flying towards them. Even though the JUGS Lite-Flite Machine won't let you use real baseballs, it accepts both classic baseballs and softballs (Lite-Flite or Bulldog polyballs produced by JUGS). Being adjustable for all types of pitches and sliders the JUGS Lite-Flite Machine is one of the best as of yet machines for practicing managing curveballs and swings. All instructions and guides on the machine's setup and adjustments are inscribed on its housing.

Review of Jugs Lite-Flite Machine for Baseball and Softball

Power It As You Like

Lightweight and flexible design of the JUGS Lite-Flite Machine allows its setup almost anywhere. It can be powered in three different ways - with batteries, Portable Generator-2000, and an outlet (110V), and this means, you're totally free to choose where to play baseball, outdoors or indoors. The slight drawback of this pitch machine is that it can hold only one ball at a time and that it doesn't have an in-line switch function. However, since all these additional things can be purchased separately, we don't consider it as a deal-breaker.

Jugs Lite-Flite Machine for Baseball and Softball in the use

A Little Bit of History

Contrary to a common belief that baseball was created by one man, it has actually emerged in a result of fusing several games that used bats and balls. The chronicles tell us that the first baseball championship took place back in 1930, but the name of the winner, unfortunately, is unknown. What's hard to believe, though, is that the game that we all know now as one of the Olympic sports used to be not so popular years ago.

Detailed review of Jugs Lite-Flite Machine for Baseball and Softball

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $510.87
Stock In stock
ASIN B001CF4Y7M

 

Louisville Slugger UPM 45

Genius Lies in Simplicity

This lightweight and portable pitching machine by Louisville won't make you regret spending money. You will be totally pleased with its simplicity of use, flexibility, and mobility. The thing about this pitch machine is that it can be adjusted to suit players of different skill levels and ages. Its pitch speed may vary from 18 to 45 miles per hour if you feed it with classical baseballs and can reach a maximum 60 miles per hour if you use softballs. What we like about this pitching machine, in particular, is that it doesn't require electricity. You will only need to adjust its spring tension and the machine will throw pitches in the direction you need.

Review of Louisville Slugger UPM 45 Pitching Machine

Affordable and Durable

The Lousville Slugger UPM 45 is an affordable yet durable and reliable pitching machine. Made of solid metal and fitted with a rigid spring, it will serve you years. Despite the metal design, the weight of the Lousville Slugger UPM 45 is surprisingly small, making 25 lbs only, which means moving it outside whenever the weather's fine isn't going to be a problem.

Louisville Slugger UPM 45 Pitching Machine in the use

Unusual Design Solution

In the later years of the Second World War, the Office of Strategic Services developed a grenade that was meant to look and be thrown as a traditional baseball. Designers believed that by developing grenades of a spheric shape they helped American soldiers who were accustomed to playing baseball from the childhood throw them more accurately.

Detailed review of Louisville Slugger UPM 45 Pitching Machine
Last updated price $171.04
Stock In stock
ASIN B000VZ2Q5G

 

Athlonic Automatic Baseball Pitching Machine

Fully Automatic

For all those consumers wishing to find a professional coach to hone their hitting skills away from the crowded batting cages, Athlonic manufacturing team offers their fully automatic solution, which not only can substitute for a coaching partner but is also able to teach you many new techniques necessary for playing baseball live. Besides full automatization, the advantages of the Wheeler Dealer pitching machine include a rechargeable battery, the power of which is enough for over 12 hours of play, a solid construction of heavy-duty plastic and steel, the capacity of 27 balls at a time, and that it works with baseballs of all types and sizes, including those designed for other games.

Review of Athlonic Automatic Baseball Pitching Machine

Convenient for Transportation

It's not only the lightweight construction that stands the Wheeler Dealer as one of the best pitching machines on the market; customers love it for its hassle-free assembly/disassembly, too. Hence, if you've been looking for a piece of equipment that you could transport here and there, look no further, as you won't find a better offer than this Athlonic pitching machine. Aside from the convenience of transportation, the Wheeler Dealer offers ease of use. At the bottom of the machine, there is one "On/Off" button and two knobs for adjusting the height and the speed of pitches, which makes it an appropriate machine both for novice baseball players and for experienced hitters. As we've said, the Wheeler Dealer is a rechargeable machine and so it comes with a battery charger. Both the charger and the machine itself are covered with a manufacturer's 5-year warranty.

Athlonic Automatic Baseball Pitching Machine in the use

Friend or Foe

Believe it or not, in the years of World War II American troops often relied on their knowledge of baseball to be able to tell whether they were talking to a genuine American soldier or a German spy in a uniform of the USA army. 

Detailed review of Athlonic Automatic Baseball Pitching Machine

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $0.00
Stock May be out of stock
ASIN B00Y39NINK

 

Jugs Small-Ball

Successful Blend of Specs and Functionality

The Jugs Small-Ball is perfect for all types of exercises, thanks to its successful blend of great tech specs and useful features. See for yourself. This pitching machine is easily one of the smallest and compact units on sale, and yet, its pitching speed reaches immense 75 miles per hour, which now makes it not that "smallish" on a bigger scale. And it can also hold up to 25 of 5-inch balls of polyurethane foam at a time, making it possible for players to train without a coach. The Jugs Small-Ball features a handy game control, where players can switch from classic baseball to softball (and another way round) and program it to either toss balls automatically or switch it to a manual mode if coaching a team.

Review of Jugs Small-Ball Pitching Machine

Attention to Details

The maintenance of the Jugs Small-Ball machine is as simple as anything. Despite being made of steel and high-impact plastic, the machine's transportation is a breeze, as its actual weight is slightly bigger than 23 lbs. And thanks to the option to alternate power sources - the grid and a generator (1000-watt Yamaha EF1000iS) - it's now become possible to play baseball anywhere players wish. The Jugs Small-Ball machine allows for adjusting the pitching height and the direction in which it will throw baseballs. The only drawback that we could find about this machine is that it doesn't rotate full 360 degrees. However, if you don't think you (or your kids or team) will need that much, you will surely not regret buying this pitch machine.

Jugs Small-Ball Pitching Machine in the use

Interesting Fact

Jim Abbott who was born with one hand has built himself an 11-year baseball career as a pitcher in MLB.

Detailed review of Jugs Small-Ball Pitching Machine

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $285.37
Stock In stock
ASIN B001CEZJT0

 

What Is a Pitching Machine?

A pitching machine is a perfect tool for you to practice and enhance your baseball skills. It eliminates the need for a partner and lets you fully concentrate on the exercises. Besides, this machine is able to adopt different techniques of pitching balls, allowing you to master your skills and become a versatile and experienced baseball player, acquainted to pitchers of different styles. Since pitching is performed totally by the mechanism and the pitch speed is adjustable, players can learn many new techniques, improve their speed and reaction, enhance their strategic thinking skills, and become much more proficient in the game.

Most likely than not, seeing you've come here in need of a pitching machine, you've already got baseball gloves. If not, however, we can offer you to choose a suitable pair of gloves from this selection of products described and analyzed for your review. While baseball bats review may help those wishing to replace their old equipment.

What Features to Compare

Pitching Machine Styles

Typically, all pitching machines can be classified into two main styles: armed and wheeled, with each having its own advantages and disadvantages. If you're a real fan of baseball and play it in professional batting cases all the time, then your best option would be to purchase an armed machine, which usually offers immense power and velocity and is able to pitch balls over a larger distance giving the player a chance to work on timing. Wheeled pitching machines, on the contrary, are more versatile. They are smaller, more compact and mobile than armed models. They don't require electricity, either, and can be set up outdoors.

Classification

You should also consider what league a pitching machine is designed for and how fast it's capable of throwing balls. The best pitch for beginners is the one that can throw balls at the speed of around 10 mph. For Youth League, the pitch speed should reach 60 mph, while if the player has already joined the High School, College or Pro League, the machine should be able to hurl balls at 90 mph and higher. We'd also recommend you to check what ball types the chosen pitch accepts. Most pitching machines are designed to work with practice baseballs and softballs. Having said that, there are also pitching machines that will let you use real baseballs.

Features

What else you should definitely pay attention to is how well the pitch adjusts to your needs. The best models allow adjusting the speed and angles of pitches, as well as help develop not only hitting skills but also defensive. If you are often challenged to find a partner to play baseball, a remotely-controlled auto-feeder would be another of the things to look for. A number of balls that a pitch can hold at a time is also important and crucial to playing the game with maximum convenience.

Sources:

1. Baseball& Softball Pitching Machines Buying Guide, eBay. March 10, 2016.

2. Pitching Machine For Softball Team, DonorsChoose.

3. Baseball, Wikipedia.

4. Pitching Machine, Wikipedia.

5. Pitching Machine Buying Guide, eBay. March 10, 2016.

6. How to Pitch a Baseball, wikiHow.

7. 2 Baseball Pitching Drills for Better Accuracy, Active.

8. Jon Doyle 5 Batting Practice Tips, Active.

9. Brian Smith The 4 Fundamentals of Hitting a Baseball, Stack. March 29, 2017.

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Publish Date: 2017-09-07 09:31:18