New high school baseball rule will allow coaches to use electronic device

High School Baseball Booster Clubs Soon To Receive Request From Coaches: Can You Give Us $1,200 For A Walkie-Talkie And Earbud For The 2024 Season?

The National Federation of State High School Assns. The Baseball Rules Committee has approved the use of a one-way communication device between a coach in the dugout and the team’s catcher for calling pitches during the 2024 season.

“We have everything we need to do it,” said San Juan Capistrano JSerra’s Brett Kay, coach of the two-time Southern Section Division 1 defending champion.

Kay used a walkie-talkie and earpiece for the catcher at the Fall, Winter, and Summer Balls.

“It speeds up the game by about 22 minutes,” he said. “It’s a great change of pace for high school baseball.”

Coaches have relied on signals to the catcher, which then communicate with another signal to the pitcher. Using an electronic device, trainers can also instruct the catcher to go to the mound to prevent the trainer’s visit to the mound, or to request a pick-up attempt.

College and professional teams use electronic communication devices to speed up the game. A coach presses a button on an app and the catcher and thrower receive the information instantly while wearing a device. This could one day be used at the high school level as well. The currently most popular system is manufactured by PitchCom.

The earpiece worn by catchers to communicate with the coach during high school baseball games.

(Brett Kay)

Like teams trying to figure out signs, can they recognize electronic communications?

“I’m sure someone out there can do radio frequency measurements,” Kay said.

Trainers who haven’t practiced with it before will need to get used to the walkie-talkie and earpiece system, Kay said.

“Honestly, for people who love signing, it takes a while to get used to it,” Kay said.

And then there is the money needed to buy the equipment.

Let the fundraising begin.