Major League Baseball pitchers and catchers are testing an audio communication system in spring training that could speed up games and prevent sign stealing as soon as this season.
The Mets are one team that recently tested the system in which the catcher calls pitches by pressing buttons on a wristband that produce audio tones in the pitcher’s hat. Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said he was impressed with how well the system worked in a test run Friday, especially in cutting dead time between pitches.
“I’m all for anything that allows the pitcher to create better rhythm and tempo, and this system does that,” Hefner said. “As soon as the pitcher gets his 6–3 [groundout], the catcher can be calling the next pitch. And the system allows the catcher to call location, not just the pitch type.
