MLB Rumors: Anti-Sign Stealing Device Comes To MLB

 

ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that major league baseball is going to approve an "anti-sign stealing" device to be worn by pitchers and catchers this season. 

The new technology is called PitchCom, and it's a wristband worn on the glove hand, with a touchpad that allows the catcher to signal pitches — both pitch type and location — directly to the pitcher through a listening device in their ear. 

Olney reports that New York Yankees pitcher Luis Severino and catcher Kyle Higashioka used PitchCom in a game Saturday. And they were thrilled with it:

"I think it was great," Severino told reporters. "I was a little doubtful at the beginning, but when we started using it, it was really good -- with a man on second, too. I would definitely like to use it in my first start [of the regular season]. ... You know what pitch you're going to throw right away."

Players and executives around baseball believe the new technology could help in speeding up games, along with preventing sign-stealing tactics.

Bob Nightingale of USA Today reports that up to 15 teams could be using the device this season.

Sign-stealing, of course, has been the scourge of baseball in recent years, culminating with the 2017 Houston Astros cheating scandal that rocked the sport, and now according to one of their own players from that season, has "tainted" their World Series win. 

Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports