Are you ready to up your baseball game? Do you want to improve your batting average and level up your skills? We think we have what you’re looking for.
Baseball is an intense game, and there’s no limit to how much you can improve by practicing the right techniques. Here come baseball aids – ranging from practice balls, batting trainers, pitching nets, and more! What are they here for? To increase different kinds of parameters from your swing technique, catching prowess, hand-eye coordination, and much more. These kinds of tools are designed to help you get better and play better – provided you bring the dedication and the mindset that you need to improve, of course.
These tools will help you achieve your goals, batting and catching averages, and eventually win more games. They might even help you snag some trophies if you play your cards right!
This article is designed to bring you through some of the training tools that we think will help you improve your game and get you to higher baseball proficiencies. We’ll also take a look at how these can help you and your team start hitting those home runs and slide on to home plate. So let’s get cracking!
Baseball Training Aids For 2021 (Training Aids And Swing Trainers)
1. MacGregor Training Glove
The MacGregor Training Glove is a light, durable, and comfortable pancake glove that works for training your outfielders and infielders. Because of its construction, it’ll help teach fielding techniques for longer with less fatigue. You may wonder, “how does it work?” Simply put, it gives players the opportunity to develop glove-to-throw techniques quicker due to not having the complexity and bulk of a regular glove. With this training tool, your fielders will be transitioning from catching to throwing faster and faster. Made from genuine leather and more durable than foam gloves of the same make, you can expect this tool to last long and be helping you for times to come.
At a glance
- Type of tool: Practice glove
- Perfect for: fielding practice, catch-to-throw transitions
- Features: Flat, pancake design; Durable leather, comfortable build, near-perfect review scores
2. SKLZ Impact Training Balls
The SKLZ Impact Training Balls aren’t your ordinary training balls. These balls are here to give you instant feedback when hitting so your hitters can focus on fine-tuning their swing control and power. The other great thing about this ball is how durable it is. They can take a real beating with customers, often saying that they are surprised at how long they last despite consistent practice with this ball.
Though heavier than actual balls, this works in its favor as strong hits do not launch these balls too far, so you can retrieve them easily for less downtime spent on having to retrieve balls like crazy. Due to their low flight time, they can also be used in a reasonably large space for indoor practice. If you are looking for a durable set of practice balls that will stand the test of thousands of hits, these are the training balls for you
At a glance
- Type of Tool: Practice Ball
- Perfect for: Batting and pitching practice
- Features: Extreme durability, limited flight arc, and multipurpose practice
3. Tanner Tee Batting Trainer
The Tanner Tee Batting Trainer is a fantastic tee used by professional and amateur baseball players alike. The Tanner Tee boasts a patented, hand-rolled rubber tee that provides unprecedented feel and accuracy while hitting. The special way it is rolled allows you to feel the ball, not the tee, when hitting balls, allowing for higher accuracy and a lower chance of injury while using this item.
This also has a telescoping mechanism that comes built-in, extending anywhere from 26” to 43”, catering to players of all heights. This even comes with a one-year warranty, especially for teams using this for regular, heavy-hitting practice. This item is arguably one of the best pro and best youth training aids for hitting balls.
At a glance
- Type of Tool: Tee Batting Trainer
- Perfect for: Batting Practices
- Features: Durability, rubber tee for greater accuracy and feel, telescoping mechanism, easy to transport, and one year warranty
4. Bushnell Velocity Speed Gun
Were you thinking about increasing your pitching prowess? Look no further than the Bushnell Velocity Speed Gun to help you get there. This speed gun has an accuracy of +/- 1.0 mph when it comes to capturing speeds and will help you improve your pitching form to achieve those blazing pitches. Its proprietary technology allows you or your coach to capture pitch speeds from up to 90 feet away!
It also sports an easy point-and-shoot mechanism and a large LCD so you can be sure what your final speed is. The Bushnell Velocity Speed gun can detect a wide range of speeds ranging from 10 – 110 mph. With help from this device, you’ll be improving your pitch stance and technique in no time!
At a glance
- Type of Tool: Speed Gun
- Perfect for: Pitching practice and technique refinement
- Features: High accuracy (+/- 1.0 mph), Point-and-shoot mechanism, large LCD, 90-foot range, a wide range of speeds (10 – 110 mph)
5. Accubat Pro Model
If you aren’t proficient with a fungo bat, want to preserve your shoulder, and still help your fielders practice catching pop-ups, fly balls, and searing grounders, then this item might be for you. The Accubat Pro racket is a tool for instructors and coaches all around.
It is a special racket that allows you to swat the baseball (or softball) to simulate the striking of a fungo bat. This allows you to lob or toss balls of all kinds accurately and precisely without having to undergo the lengthy process of getting proficient with a fungo bat. With an anti-fatigue design, lifetime warranty, and ease of use, the Accubat Pro is slated to be one of your next baseball training tools.
At a glance:
- Type of Tool: Fungo Bat Racquet
- Perfect for: Coaches, Parents, and Fielders
- Features: Ergonomic design, easy operation, non-slip grip, lifetime warranty
6. Rawlings Baseball Resistance Bands
Skills and techniques are important parts of learning baseball, and there are tools that help you develop those parameters for your baseball game. However, an often overlooked part of training is the strength and conditioning ends. Rawlings created their Baseball resistance band to combat that weakness.
Not only does this help improve proper pitching technique, but it also provides strength training for the upper body. This item provides excellent benefits for players of all calibers and Is sure to help. All you need is a solid surface and your own body for a good workout
At a glance
- Type of Tool: Conditioning tool and Pitching accessory
- Perfect for: Players of all types
- Features: Rawlings quality, durable plastic composite construction, ease of use
7. LineDrive Pro Swing Trainer
One of the most important skills to learn as a batter is your swing technique. If you or a player you know has difficulty with placing their hits properly, then this might be the training tool for you. The LineDrive Pro Swing trainer is an apparatus that you stick onto your bat.
Place the ball in the designated slot, and when you swing, the ball will fly off at the point that you would have struck the ball. If the swing technique is right, then the ball will fly straight off the middle. However, if the batter drags the bat or doesn’t swing through the ball, then the ball will fly off in other directions
This swing trainer is meant to help your batters visually see the effects of their swing and correct themselves accordingly. While it may take a while, you will eventually see your batters improve as their muscle memory of the correct swing is ingrained into their body.
This will help your players develop exceptional ball placement and swing mechanics. This is especially geared to players who have more experience and are looking to improve their technical skills. Eventually, these players will pick the ball placements on the field and the fly.
At a glance
- Type: Bat attachment with ball
- Perfect for: Batters, contact, and power hitters
- Features: Easy to use, requires no pitching, portable,
8. Blast Baseball Swing Analyzer
The previously mentioned training tools seem to make you able to swing the bat a lot more, but what about having somebody to watch you and correct your swing? While you may be swinging plenty but not having it analyzed, you may be developing bad habits that will carry on to your games.
While we don’t have a portable coach to check out your stance and swing technique, we’ve got the next best thing. We introduce you to the Blast Baseball Swing Analyzer.
The Blast Baseball Swing Analyzer is the number one swing analyzer in the market today. It gives you things like swing quality metrics, swing visualization, mobile video analysis, and even simulated ball spray pattern depending on your swing. Not only does it analyze your swing, but it also gives you drills and training courses to help level up your skills faster. It even allows you to have your swings checked by coaches of all different levels
This baseball analyzer attaches to your bat and requires an app to analyze the video of your swing. However, a caveat has to be noted. To access all of the features of the Blast Swing Analyzer, you get a 30-day free trial. After this trial, you must pay a monthly subscription fee to access all the features attached to the analyzer.
At a glance
- Type: Swing Analyzer
- Perfect for: Coaches, parents, and batters
- Features: Swing Quality Metrics, Swing Visualization, Video analysis, Drills and Training courses, Expert coach opinion, monthly subscription
9. JUGS PS50 Pitching Machine
While there are loads of fancy tools to help your batters improve their swing quality, hand-eye coordination, bat placement, and the like, there’s nothing that beats flat out having to deal with real pitches and real bat-to-ball contact. If you need loads and loads of pitches to better your swing, there’s nothing like a good old pitching machine to do it for you. Not only does it consistently deliver the balls you need, where you need it, but it also saves a parent or coach their pitching arm!
We introduce the JUGS PS50 Pitching machine to you, one of the best introductory pitching machines out there in the market today. This machine can pitch up to 50 mph and deliver consistent pitches every single time. Not only can it pitch baseballs, but it can also simulate the softball slowpitch lob. It has a digital readout display and has an adjustable height to suit players of all types.
Having a pitching machine will enable you to get better at pitching simply through experience. You’ll have to be hitting ball after ball, making adjustments to your swing on the fly, and having to work on your hand-eye coordination seeing the ball and striking at it.
At a glance
- Type: Pitching Machine
- Perfect for: Coaches, parents, batters, catchers, baseball players, softball players
- Features: Pitching speeds up to 50 mph, throws softballs and baseballs, adjustable height, “always see the ball” feeding system,
10. PowerNet 5×5 Practice Net Bundle
Sometimes you’ll want to train both your batters and your pitchers at once, and you’ll need a good way to catch the balls that are pitched, especially if you don’t have a catcher. Well, we’ve got the tools for you. The Powernet Practice bundle comes with a training net with a built-in strike zone indicator that will help your pitchers hone in on that box instead of wildly pitching and get free walks.
It also comes with a weighted practice ball. The net is easy to set up and easy to secure, meaning your pitchers don’t have to worry about dislodging the net while throwing ball after ball into it.
Not only is it easy to set up, but it’s also super portable and able to be folded down and placed anywhere you need it to be, making this an ideal tool for on-the-go teams. This net is perfect for batting, pitching, and fielding practice. It’s even endorsed by pro players such as Gorkys Hernandez, German Marquez, Danielle O’Toole.
Next, we’re going to discuss what exactly are training aids and how to pick the best kind of training aid for the player that you’re training
What Are Training Aids?
Training aids are tools and pieces of equipment that are designed with the goal in mind to improve a player’s game performance. There are all sorts of different training aids around the baseball market, and there are tools designed for every kind of position. This, of course, means options for infield and outfield players, pitchers, hitters, catchers, and even coaches and umpires to aid their team into being the best they can be.
The different kinds of Training aids are as follows:
- Batting trainers – Being designed for batters, you’re most likely going to find machines and training aids that include hitting the ball or improving the technique of the player’s swing. Training aids under this category may include pitching machines and training tees.
- Baseball nets – Baseball nets have a two-fold strategy for improving the techniques and forms of your players. Pitchers can throw as many balls as they want without fear, allowing them to improve their pitches. Some nets even have square strike zones added to them to improve pitch accuracy for your players. They also allow batters to hit balls into them, so they don’t have to worry about having to retrieve the balls after any strong or wild hits
- Practice gloves – Practice gloves are often flatter than your usual baseball glove. They’re made to help fielders catch all kinds of pop-ups, fly balls, and grounders while improving their catch-to-throw speed. The faster your fielders can get the ball from their glove to a pass, the easier it will be for your team to get those crucial outs.
- Training balls – Training balls come in all shapes and sizes and may even have holes in them. These training balls are meant to help players adapt to different kinds of in-game situations. They also are useful for training hand-eye coordination if the ball is smaller than a regulation ball, forcing players to focus on their batting accuracy
- Fungo bats – Fungo bats are special bats that are lighter and thinner than regular bats. These bats are designed for coaches and trainers to hit balls for their fielders to catch. In the hands of a skilled user, fungo bats can replicate all kinds of balls that your fielders will have to react to win games. However, fungo bats do take practice to use, so you may want to look at tools that can also replicate fungo bat work.
- Conditioning tools – As mentioned earlier, technique and skill are important to develop, but focusing all on these two creates an imbalanced player that is not as effective as it should be. Condition tools are usually stretch bands or devices that create resistance to help strengthen the muscles of players and improve their overall form
- Additional Accessories – Additional accessories such as analyzers, speed guns, and specialized training tools aim to improve a very specific parameter and are helpful for players who have a specific weakness that they would like to improve upon.
All in all, these training tools will improve the game of your players in some way or form so long as they bring the dedication and their A-game to each practice session.
What Are Baseball Swing Trainers?
Batting does not just have a physical aspect to it but also has a large mental aspect attached to it as well. Players need to be in the right mindset for it. Otherwise, they can hit strikeout slumps. These slumps can last for days and even weeks. Eventually, though, something may “click,” and their swing comes back around in full force. The physical half of batting is, of course, the physical act of actually swinging with good form and technique
The swing of players can only develop through dedication to practice and focus. Ultimately, the best way of practicing is with a live pitcher. Live pitching will always be closer to the real games that a player will face, with an assortment of pitches that they will have to deal with, like straights, curveballs, splitters, and even knuckleballs. Of course, they won’t always have a live pitcher to help them practice, and that’s what swing trainers are for.
A player’s swing develops only through dedicated practice and focus. There’s nothing like practicing with a live pitcher, but players can’t always have someone else to practice with. There are numerous devices out there called baseball swing trainers to help with this.
It’s the independent practice time that requires extra tools for players to hone their swing. Whatever aspect of your swing you are looking to develop, swing trainers are available to practice on.
Baseball swing trainers are things like pitching machines and tees that enable batters to practice their swings independently. The more practice time they have, the better their skills, and of course, the better they swing.
Choosing The Best Baseball Aid
How do you know how to pick the right training aid? With the dozens of options, it can be a daunting task. We advise you keep these five things in mind
- Game Position – are they batters, pitchers, or outfielders?
- Intended use – are you coaching a team or focusing more on one player?
- Type of training aid – are you looking for an aid for batting? What aspect of batting?
- Brand and model – are you more likely to trust one brand name over another?
- Price – What is your budget
Picking a training tool is much easier if you have a game position in mind
- Batters – Batting aids, tees, and catching nets are your go-to tools for training your batters
- Pitchers – Training balls, throwing accessories, nets, and conditioning tools are things you’re looking for to help your pitchers improve
- Fielders – Whether you’re an infield or outfield player, you’ll benefit from practice gloves, training balls, and similar accessories
- Instructors – Instructors may want devices that help them teach players how to improve their game, so fungo bats and pitching machines may be more up their alley.
- Batters. Batting aids like pitching machines, tees, nets and conditioners are the go-to choice for batters.
- Pitchers. Pitchers will want to opt for training balls, throwing accessories, nets, and conditioning tools.
- Fielding. Both infield and outfield players will benefit from practice gloves, training balls, and similar accessories.
- Instructors. Fungo bats and practice balls will help speed up and refine training sessions and practice drills.
Final Thoughts
In the end, you have to pick a trainer that works for you. Not all of these trainers will address the specific need that you have; instead, try to find out what you need to improve in your swing and get a trainer that will help you improve in that area. We hope that we helped you find the trainer that you need and that soon you’ll be hitting pitches right there with the best of them.
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