PitchCom was introduced across Major League Baseball last season, as catchers used the device to combat sign stealing and help with pace of play, to mainly positive results.
Now, a new use of the technology is being experimented with in spring training, and multiple Yankees and Mets pitchers are at the forefront.
On Monday night, Luis Severino, with PitchCom attached to his belt, called his own pitches during his spring debut, while teammates Clay Holmes and Domingo German are also trying it out themselves, as pitching coach Matt Blake told the New York Post.
Over in the Mets clubhouse, their ace Max Scherzer is trying it out as well, as he had the device fastened to the back of his glove.
"When I knew I wanted to throw a pitch in a location, I could just call it in and work really fast and use it to my advantage," Scherzer told reporters after his first spring outing.
It remains to be seen whether pitchers will be allowed to use PitchCom themselves during the regular season, but for Scherzer and multiple Yankee pitchers, it presents a chance to keep the pace moving while preparing for a season where pace is paramount, now that the pitch clock will be enforced league-wide. It likely won't eliminate catchers calling pitches, but will be a useful fallback option if the pitch clock is running down, and pitchers need to make a decision in a hurry.
But the tweak is garnering positive reviews with the Yanks and Mets, with Severino calling the idea, "The greatest thing of all time."
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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