As the skill of pitchers increase, batters need to continue honing their skills in order to keep up. This is true from Little League up to the majors and one of the best ways to do this by spending a lot of hours in the batting cage. There is no substitute for practice and the best hitters in the world got that way through hours and hours of it. However, even the most novice pitcher can begin to put their bat on the ball if they see the exact same pitch over and over. A large reason why batting is so particularly hard is because the pitcher has the advantage of the element of surprise. As a batter you never know what pitch is coming next. Learning how to adapt to this is what separates the average players from the greats which can only be attained through practice. One of the ways that you can achieve this random feel with pitching machines is by using different types of balls. So here now are some different types of balls that commercial pitching machines use and what their differences are.

The first type of ball that you can use in pitching machines is the standard pitching machines ball. These balls are best for delivering consistent pitches in the same spot. Baseball pitching machines that use standard balls for pitching machines can deliver consistent pitches because the balls are specifically built for pitching machines. Pitching machines can grip the ball better thus giving it much more consistency. However, variety is key which is why other balls for pitching machines can be key.

A standard baseball is a great option for pitching machines because it is able to deliver a variety of pitches and give the batter a more real feel when they hit the ball. When delivered from pitching machines, baseballs tend to move around a little more than a standard dimpled batting cage ball. This provides a much better simulation, helping you prepare for your next trip to the plate.

The last type of ball for pitching machines is the softball. Great for creating a real life feel, softballs that pitching machines use are great for honing the skills of the softball player. Pitching machines that deliver a softball can provide batters with a hard to hit rising pitch that so many hitter softball hitters struggle with.

By trying out different batting cage balls on your next trip to the batting cage, you will be ripping holes in the batting cage nets in no time. So don’t wait to try different types of balls in the batting cage – try it today!