Prep baseball to allow coaches to relay pitch calls to catchers electronically

At Rio Rancho, the three-digit number is verbalized from the dugout. At Valley, it’s a silent body signal.

Coaches at both schools are conveying the same thing: precisely what pitch they want their catcher to call.

Starting in 2024, those two high schools, along with every other prep baseball program in New Mexico and around the country, will have the option of relaying their pitch wishes electronically.

Earlier this week, the National Federation of State High School Associations, or NFHS, voted to allow the use of a one-way communications device between a coach in the dugout, and the catcher.

This is not mandatory. Baseball programs can opt in or out, depending on what system works best for them.

“I don’t know. It could be a drastic change, and I don’t know if it will be for the better or worse,” said Ron Murphy, head coach of Class 5A state champion Rio Rancho.

The catcher would be wearing an earpiece, and it would be synced up with some type of device in the dugout.

The NFHS’ baseball committee voted in favor of this change last month, and their recommendation received a formal stamp of approval by the NFHS Board of Directors on Thursday.

The coach relaying pitches must be in the dugout, according to the new rule. Moreover, the catcher will not be able to communicate back to the coach. Also, according to the NFHS, “new rules prohibit coaches from communicating with any other player besides the catcher on defense and with any player while batting.”

At Rio Rancho, the Rams give a three-digit number to the catcher to relay pitch type and location. Both the coach and the catcher are wearing a wristband with the numbers and their corresponding meaning. This mirrors the way a football coach coordinates with his quarterback before the QB checks his wristband to call a play.

Murphy said the Rams alter their numerical sequence every inning so that opponents can’t zero in on any patterns.

Valley coach Chad Kuhn, who is a former minor league pitcher and also is the Vikings’ pitching coach, relays his wishes with body signs.

“I don’t call pitches not because I don’t think the players are capable, I do it because of my knowledge,” Kuhn said. “I do think it would speed up the communication process from me to the catcher, which might speed up the game 10 seconds (every pitch). Maybe that’s why they’re allowing it.”

The NFHS, in a release, said pace of play did factor into its thinking, and added, “(it) is indicative of a measured and responsible approach to enable technology into our level of competition.”

Murphy said he wasn’t certain how much it would cost for the equipment, but said the Rams would probably experiment with it during games in the fall, and then decide whether or not to move forward with it next spring.

Kuhn expressed some concern that perhaps not every program could find the money needed to purchase such technology. So did Murphy. “Can every team afford it?” Murphy said. “I haven’t looked at it yet, but the more money you spend on it, the better it will be. It is making it better? Is it making it quicker? Is it more of a hindrance?”

The NFHS said it wanted to ensure that “there is no advantage gained by schools that have more available resources than some of their contemporaries.”

Kuhn said he adjusts his signals between innings in case teams are paying attention. That’s the way he’s done things for 24 years.

He said he also initially resisted advances in technology as they pertain to baseball, such as MLB’s new pitch clock, but said of the high school change, “It’s the modern game. I think we should use it.”

As to how it will play out, “I don’t know if it will make it easier, or better,” Murphy said. “Let’s at least try it and see if it works.”