Blue Jays Embracing Newest Version of PitchCom

Ethan Diamandas | Mar 5, 2023

© Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

DUNEDIN, FL — Catching Chris Bassitt isn’t easy. The crafty righty throws seven different pitches, he’s particular about how his catcher sets up, and, thanks to MLB’s new rules, he now has a pitch clock to manage.

Last season, MLB introduced PitchCom to pitchers and catchers. The device, which includes two earpieces and helps relay signs quicker between the battery, sped up the pace of play and served as an amuse-bouche to the eventual pitch clock setup in 2023. This year, pitchers have 15 seconds to start their deliveries with the bases empty. That timer increases to 20 seconds with runners on.

Now, there’s a new wrinkle to this updated baseball technology. Pitchers are getting hooked up with a PitchCom gadget on their end, allowing them to call the pitch instead of the catcher dictating everything. Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt had a PitchCom device attached to his glove Sunday versus the Phillies, and he was pleased with the results.

“Where the buttons are at, how to get to pitches – that’s the new experience. But actually using it is very easy,” Bassitt said.

Bassitt said the PitchCom has 12 or 13 buttons for different pitch options (or actions, such as throw-overs), but that will get whittled down as the tech gets calibrated for specific pitchers. Danny Jansen has had the challenge of catching the 34-year-old this spring, and Bassitt said their relationship is strengthening through PitchCom.

At one point during Sunday’s outing, Bassitt adamantly gestured to his catcher with both hands, showing Jansen where to set up. The eight-year veteran knows what he wants from his backstop – a reminder that, at the end of the day, the pitcher has the final say.

“Ultimately, the pitcher’s calling his game. Catchers are always suggesting,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider.

Schneider, a long-time minor-league catcher in the Jays organization, said he can see why catchers might feel uneasy about handing the signal-calling duties over to the pitchers. The men behind the dish will now lose some control of the game and also have to adjust to a new cadence, but Schneider trusts his guys to get on the same page.

“The game is going to continue to evolve, just like we saw last year with catchers initiating the signs, so if guys are comfortable with it, yeah, I think it's a good thing,” the skipper said.

For some Blue Jays catchers, it’s been a welcome adjustment.

“It takes the guessing out of it,” said Rob Brantly. “In those instances where you’re not on the same page, [it's] like, ‘Boom, there you go. Alright, here we go; he’s most confident with this one.’ And then you go into it.”

Brantly, who’s caught over 1,000 games split between the majors and minors, lauded the new pitcher-oriented PitchCom for speeding things up, of course, but also for tipping catchers off to disagreements in game-calling strategy. If a pitcher keeps hammering a pitch the catcher doesn’t like, it’s time for a chat to see what’s up.

In the end, Brantly said this new version of PitchCom doesn’t radically alter the pitcher-catcher relationship.

“Baseball is a game of adjustments,” the 33-year-old said. “But this one's pretty seamless.”

After Sunday’s spring outing, Bassitt said he’ll continue to use this new PitchCom with the goal of eventually handing the reigns back to Jansen for full pitch-calling autonomy.

“Until [Jansen] kind of learns how I like to pitch, why not just have me call my own game? And then be like, ‘Alright, now you see what I like to do. Let's go.’”