What LI players, coaches think about electronic communications coming to high school baseball

Drew McGowan may be hearing his father’s voice on a high school baseball diamond even more next spring.

High school baseball teams across Long Island may be able to utilize a one-way communication device from coach to catcher to call pitches, which was approved for use by the National Federation of State High School Associations [NFHS] Baseball Rules Committee last month. The new rule would start with the 2024 season.

McGowan is an Eastport-South Manor rising senior catcher who will be entering his fifth varsity season playing for his father, Jim. Jim currently uses an arm band system to signal the pitches from the dugout, calling out a number and Drew looking at his arm for the correlating pitch.

“If it’s a voice in your ear, it’s so much easier than waiting and looking through the band and maybe you can’t find it,” said Drew, a Marist commit. “That can take more time. But, if you get that signal in your ear right away and relay it faster to your pitcher, it’s easier for the pitcher, too. It's all about timing. I think it can be more beneficial for all sides.”

The new rule only allows coach communication with the catcher while on defense. The coach also must be in the dugout when using the device.

It's still not certain, however, that the device will be used on Long Island next season. 

Section VIII baseball coordinator Sean Burns, Section XI baseball coordinator Ryan Cox, and CHSAA baseball chairperson Chris Hardardt said it’s still too early to say whether the communication device will be approved for next season. They said their groups won’t meet until September at the earliest to discuss items for the 2023-24 school year.

“I think it’s interesting and I think as technology grows, we grow with it,” Cox said. “So I think this is something that could make the game more efficient or it could not. We’ll see.”

NYSPHSAA executive director Robert Zayas told Newsday in an email that any time a national rule is approved, it becomes an NYSPHSAA rule unless the membership votes to waive the rule. He said he isn’t currently aware of any concerns from the membership.

Players and coaches on Long Island seem open to the communication device.

“I would love to try it,” Drew McGowan said. “I believe it would be good, so I’d hope if it was available we’d be able to use it, because maybe it will be something that makes it easier to call. So I’d definitely want to use it.”

The device isn’t identical to the Major League Baseball method, where catchers and pitchers send voice commands through earpieces to one another. But it’s another example of technology making its imprint on baseball.

“I feel it’s a cool thing to add,” said Tyler Cook, an All-Long Island catcher last season for Holy Trinity. “It just feels like a big league thing and now, in high school, you have that. It’s pretty cool.”

Many college baseball teams use an electronic system to call pitches.

“I think anything the college level does, high schools should follow,” Division coach Tom Tuttle said. “So if we can incorporate that at the high school level, they’ll be more prepared when they get to college.”

Tuttle said he allows his catchers to call the majority of a game. But for the moments he wants to dictate a specific pitch, he believes the electronic system will improve the process and decrease sign stealing.

“We want to make sure our guys know [that] if there’s a way to keep it more secretive, let’s do it," Tuttle said. “And if a [communication device] is the way to go then we're all for it. I’d definitely implement it.”

MacArthur coach Steve Costello referred to the change as “more of a solution without a problem,” believing it’s difficult for teams to steal signs. But if a communication device makes it even less likely to get signs stolen and easier to relay calls, he’d be open to it.

“I don’t see it as a necessity, I don’t see it as a major issue for us,” Costello said. “However, if they are going to make it that easy, then I would definitely do it.”

St. Dominic catcher Thomas Garrett said he’s noticed teams trying to steal signs and thinks a communication device would counter that.

“That’s definitely a big benefit because if you’re playing a good team with a good coach, they can pick up on sign calling if you’re not changing it all the time,” he said. “With that, I definitely see it [being] a benefit and one less thing you’d have to worry about. That one pitch someone knows is coming can change whether you win or lose a game.”

Massapequa coach Tom Sheedy, who was a catcher in high school and college, said he believes their coaching team probably calls less than 5% of the pitches in a game. Massapequa encourages their catchers to learn how to call a game, adjust in a given at-bat, and incorporate a game plan behind the plate.

“I know electronics are here and it’s not going away,” Sheedy said. “But for what we do in our program and our expectations for what our catchers do, I don’t see a use for it.”

Paul Dulanto, who will be entering his third season as the starting catcher for Massapequa next spring, appreciates the trust to call a game from behind the plate, rather than constantly looking for signs or a voice in his ear.

“Technology is the way the world is moving, but for me personally as a catcher, I feel like pitch calling is a part of the game and something you need to get good at,” said Dulanto, who is committed to play at Stony Brook. “It’s something that helps you learn the game of baseball and, having that [communication device], sometimes you can rely too much on your coach rather than you trying to figure it out and learning from mistakes in the past, and eventually being able to call a whole game yourself.”