EXCLUSIVE: PitchCom was introduced to MLB at the beginning of the 2022 season, and the communication system has quickly become prominent in the baseball world, overhauling pitcher-catcher communication.
Perfect Game, a youth baseball company that promotes baseball by hosting high-quality amateur events and providing exposure for players to play at higher levels, is the first organization of its kind to partner with PitchCom, Fox News Digital exclusively learned Thursday.
PitchCom emerged after the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal during their World Series run in 2017 rocked the baseball world.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
PitchCom devices on a field with the Perfect Game logo.(Courtesy of PitchCom)
John Hankins, co-investor and co-owner of PitchCom, saw that MLB had a need for a communication device that could prevent sign stealing. The challenge was the device couldn’t be vocal, and MLB officials didn’t want players to wear a communication device on their bodies.
Hankins came up with PitchCom, which allows a catcher to press a button on a transmitter to call pitches. The transmitter sends prerecorded audio clips to the receivers, who in turn will hear the pitch call and defensive signals.
The pitcher and fielders wear the receiver in their hats and can hear what the catcher inputs, allowing for clear and secure communication safe from being stolen, unlike traditional catcher signs.
When Major League Baseball first heard of it, it loved the idea.
TIGERS’ TARIK SKUBAL PITCHES INCREDIBLE GAME IN WIN OVER GUARDIANS: ‘SKY IS THE LIMIT’
“(We had) a meeting before a playoff game. The immediate response was this solves all of our problems,” Hankins told Fox News Digital.
“That was nice, and we left the meeting feeling pretty good. But, within about an hour, we got another phone call that said, ‘Can you meet with 20 of our executives on Zoom tomorrow. That was a positive sign.”
After that meeting, Major League Baseball became PitchCom’s first client.
Jered Goodwin, the vice president of scouting operations at Perfect Game, trains with MLB players during the offseason. Goodwin told Fox News Digital the players had “a ton of positive feedback” about PitchCom.
San Francisco Giants catcher Blake Sabol (2) adjusts his PitchCom device during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oracle Park May 7, 2023. (Darren Yamashita/USA Today Sports)
“I can tell you from a guy that gets to coach some pitchers during the offseason, they love being on a level playing field,” Goodwin said.
“They’re throwing a pitch without anybody on the field being able to know what’s coming (prior to PitchCom), and there’s been open conversations about that. There hasn’t been a lot of negative feedback. You get some transmitters you got to replace, but it takes a really short amount of time. And I think really everybody in baseball, players to owners and especially fans, have loved the pace of play and the shorter games.”
“Obviously, some other rules were put into effect as well, but the direct communication in the short amount of time it takes has definitely been a ton of positive feedback.”
ROCKIES FAN FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST MLB TEAM, CLAIMS TO HAVE SUFFERED INJURIES DUE TO CLUB’S LACKLUSTER OUTPUT
Goodwin said he first thought of trying to bring PitchCom to Perfect Game when MLB began using it. He called it an “easy decision” to bring PitchCom into youth baseball and to form a partnership.
“I knew very early on that this was going to be something that was going to stick, so as it’s grown into major college baseball, to MLB, it’s great that we got to have a direct path for our players and our coaches to be able to learn operationally, intensely during a game. Anything like that of what they are going to use directly at the next level. So, it really was on the agenda as soon as it could be scaled,” Goodwin said.
Jon Updike, vice president of customer relations at PitchCom, said the device offers youth players benefits beyond just pitcher-catcher communication.
San Francisco Giants pitcher Spencer Bivens (76) holds his glove to his ear to hear his PitchCom against the St. Louis Cardinals during the ninth inning at Oracle Park Sept. 28, 2024. (Robert Edwards/Imagn Images)
“It’s just not calling the pitches,” Updike said. “It’s the ability to send in maybe technical cues, but even more so than that, ‘Hey, great job’ or ‘You’re going to get them next time.’
“You are able to send in some psychological messages to them as well that will help either uplift them or snap them into place, which is a lot easier when it’s being whispered to an 8-year-old or a 12-year-old or 14-year-old’s ear than being yelled across the field.”
Goodwin said the introduction of PitchCom into Perfect Game will allow for more development among kids.
“Being able to talk through, especially with direct communication, being able to talk directly about why you called a pitch, how you were calling a pitch, being able to go over what those different reasons were, because you’ve got just an extra second to be able to do it. When you can speed up the game but also slow down the process, some real development of the ‘why?’ can happen,” Goodwin said.
SHOHEI OHTANI’S FIRST TIME PITCHING TO HITTERS AS A DODGER IS A SUCCESS: ‘HE’S A TOP-END STARTER’
“I think you are going to see some things come out directly related to PitchCom helping with development. Whether it’s pitch calling, whether it’s the speed of the game, whether it’s location that (is) really going to help the youth be able to understand how they are trying to attack, why they are trying to attack, why this in that situation or that pitch in this situation and that’s one of the things that nobody is really dove into yet.
“But at Perfect Game we are constantly trying to find different ways to develop, and I think this is going to be a real asset to young ballplayers.”
Not only does Goodwin believe PitchCom will help players’ development. It should also change the way coaches teach and communicate in games.
“It speeds up the time, but it also slows down what’s going on. Reaffirm some of the things that you might have gone over in practice. So, I think it’s such a huge advantage when these young athletes are going to be able to have that sense of pace, but also a sense of communication and development at a younger age,” Goodwin said.
Baltimore Orioles catcher James McCann adjusts his PitchCom system during the first inning of a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Oriole Park at Camden Yards May 29, 2023. (Tommy Gilligan/USA Today Sports)
Updike said the introduction of PitchCom at the youth baseball level will make for cleaner games because of the enhanced communication the device allows.
“I see it has an opportunity to reduce pitches, which will directly, in turn, have a chance of reducing over usage and injury,” Updike said. “Just from having better information or paying attention to it. And then, on top of that, it makes it a cleaner baseball game. Less wild pitches, less cross-ups and more quality executed pitches.”
The voice that comes through the transmitter is an AI-generated voice, but Updike said the voice can be “anybody’s voice.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“It’s a simple, easy, clean process. And then what we found is that some of our colleges and some of our major league clubs would run the tracks through an AI voice generator to create something else. Whether it was a star or a famous voice and then put it on, sometimes even recording other players, it’s kind of like your limitation is your imagination with it,” Updike said.
Updike said he heard one pitcher in college baseball customize the voice to be his favorite musician.
“I won’t give up the secret sauce for a few clubs, but like we have a college, a really good NCAA team, their Friday night guy is a real good pitcher, and he’s got a musician that he loves, or a rapper, and it’s that rappers’ voice every time they call a pitch. So, it’s unique to see how creative everybody’s been with the product,” Updike said.
Goodwin said he heard a story about how a coach programmed the voice to be a player’s mother’s voice, and that it provided good results for the player.
Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman covers a PitchCom device during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Oriole Park at Camden Yards May 17, 2023. (Tommy Gilligan/USA Today Sports)
“The guy had a really close relationship with his mom, and the coaches wanted to see if that in turn would kind of be a calming presence. So I thought that was pretty cool, pretty interesting. Obviously, a lot going on with sports psychology now and things like that. So, I think there are a lot of things that you can do here even from voice recognition to maybe help kids, and maybe not,” Goodwin said.
“I do know that in the early stages of this the kid actually did very well when it happened.”
The PitchCom’s will be given out to Perfect Game in August, and coaches and players will be able to use them for the All-American Classic and PG Select Festivals.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown field hockey is set to host a youth and middle school camp this summer from June 8th through the 10th at Andre Reed Stadium.
The camp is designed for grades K-8th. Each day the session will run from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The cost to attend is $150 pre-registration, which can be done prior to June 1.
Athletes should bring a stick, mouth guard, shin guards, turf shoes or sneakers and a water bottle. Goalies must bring their own equipment.
For additional information, contact camp director and KU head coach Marci Scheuing at scheuing@kutztown.edu, or by phone at 610-683-4378.
The Youth and Middle School Field Hockey Camp is designed to give athletes an opportunity to train with the National Champion Kutztown coaching staff and KU players. Our camp is open to any and all entrants, and will include learning both technical and tactical skills during multiple stations. We will separate groups by age and level of experience. You will also have the opportunity to compete in a series of games and fun competitions.
Don Charles “Charlie” Lechliter was an electrician by trade, but was best remembered for his involvement in the Arctic League and West Elmira youth sports.
Mr. Lechliter, who passed away Dec. 31, was remembered as a devoted family man with a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of area children.
Several years ago, the Town of Elmira honored Mr. Lechliter’s contributions by naming one of the ballfields at Pirozzolo Park in his honor.
Don Charles Lechliter was an electrician by trade, and built a successful Elmira business, but that’s not how most people saw him.
Mr. Lechliter was also a devoted family man, and that attribute extended beyond his immediate family to youth in general, according to his wife Lisa.
He was active in coaching youth sports in West Elmira for many years and was also a longtime volunteer and board member of the Arctic League.
Anyone who met Mr. Lechliter couldn’t help but like him, Lisa Lechliter said.
“He was a very charismatic guy, very easy to like,” she said. “He always left a lasting impression on people. He would do anything for anybody to help them out. Most people looked at him as a friend, not an electrician.”
Mr. Lechliter, who everyone knew as Charlie, died Dec. 31. He was 74.
A passion for sports, and youth
While Lechliter Electric was his business, Mr. Lechliter was probably busier in his personal life.
He loved sports, especially baseball, and was a diehard New York Mets fan, Lisa Lechliter said.
So it was natural that someone who loved sports and cared about kids would find a way to combine them.
“He started coaching Little League in his early 20s. He started out coaching his nephews and has been with the program ever since,” Lisa Lechliter said. “He also coached girls Cinderella Softball. That’s how I met him. It wasn’t all about winning. He just loved to spend time with those kids.”
Mr. Lechliter made an enormous contribution to recreational programming in the Town of Elmira for decades, said Town Supervisor Ann Gerould.
From the start, he brought a strong work ethic and a knack for efficiency and organization to his volunteer efforts, Gerould said.
“Charlie was part of the baseball/softball league’s board at that time as well. Charlie served as the treasurer of the board and dealt with ordering all the equipment, uniforms and field supplies,” she said. “He always did this with cost control in mind and continued to do so up until this year. I know that he had planned to continue in the upcoming season.
“During the early years, I am told there were about 500 kids involved every season, so his job was very time-consuming,” Gerould added.
Mr. Lechliter also later served as treasurer of the West Elmira Recreation Board, where he handled coordination and execution of events such as the baseball/softball league seasons, Easter Egg Hunt, Halloween events and Music in the Park throughout the summer.
He also lent his professional expertise to assist with electrical work needed for scoreboards and throughout Pirozzolo Park, Gerould said.
“We are virtually lost at the moment without him but are dedicated to continuing the programs where he committed countless hours, to continue for years to come,” she said. “Some years ago, Charlie’s efforts were honored by the dedication of Field No. 5 with his name. This was a source of great pride for him, and it was well deserved.”
Helping children as Arctic League’s ‘go-to guy’
Mr. Lechliter joined the Arctic League board of directors in 1993, and at the time of his death was the second-longest currently serving board member, according to league Treasurer and former board president Michael Wayne.
He was the consummate “behind the scenes” guy and had great insight on how to efficiently run the Arctic League’s warehouse operation, Wayne said.
More importantly, Mr. Lechliter made sure the board remained focused on the agency’s mission — that no child in Chemung County would go without presents on Christmas Day.
“During my year as President (2021) he was my ‘go-to guy,'” Wayne said.
“We were only one year out of the COVID pandemic, and Charlie was ever creative in making suggestions on how we could tweak our long-serving process to assure safety for all our volunteers,” he said. “While always avoiding the limelight, he was every Arctic League presidents’ biggest cheerleader and spent hours helping maintain our building and its mechanicals.”
Mr. Lechliter also championed a new way volunteers could help the Arctic League, and the “make a hat” campaign started, Wayne said.
He helped recruit knitters and crocheters to make hats for league recipients, which helped the organization save money — which could be funneled into other gifts — while creating a new opportunity for volunteers to support the Arctic League mission.
“Charlie was full of energy. He had endless ideas and a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of children in our area,” Wayne said. “His hearty laugh will forever echo through our building, and his passion to help others will survive in perpetuity at the Arctic League.”
Follow Jeff Murray on X (Twitter) @SGJeffMurray. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Andrea Odom doesn’t hesitate when asked what sparked the idea she now hopes becomes a movement.
The moment arrived just before the 2023 Major League Baseball draft, as agents began recruiting her son, Dylan Campbell of the University of Texas, and it came with a hard lesson her family didn’t expect to learn.
“We had to fire an agent who didn’t deliver on what he promised,” said Odom, a mother of three, who manages public relations for The Odom Consulting Group in Houston. “But the beautiful part is that my son grew on a business level. He learned how to hold people accountable.”
That moment reshaped how Odom viewed the role of parents in sports, particularly Black mothers, who often find themselves navigating high-stakes decisions without access to the same information, networks, or protection afforded to others.
“And that’s what we want for Black Sports Moms,” Odom said. “Empowering ourselves and our children.”
Founded in March 2025, Black Sports Moms was created to equip Black mothers with the knowledge, resources, and confidence to navigate an often opaque and unforgiving sports industry on behalf of their children.
From youth sports to the professional level, the organization addresses issues ranging from Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) and contract negotiations to mental health, branding, and long-term financial planning — areas where families are increasingly expected to be savvy but are rarely taught how.
Odom sat with the idea until a phone conversation changed everything.
Unbeknown to her, attorney Lachauna Edwards was doing parallel work in Atlanta, educating “momagers” (mothers who serve as the business managers for their children). Edwards had spent years advising families in NIL, contracts, and athlete branding, and during Black History Month, she launched a Momager Series on Instagram, spotlighting Black mothers managing their children’s athletic careers behind the scenes.
“Andrea’s name was brought up as someone to feature,” said Edwards, 40, also a mother of three. “We talked about her background, and she saw what I was doing. She reached out again about doing an event, and she came up with the name Black Sports Moms.”
From left to right: Black Sports Moms members Tammie Parker, Andrea Odom and Kim Stroud (mother of Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud) join CJ Stroud and Houston City Controller Chris Hollins at a volunteer event.
Andrea Odom
What started as a conversation quickly became a partnership. Edwards and Odom formed an LLC in March 2025 and moved fast, organizing their first conference in Houston in July 2025. They expected a local crowd. Instead, the event sold out with 175 attendees, many of whom traveled from across the country.
“In such a short amount of time, we were blown away by the response,” Odom said. “That’s when we realized this was bigger than we thought.”
The momentum continued in November 2025 with another sold-out conference in Atlanta, drawing 170 attendees. Mothers traveled from Florida, Texas, Georgia, and beyond — including a group of University of Florida Gator moms — underscoring a hunger for education and community that Edwards says has long gone unmet.
“Black women birth the greatest athletes in the world,” Edwards said. “For a long time, different entities in sports have been able to profit off our children’s talent while families are left trying to figure out how to support their kids and make informed decisions.”
Edwards, who has a civil rights background, sees Black Sports Moms as both education and protection. In many households, she notes, mothers are already doing the work by researching agents, negotiating schedules, managing finances, and supporting their children emotionally.
“That’s why athletes say, ‘My mom is the real MVP,’ ” Edwards said. “We nurture everything off the field and off the court. It made sense to empower the women who are already doing the work.”
The organization’s flagship offering, The Playbook, is a one-day educational summit designed specifically for mothers managing their child’s athletic journey. The conferences feature expert-led panels and interactive workshops covering NIL, contracts, branding, mental health, and financial literacy. Each attendee leaves with a personalized strategic plan and access to ongoing coaching and consultation.
“We’re intentional about making sure our moms are not only prepared, but confident enough to walk into any room on behalf of their child,” Edwards said.
That confidence will be on display again this month, when Black Sports Moms hosts a smaller, advanced “Mini Camp” in New Orleans. Limited to 50 attendees, the event is designed to go deeper, with mothers encouraged to bring real contracts they are negotiating.
“We’re breaking everything down clause by clause,” Edwards said. “Brand partnerships, tax strategies, investing, forming LLCs and nonprofits — this is advanced, hands-on work.”
The New Orleans gathering marks the next step in a rapidly expanding national footprint. In addition to regional panels tied to major sporting events, including Super Bowl week, the CIAA tournament, and the McDonald’s All-America Games, the organization plans its largest signature conference yet in Houston in July.
Despite its rapid growth, Edwards and Odom say the most powerful outcome hasn’t been business — it’s been community.
“Moms are forming group chats, supporting each other, showing up to games, baby showers,” Edwards said. “One mom helped another mom’s child land a marketing opportunity. That’s real.”
Odom agrees.
“We created this for empowerment and education, but the sisterhood has been the biggest surprise,” she said. “These women are forming lifelong bonds.”
Dylan Campbell’s MLB draft experience reshaped how his mother Andrea Odom viewed the role of parents in sports.
Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire
The stakes, they say, are real. Odom points to moments when parents are intentionally sidelined during recruiting and negotiations — and how education changes those dynamics.
“One mom told us her son had 32 football offers,” Odom said. “After attending our conference, an assistant coach tried to separate her from her son and made a disrespectful comment. The family declined the offer and told the head coach exactly why.”
Another mother, whose son is preparing for the 2026 NBA draft, was told by an agency that starting a nonprofit was “too expensive.” At the upcoming conference, Black Sports Moms will walk families through how to set one up themselves — a process that costs less than $150.
“We’re teaching families who need to be in their ecosystem and how to protect their kids,” Odom said.
For Edwards, the urgency is only increasing as athletes are getting paid younger and younger, often before families are prepared for the attention and financial complexity that comes with it.
“If Black mothers don’t step into these roles,” Edwards said, “everybody else is making money off the success of these athletes. Universities, agencies, financial advisors. We want families to have a unified front so they aren’t taken advantage of.”
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White said his mother, Bonita, played a central role in guiding him through the recruiting process before he chose to attend North Carolina. He added that navigating today’s NIL landscape without that same level of parental support, and education, would be almost unthinkable.
“What they’re doing is needed,” White told Andscape about the co-founders of Black Sports Moms. “It can help a lot of families and a lot of mothers guide their kids through this, especially with the amount of money and attention involved now. It sounds like a dope organization.”
Odom said success will be measured not just by conferences, but by long-term impact – from chapters in cities across the country to a voice in conversations around NIL legislation and athlete rights.
“This is called Black Sports Moms,” she said. “But it’s a movement that’s touching families and communities.”
Branson Wright is a filmmaker and freelance multimedia sports reporter.
Bettors in North Carolina wagered more than $7 billion through legal online sportsbooks in 2025, the first complete calendar year since sports betting launched in the state.
In December, the state had more than $651 million in paid wagers, the fourth consecutive month that wagering activity in the state exceeded $650 million, according to information released by the North Carolina State Lottery Commission.
The state collected more than $14.6 million in taxes from the licensed operators, who pay an 18% tax on their gross wagering revenue as calculated by the commission. In 2025, North Carolina collected more than $132 million in taxes from the operators.
Some of the tax revenue goes to the state health department for gambling addiction education and treatment programs, two statewide youth sports organizations which distribute grants, a major events funds and the athletics departments at UNC System schools, though not NC State or UNC-Chapel Hill. The rest goes to the state’s general fund.
Paid wagers in December were up more than 6% over December 2024, continuing a trend. The commission doesn’t release more detailed data on betting, such as which sport attracts the most wagers or which operator has the most customers or bets each month.
Lawmakers approved legal sports betting in North Carolina in 2023 and it went live in mid-March 2024. The state now has seven legal operators.
Representative Tim Briggs has scheduled a voting meeting for January 27, 2026, at 10:00 am to review amendments to HB 2042, known as the Safety in Youth Sports Act, which established standards for managing concussions and traumatic brain injuries of students participating in athletic activities.
Representative Briggs introduced HB 2042 in 2011. This meeting will include discussion about proposed amendments to the original bill which will expand the scope of this Act to further provide for the proper management of brain injuries. The amendments include non-scholastic league and recreational sports and also provide information on Return to Learn. Representative Briggs will also be incorporating this bill into the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes so that it is no longer a freestanding act.
The meeting will be held in Room 205 in the Ryan Office Building and will be livestreamed from the House Committee website.
Young Tar Heel fans are invited to join the North Carolina women’s sports teams for 2026 UNC National Girls & Women in Sports Day, an annual event to highlight women’s athletics at Carolina, brought to you by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) and Carolina Athletics. The NGWSD celebration is set for Jan. 25 from 12-1:30 p.m. at the Bill Koman Practice Complex on the UNC campus.
The day’s event is intended for girls and boys pre-K through eighth grade. There is no charge to participate, and everyone (including parents/guardians) who registers in advance will receive a complimentary ticket to the UNC women’s basketball game against Syracuse that day at 2 p.m. at nearby Carmichael Arena.
https://goheels.com/form/90
Building on its commitment to support youth mental health, connectivity and resiliency, Blue Cross NC encourages participation in sports and an active lifestyle that supports physical and mental well-being. By partnering with youth, parents and community leaders like Carolina Athletics, Blue Cross NC believes there is opportunity to help reduce stigmas associated with mental health for young people in sports.
The NGWSD event includes mini-clinics with each sport, giving kids the opportunity to try out a variety of skills in a fun environment that’s appropriate for youths of all ages. The majority of the 15 UNC women’s varsity teams – cross country, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, swimming & diving, track & field and volleyball – will be represented at the event.
For more information, you can email uncngwsd@gmail.com or visit www.goheels.com
Information about check-in and parking will be emailed to registrants in advance of the event.
