Seeing and hearing the signs

UTRGV Baseball begins using PitchCom in 2025

PitchCom is a relatively new technology in baseball, but one that has proved its weight in gold. Introduced in Major League Baseball in 2022 to combat sign-stealing, it has improved communication within batteries across the league.

Now in 2025, three years removed from its proliferation with all 30 MLB clubs, the UTRGV Baseball Team is using PitchCom to facilitate pitch calling during its games.

In an interview with The Rider, Vaqueros assistant coach Ryan Jackson, who coordinated the team’s integration of the system, said it is not only for calling pitches but also controlling the run game.

“Basically on PitchCom, you can run your whole offense, your defense, call your pitches any picks that you may have,” Jackson said.

The way the system works is Jackson can, from the dugout, suggest which pitches a pitcher should throw. When there are runners on the basepaths, he can also call for pickoff attempts.

“All pitches are called from the dugout with their PitchCom that’s in their device and their head,” he said. “And then, we use our picks and holds and all that stuff. First and third defenses, any defense that we’re really running.”

Catchers also have the ability to make those same calls the dugout can. All infielders, the battery and the center fielder have earpieces in their caps that allow them to hear what is being called.

Senior catcher Steven Lancia told The Rider whether it is him or the dugout, the calls will be determined on a per-game and per-situation basis.

“If [Jackson] is telling me, ‘You got it,’ then I kind of call the game from there,” Lancia said. “And then, we can go back and forth, talk about what we’re seeing and adjust. If he feels like there’s a certain pitch and I’m seeing a better [one], he’ll give me that, ‘You got it.’”

PitchCom as a means of delivering signs is relatively new. The 2025 season will mark the fourth season of its use in the major leagues and its first year in use at UTRGV.

 The technology was implemented after concerns about sign stealing arose following the 2017 and 2018 seasons. MLB penalized the Yankees, the Red Sox and, notably, the Astros for using technology to steal signs.

Last season, the Vaqueros used a device called Armilla Tech to relay signs. Jackson said making the switch to PitchCom has been tremendously helpful as it is more efficient to use than previous technologies.

“With this device, it’s seamless,” he said. “As soon as I press that button, it’s in their hat. … Last year, you would click three or four different buttons.”

Graduate pitcher Angelo Cabral has utilized the system in his outings this season and said without the armbands used in Armilla Tech, he and the team can better focus on their work on the field.

“It’s pretty helpful,” Cabral said. “Now, we have it to where it’s just in our hat and out of our way. We can just listen to it and get ready to go.” 

Although not all Vaquero pitchers use PitchCom to receive signals, the option is there for them to opt in to its use. The team will use the technology through the season, according to Jackson.