As the Royals roll, this KC tech startup wants to develop its future pitchers
October 27, 2015 | Bobby Burch
A local startup hopes to cultivate the next Wade Davis or Yordano Ventura with the help of its pitching technology.
Precise Play’s Digital Pitch Analyzer
In early 2015, Kansas City-based Precise Play launched its digital pitch analyzer, which the company is selling to baseball academies, schools and private leagues.
Precise Play founder Victor Villarreal said that his machine has been a hit with young players — ages eight to 18 — who hope to improve their pitching skills.
“We can’t get kids off these machines,” Villarreal said. “I took it to a maker’s fair, and the kids were throwing into it and having a blast. Finally, their parents had to tell them that there were other people in line. … You can’t keep them off this thing.”
The six-foot, 300-pound machine uses laser light to track and locate a pitch. A digital display quickly reports back to a pitcher his speed, whether the throw was a strike or ball and its general location.
Painted a Royal blue, the Wi-Fi-enabled pitch analyzer also produces printable performance reports for pitchers to see their pattern. Soon the machine will send the report to a mobile app that’s now in development, which will allow for pitchers to create an online profile of their skills and progress.
“We developed a light curtain with this machine,” Villarreal said. “It has a triple layer light curtain and there are laser arrays that are disrupted by a passing ball and we can collect the data as it passes. We can detect its position on an x and y (axis) and a delta and z axis with a speed component to very accurately determine the speed of the ball.”
Villarreal is selling the laser light version of his product for $4,400 and a radar-based machine for $1,500.
An electrical engineer by training, Villarreal said he plans to capture data from the machines in hopes to create additional revenue opportunities for Precise Play. Eventually, Villarreal said he sees the potential for college scouts and recruiters to pay a subscription to learn more about prospects.
Founded in 2012, Precise Play now has eight people on staff.
Here’s a brief demonstration of the machine from Villarreal:
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Former Mobank CEO, Cerner leader acquire, join longstanding KC tech company
A dramatic change at a Kansas City a computer IT support and managed services firm is expected to bring expanded vision and executive direction with the addition of two top tech leaders who also now own the business, the company announced Tuesday. CyTek Corporation, founded in 1998, has been acquired by former Mobank CEO Grant…
Far from fenced-in city life: Rural Missouri camel rancher takes a trail less ridden
After 35-plus years ranching camels at the foot of the Ozarks, Rod Malchow expressed no regrets about spending more than half his life with exotic animals on a remote Missouri farm — often seeing only his wife, sister and neighbors unless traveling to events offering camel rides. “If I fell over dead tomorrow, I’d have…
Reimagined Lightwell ready to take innovation hub mantle as KC’s tech talent return to the office
A steady stream of foot traffic flows beneath the Lightwell building’s signature feature — a winding overhead natural light design that spans nearly a city block — as employees returning to the workplace help the iconic downtown Kansas City landmark assume its new identity: 21st century innovation hub. “A lot of people will talk about…
Bring your data strategy forward with control, transparency
Editor’s note: The following commentary is sponsored by AdPredictive, which has headquarters in Kansas City, Kansas, and New York. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Chelsea O’Donnell is senior vice president for business and client development for AdPredictive. Between increasingly strict privacy regulations and maneuvering by big tech, brands of all…