This week 30 European prospects, 16 hitters and 14 pitchers from nine different countries, are working out at the new Hoofddorp facility during the annual MLB Elite Mini Camp under the guidance of former Major Leaguers Steve Finley and Tom Gordon, as well as strength and conditioning guru Jeff Krushell.
They are not only experience the knowledge of All-Star careers, but also train with the newest technology. White hitting in indoor batting cages, the hitters were using SMI Eye Tracking devices. Wearing the goggles, which you can see in the pictures provided by MLB, they are able to learn how to adjust their focus point and calibrate where they should be staring at when facing a pitcher.
SMI eye tracking was used for the first time in baseball on Tuesday at the MLB Elite Mini Camp. Senso Motoric Instruments (SMI) was founded in 1991 and is a world leader in dedicated computer vision applications.
While this particular technology was used for the first time and brings it to another level, tracking of the eye movement has been one item which is worked on during work-outs of the Dutch baseball academy and now gets introduced to European baseball.
