{"id":642650,"date":"2026-03-25T14:16:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T14:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/642650\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T14:16:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T14:16:30","slug":"watch-ai-takes-the-mound-mariners-train-against-virtual-big-leaguers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/642650\/","title":{"rendered":"WATCH: AI Takes the Mound \u2014 Mariners train against virtual big-leaguers"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the Mariners Spring Training Complex in Peoria, a fastball zipped into the batting cage at 96 mph, thrown by a Kansas City Royals pitcher who isn\u2019t even in the building.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the guy we\u2019re going to see today,\u201d Ed Paparella, the Mariners\u2019 minor league hitting coordinator, said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got his video here. His video is out of the windup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Welcome to big league batting practice in the age of AI.<\/p>\n

The Seattle Mariners are among roughly two-thirds of major league clubs using the Trajekt Arc, a pitching machine that pairs a life-size video projection of a pitcher with a ball launcher capable of replicating his velocity, spin rate, and movement with precision.<\/p>\n

\u201cPretty much what it does is it creates every single pitch that\u2019s ever been thrown in the big leagues,\u201d Paparella said. \u201cOur guys use it every single day.\u201d<\/p>\n

The machine has become essential as pitching continues to dominate the sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cPitching took a big leap ahead of hitting,\u201d Paparella said. \u201cI think this kind of gives us a fighting chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

How the technology was born<\/p>\n

Canadian engineer Joshua Pope came up with the technology. He first conceived of it as a teenager, arguing with friends about whether they could hit a big league pitcher. He realized Major League Baseball was already tracking every pitch.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could see how far a home run was hit, you could see the trajectory of every pitch,\u201d Pope told \u201cThe Masters of Engineering Podcast.\u201d \u201cObviously, there\u2019s a lot of data being collected in baseball.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pope set out to turn that data into a training tool. The Trajekt Arc uses a camera system to read the ball\u2019s seam orientation and adjust in real time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe camera takes a picture of the ball, it identifies the locations of the seams, and then reconfigures it into the desired orientation,\u201d Pope said.<\/p>\n

Since 2024, MLB has allowed players to use the machine during games, meaning a pinch hitter can face a simulation of an opposing closer moments before stepping to the plate.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt does prepare guys that may come off the bench,\u201d Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. \u201cThey get a chance to hit off the relievers that they may or may not see in that game.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Mariners infielder Brendan Donovan has become one of the club\u2019s most frequent users. He views the machine as a way to make practice harder than the game itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a believer in almost like an overspeed training,\u201d Donovan told Seattle Sports.<\/a> \u201cHow can I make that as tough as possible? So hopefully when I get out there, it\u2019s never going to get easier. You may just be able to make decisions a little quicker.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Mariners open their regular season on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Read more of Aaron Granillo\u2019s stories here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow @https:\/\/twitter.com\/aaronkirofm<\/a><\/p>\n

\t
\n<\/a><\/p>\n