JUGS Changeup Super Softball Pitching Machine

The JUGS Changeup Super Softball Pitching Machine throws fastballs up to 70 mph and changeups as low as 44 mph, and it switches between the two at the push of a button. Because the speed change can be made from a hand-held remote, the hitter does not know which pitch is coming, so softball batting practice stops being a rhythm drill and starts looking like a real at-bat against a pitcher who changes speeds. It is designed for advanced players at the high school, college and advanced travel ball level, and USA Softball teams use it.

Underneath the changeup feature is a full softball pitching machine: a single-wheel design built around a 16-inch Grip-Tite non-marking pneumatic tire, a digital display that shows the set speed, a ball chute that fits 11-inch or 12-inch softballs, and a 360 degree swivel base for fly balls, ground balls and catcher pop-ups. Choose the Without Cart option for the machine on its own, or the With Cart option to get the machine together with the JUGS Softball Transport Cart.

Fastball and Changeup Switching at the Push of a Button

Most pitching machines throw one speed until someone walks over and changes it. That builds a swing, but it also lets a hitter settle into a rhythm that no good softball pitcher will allow in a game. The Changeup Super Softball is built to break that rhythm. Set it to fastball/changeup mode and you can throw a fastball up to 70 mph, then follow it with a changeup as low as 44 mph, then go back to the fastball, all without the hitter seeing anything change at the machine.

That unpredictability is the point. A hitter who knows a changeup might be coming has to keep her weight back, stay on the pitch longer and still be ready to catch up to the fastball. Those are the habits that win at-bats against pitchers who mix speeds, and they are very difficult to build against a machine that throws the same pitch every time.

Hand-Held Remote Control for Speed Changes

Speed changes can be made with the hand-held remote control or with the controls on the machine itself. The remote can be used at the machine, from behind the hitter or even from the dugout, so the coach running the session decides where to stand.

Standing behind the hitter lets a coach watch the swing and call the next pitch based on what the hitter just did. Working from the dugout lets a coach run a round while also managing the rest of practice. Either way, the hitter cannot read the speed change from the person at the machine, which keeps the drill honest.

Why Changeup Training Matters for Softball Hitters

Speed differential is one of the main weapons a softball pitcher has. A changeup thrown with the same arm action as a fastball arrives later than the hitter expects, and a hitter who has only practiced against one speed tends to commit early, roll over or swing through it. The fix is reps against a real speed change, and plenty of them.

Against the Changeup Super Softball, hitters learn to recognize the slower pitch, hold their load and still drive the ball. Coaches can also run two-strike rounds where the hitter has to protect against both speeds, a situation that comes up in every game. Over a season, that kind of training changes how a lineup handles a pitcher who relies on changing speeds.

Setting Up for Fastball/Changeup Mode

For optimum performance in fastball/changeup mode, the machine must be set 37 feet from home plate. Measure that distance when you set up and keep it consistent from session to session, so the fastball and the changeup arrive the way they are designed to and the hitter gets a true speed difference.

When you are not working on changeups, the machine works as a standard softball pitching machine for straight batting practice and for defensive drills off the swivel base.

Digital Display and Speed Control

The digital display lets you quickly see the set speed. That makes it simple to build a plan for a session, such as a fastball-only round to get loose, a changeup-only round to learn the look of the slower pitch, and then mixed rounds where the coach picks the speed pitch by pitch. Because the display shows exactly what the machine is set to, every hitter in a group can get the same speeds and coaches can track progress from one practice to the next.

Grip-Tite Pneumatic Tire and Single-Wheel Design

The machine throws with a 16-inch Grip-Tite non-marking pneumatic tire that will not melt, crack or chunk. A tire that holds its shape helps pitches stay accurate over long sessions and long seasons of team use.

The single-wheel design keeps the machine's weight down and keeps setup simple. For a coach who sets up and tears down alone, fewer moving parts and less weight make daily use realistic.

360 Degree Swivel Base for Defensive Work

The swivel base rotates 360 degrees, so the same machine that runs batting practice can throw fly balls to the outfield, ground balls to the infield and pop-ups for catchers. Coaches can rotate from a hitting round to a defensive round without packing up or moving to a second machine, which makes the Changeup Super Softball a two-in-one tool for team practice.

Without Cart or With Cart: How the Transport Cart Works

This listing comes in two options. The Without Cart option is the Changeup Super Softball machine by itself. The With Cart option includes the machine plus the JUGS Softball Transport Cart, a wheeled cart made for the Changeup Super Softball and the JUGS BP1 Softball Only Pitching Machine.

To use the cart, insert it into the base of the machine, tilt the machine back and wheel it wherever you need to go. If the machine is stored away from the field and has to travel for every practice, the cart makes that a one-person roll instead of a carry. If you already own the cart or will not be moving the machine often, the Without Cart option is the one to choose.

Who the JUGS Changeup Super Softball Pitching Machine Is For

This softball pitching machine is designed for advanced players whose skills call for game-like speeds and a realistic mix of pitches. It fits:

• High school softball programs that want hitters ready for pitchers who change speeds
• College softball teams running high-volume, game-like batting practice
• Advanced travel ball teams and players preparing for weekend tournaments
• Hitting instructors who want to call speed changes during lessons
• Coaches who want one machine for batting practice plus outfield, infield and catcher drills

USA Softball teams use the Changeup Super Softball. If you do not need the changeup mode and would rather have a machine that throws risers, fastballs and drops, the BP1 Softball Only is the other JUGS softball-only option, and the JUGS BP1 Combo Pitching Machine covers both baseball and softball.

Training Applications

• Changeup recognition rounds: changeups only, so hitters learn the look and feel of the slower pitch
• Mixed rounds by remote: the coach calls fastball or changeup pitch by pitch from behind the hitter
• Two-strike rounds: the hitter has to protect against both speeds and put the ball in play
• Count work: fastball-heavy early in the count, more changeups when the hitter is ahead
• Straight fastball rounds to groove timing before mixing speeds
• Outfield fly ball rounds, infield ground balls and catcher pop-ups off the swivel base
• Station practices with one group in the cage on the machine while others field

Anyone feeding balls into the machine should work behind a protective screen. A screen like the JUGS Instant Screen keeps the feeder protected from line drives.

Balls to Use with the Changeup Super Softball

The ball chute fits 11-inch or 12-inch softballs, including JUGS LeatherLast, Sting-Free, Lite-Flite and Softie softballs and JUGS Bulldog polyballs. For team batting practice, Sting-Free Dimpled Softballs are a common pick, Lite-Flite Softballs work for lighter, lower-impact sessions, and Softie Genuine Leather Practice Softballs add a leather-covered practice option.

JUGS Changeup Super Softball Pitching Machine Specifications

• Sport: softball
• Fastball speed: up to 70 mph
• Changeup speed: as low as 44 mph
• Speed changes: hand-held remote control or controls on the machine
• Speed readout: digital display shows the set speed
• Fastball/changeup mode setup: machine 37 feet from home plate
• Ball chute: fits 11-inch or 12-inch softballs
• Compatible balls: JUGS LeatherLast, Sting-Free, Lite-Flite and Softie softballs, JUGS Bulldog polyballs
• Tire: 16-inch Grip-Tite non-marking pneumatic tire
• Design: single wheel
• Base: 360 degree swivel for fly balls, ground balls and catcher pop-ups
• Power: 110V (U.S.)
• Skill level: high school, college and advanced travel ball softball
• Options: Without Cart, or With Cart (includes the JUGS Softball Transport Cart)

What Is Included

• Without Cart: the JUGS Changeup Super Softball Pitching Machine
• With Cart: the same machine plus the JUGS Softball Transport Cart

Softballs and a protective screen are not included.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far from home plate should the Changeup Super Softball be set?

For optimum performance in fastball/changeup mode, set the machine 37 feet from home plate. Keeping that distance consistent gives hitters the intended speed difference between the fastball and the changeup.

How does the hitter not know a changeup is coming?

The speed change is made at the push of a button on the hand-held remote, which can be used from behind the hitter or in the dugout as well as at the machine. Nothing visible changes at the machine, so the hitter has to react to the pitch itself.

What is the difference between the Without Cart and With Cart options?

The machine is identical. The With Cart option adds the JUGS Softball Transport Cart, which inserts into the base of the machine so you can tilt it back and wheel it to the field. Choose Without Cart if you already own the cart or plan to carry the machine.

Can it throw 11-inch softballs?

Yes. The ball chute fits 11-inch or 12-inch softballs, including JUGS LeatherLast, Sting-Free, Lite-Flite and Softie softballs and JUGS Bulldog polyballs.

How is this different from the JUGS BP1 Softball Only machine?

Both are softball-only machines with a swivel base for defensive drills and a top fastball speed of 70 mph. The Changeup Super Softball adds the fastball/changeup mode and the hand-held remote for changing speeds without the hitter knowing. The BP1 Softball throws risers, fastballs and drops and does not have the changeup mode.

Can I use it for baseball?

No. The Changeup Super Softball is a softball machine. For a machine that comes set up for both sports, look at the BP1 Combo, which includes a baseball chute and a softball chute.