{"product_id":"jugs-mini3-baseball-pitching-machine","title":"JUGS mini3 Baseball Pitching Machine","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe JUGS mini3 Baseball Pitching Machine is a portable three-wheel baseball pitching machine that throws eight preset pitches at speeds from 30 to 80 mph. One dial moves it between fastballs, split-finger fastballs, right- and left-handed curveballs, cutters and sliders, so hitters see real movement without anyone re-aiming or rotating the machine between pitches. At 95 pounds and sized to fit in most car trunks, it suits baseball coaches who move between fields, families building a serious backyard setup, and hitting facilities that want one machine to cover batting practice and defensive work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mini3 is built for a wide range of baseball players, from backyard hitters and youth leagues through high school, college and professional programs. The same machine that feeds a 10-year-old steady 45 mph strikes can turn around and throw sliders to a varsity lineup, then hit fly balls to the outfield once batting practice is over.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eEight Preset Pitches From One Dial\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of what makes a baseball hitter better against live pitching is learning to recognize spin and adjust timing. The Select-A-Pitch dial on the mini3 puts eight preset pitches at the turn of a knob: fastballs, split-finger fastballs, right- and left-handed curveballs, cutters and sliders. Instead of guessing at wheel settings, a coach picks the pitch and the machine sets itself up to throw it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe three-wheel design is what makes that practical. Three wheels grip the ball at once, which gives better contact and steadier pitch control than a design that has to tilt or turn its head for each pitch type. Because the mini3 never has to be rotated to change pitches, a coach can call a curveball after a fastball without walking out to the machine, and hitters can work through a real sequence instead of 30 straight fastballs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat matters in a practice plan. A hitter can spend one round sitting on fastballs to groove a swing, then a second round seeing breaking balls from the side of the plate that gives him the most trouble. Left-handed and right-handed curveball settings let a lineup prepare for the arm side it expects to face that week.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDigital Speed Control From 30 to 80 mph\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpeed on the mini3 is set digitally anywhere from 30 to 80 mph, and the large liquid crystal display (LCD) readout is easy to read on a bright sunny afternoon or an overcast day. Coaches can repeat a speed exactly from one session to the next instead of nudging a knob and hoping it lands in the same place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe range covers most of a baseball career. Younger players can start at the low end and build confidence, while high school and college hitters can work toward game speed. Remember that perceived speed depends on distance: moving the machine closer to the plate makes a modest setting play faster, which is a useful way to train reaction time without maxing out the dial.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHitters See the Ball the Whole Way\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA pitching machine is only as useful as a hitter's ability to time it. The mini3 uses the Always-See-The-Ball delivery system, in which a black hitter's eye ball chute gives the batter an unobstructed view from the machine to the hitting zone. The ball is visible as it is fed, so hitters can start their load and stride on a real cue instead of guessing when the pitch is coming.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat visibility is a big part of why machine work on the mini3 transfers to games. Hitters practice tracking the ball out of a release point, which is exactly the skill they need against a live pitcher.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAiming Controls for Hitting and Fielding\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree adjustment systems handle where the ball goes. The vertical macro adjustment raises the head for big moves, and makes deep fly balls of 250 feet straightforward. The micro-adjustment, called Pinpoint control, sits at your fingertips for small changes, so you can move a pitch from the bottom of the zone to the top without starting over. The horizontal macro adjustment lever allows a full 360 degrees of rotation, so you can turn the machine toward any part of the field.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn practice that means a coach can dial in a strike for batting practice, swing the machine toward shortstop for ground balls, then point it at center field for fly balls, all from the same spot on the field.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eA Defensive Coach as Well as a Hitting Machine\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mini3 is designed for offensive, defensive and catcher's drills. Grounders, deep fly balls and catcher pop-ups can all be fed with the same machine that throws batting practice, which saves a coach's arm and gives every fielder more repetitions in less time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrganizations using the mini3 include Oregon State University, where it is used to work on both offense and defense from the start of practice to the end. For a high school or travel program, that means one machine can run the hitting station during the first half of practice and the fielding station during the second.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eComponents Built for Daily Use\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mini3 runs on 9-inch non-marking pneumatic Grip-Tite tires. Air-filled tires grip the ball consistently and will not melt, crack or chunk the way traditional solid tires can, which keeps pitches accurate as the machine racks up hours. Non-marking rubber also matters if the machine is used on a gym floor or an indoor facility surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree 1\/4 horsepower (HP) motors drive the wheels, and each one sits behind its own cast-aluminum motor guard that protects it from direct hits. Line drives back up the middle are part of life for any pitching machine, and the guards are there so a well-struck ball does not end a practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWho the JUGS mini3 Baseball Machine Is For\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBaseball coaches who need one machine for hitting, infield, outfield and catcher work, and who load equipment into a car rather than a trailer.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFamilies with a backyard cage who want game-like pitches for a player heading into high school or college baseball.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYouth league and travel programs that want a machine players can grow into, starting slow and working up to 80 mph.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHigh school, college and professional programs that want breaking balls from either arm side without changing machines.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHitting facilities that need a machine they can set quickly between lessons.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow to Use the mini3 in Practice\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA few ways coaches put the mini3 to work during a baseball practice:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTiming rounds: set a fastball at a comfortable speed and have hitters focus on starting their load as the ball appears in the chute.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePitch recognition: alternate fastballs with curveballs or sliders and have hitters call the pitch out loud before they swing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpposite-field work: set a pitch on the outer part of the plate with the micro-adjustment and have hitters drive it the other way.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGround ball rounds: rotate the machine with the horizontal lever and feed grounders to each infield position in turn.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFly ball rounds: raise the head with the vertical macro adjustment and send deep fly balls to outfielders working on routes and drop steps.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCatcher pop-ups: use the vertical adjustment to send high pop-ups so catchers can practice finding the ball and turning off the mask.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen hitters are swinging at the machine, set up a protective screen in front of it to keep the operator and the machine out of the line of fire. If you want hitters to work without someone feeding balls, the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/jugs-carousel-feeder\"\u003eJUGS Carousel Automatic Ball Feeder\u003c\/a\u003e is made in a version for the mini3 Baseball; choose the Baseball - mini3 option.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow the mini3 Fits in the JUGS Three-Wheel Lineup\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mini3 is the portable member of the JUGS three-wheel family. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/jugs-sp3-baseball-pitching-machine\"\u003eJUGS SP3 Baseball Pitching Machine\u003c\/a\u003e throws 8 pitch types from 25 to 90 mph, and the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/jugs-bp3-baseball-pitching-machine\"\u003eJUGS BP3 Baseball Pitching Machine with Changeup\u003c\/a\u003e has nine pitch options from 40 to 90 mph. Programs that need top-end velocity look at those two; programs that value moving the machine easily between fields and running defensive drills from the same unit often land on the mini3. Softball programs should look at the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/jugs-mini3-softball-pitching-machine\"\u003eJUGS mini3 Softball Pitching Machine\u003c\/a\u003e, which is set up for softball pitches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eJUGS mini3 Baseball Pitching Machine Specifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSport: baseball\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign: three-wheel pitching machine\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeed range: 30-80 mph, set digitally\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDisplay: large LCD readout, readable in full sun or overcast conditions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePreset pitches: 8 via the Select-A-Pitch dial (fastballs, split-finger fastballs, right- and left-handed curveballs, cutters and sliders)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDelivery: Always-See-The-Ball system with black hitter's eye ball chute\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTires: 9-inch non-marking pneumatic Grip-Tite tires\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMotors: three 1\/4 HP motors, each with a cast-aluminum motor guard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdjustments: vertical macro adjustment, Pinpoint micro-adjustment, horizontal macro adjustment lever with 360-degree rotation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFly balls: up to 250 feet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeight: 95 lbs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePortability: fits in most car trunks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSkill levels: backyard players, youth leagues, high schools, colleges, professionals and hitting facilities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWarranty: 2 years on all parts, normal wear and factory defects\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat pitches can the JUGS mini3 Baseball machine throw?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt throws eight preset baseball pitches selected with one dial: fastballs, split-finger fastballs, right- and left-handed curveballs, cutters and sliders. You do not need to rotate the machine to switch pitches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow fast does the mini3 Baseball pitch?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpeed is set digitally from 30 to 80 mph and shown on a large LCD readout, so you can repeat the same setting every session.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCan one person move and set up the mini3?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt weighs 95 pounds and fits in most car trunks, which is why it is popular with coaches who carry their own equipment from field to field.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCan I use the mini3 for fielding practice as well as hitting?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. It is designed for offensive, defensive and catcher's drills, including ground balls, deep fly balls up to 250 feet and catcher pop-ups. The horizontal lever rotates the machine 360 degrees so you can aim at any position.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCan I add an automatic ball feeder?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/jugs-carousel-feeder\"\u003eJUGS Carousel Automatic Ball Feeder\u003c\/a\u003e comes in a version made for this machine. Select the Baseball - mini3 option so the feeder matches your mini3, and use a protective screen in front of the machine and feeder whenever hitters are swinging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat warranty comes with the mini3 Baseball Pitching Machine?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe JUGS mini3 Baseball Pitching Machine carries a 2-year warranty on all parts, normal wear and factory defects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eShould I choose the baseball or softball mini3?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChoose by the sport you coach. This model throws baseball pitches from 30 to 80 mph. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/jugs-mini3-softball-pitching-machine\"\u003emini3 Softball\u003c\/a\u003e throws seven softball pitches, including risers and drop balls, from 30 to 70 mph.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Jugs","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67791223652667,"sku":"J01-M1040","price":2994.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0957\/4658\/8987\/files\/jugs-mini3-baseball-pitching-machine-front.jpg?v=1792861812","url":"https:\/\/www.hittingstore.com\/products\/jugs-mini3-baseball-pitching-machine","provider":"HittingStore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}