Transferability of Multiple Object Tracking Skill Training to Professional Baseball Players’ Hitting Performance

NeuroTracker training across a professional baseball season transfers to large improvements in hitting performance for curveballs and sliders.

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Athletes

March 2024

in

Digital Life

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Aim

To assess the performance transfer effects from NeuroTracker training to professional baseball hitting over a competition season.

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Method

12 Japanese pro baseball players from the Seibu Lions performed NeuroTracker training at their own preferred timing and frequency over 5 months, completing up to 80 sessions each. Throughout this duration and 4 months prior, competition hitting metrics were recorded: zone contact, zone-swing strike, outside swing, outside-swing strike.

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Result

On average the baseball players’ NeuroTracker speed threshold scores improved by around 30%, with no ceiling effects from continued training. Metrics on fastball hitting showed no significant changes. However, metrics on non-fastball hitting (e.g. curve balls and sliders) revealed strong positive effects. Successful hit rate increased by +12%, while zone swing and outside swing strikes were reduced substantially by -25.3% and -26.5% respectively. Outside swings were also positively reduced by -9.6%.

Av. NeuroTracker learning rates over 5 months of training.

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