High school softball coaches will be allowed to use electronic devices to communicate with catchers

High school softball catchers will join high school baseball catchers in wearing a listening device in their ear to hear instructions from their coach.

The Softball Rules Committee for the National Federation of State High School Assns has approved a new rule allowing coaches to use a one-way electronic device to communicate with the catcher beginning in the 2025 season. A similar rule allowed the use of communication devices last season in high school baseball.

Coaches are prohibited from using the device “for the purpose of communicating with other team members while playing defense or with other team members while playing offense,” and a coach is prohibited from using the device “outside the dugout.”

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This article originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.