SKLZ Fielding Trainer is designed to give your players the hit-like returns — grounders, line drives, and fly balls — they need to build the reactions, muscle memory, and glove skills that turn average defenders into all-star playmakers.
Designed for easy setup, take-down and storage, the Fielding Trainer is perfect for practices, one-on-one coaching or using in the backyard.
www.sklz.com/fielding-trainer
My Role
As the Senior Industrial Designer, I was responsible for taking this product from brief to market launch. My responsibilities included:
Competitive research to identify market opportunity.
Conceptual sketches and functional physical prototypes.
3D CAD of the finalized design for engineering verification and factory quotes.
Qualitative user testing and sample reports.
Intentional design of a patentable product to prevent being copied by our retailers.
Collaboration with the Product Line Manager to determine product and market requirements.
Collaboration with Engineering to finalize product specs and complete QA testing.
Collaboration with Development and the factory to hit target cost and margin.
Collaboration with Marketing and Sales to provide necessary assets for all channels (including mass markets and Amazon).
The pitchback is an iconic product that hasn't changed in the last 50 years:
Y-shaped frame that fails to deliver game-like rebounds.
Large frame that sit in the backyard until the weather degrades the net and frame.
Franklin Return Trainer
$74.99
Champion Sports Rebound Pitchback
$99.99
Easton Elite Playback
$109.99
Rukket Rebounder Pitchback
$129.99
1. Lack of Function
"The ball just doesn't bounce as well as it should off the top. It comes off the bottom better, but still not great."
2. Difficult to Use
"Dangerous product. My 11yo son was trying to adjust the angle and severed his finger."
3. Poor Quality
"The anchors will not hold it down sufficiently. The net pulls so tight that the frame will warp. Unfortunately this is not worth keeping."
4. Inability to Store
"In less than a year of keeping it in my backyard, the hooks on the bungee cords started to rust and break. I don't have space for it in the garage."
1. Authentic
Deliver game-like returns (trajectory and cadence) for ground balls, line drives, and fly balls.
2. Easy to Use
Enable younger users to switch between settings without an adult.
3. Elevated Quality
Develop a frame that is both lightweight and able to withstand net tension.
4. Collapse, Move, Store
Easily transport the rebounder from the garage, to the backyard, to practice.
1. Brand Legacy
Align with brand principles and guidelines.
Consider future expansion into other sports to create a product family.
2. Safety Regulations
Must pass all safety regulation testing.
Must pass all testing for a limited 1 year warranty.
3. Competitive Price Point
Target $124.99 MSRP to compete in mass/retail channels.
Patentable IP if possible to prevent knock-offs.
4. Small Shipping Footprint
Monitor size and weight for factory shipping out of China.
Packaging must fit on a standard retail shelf (48" wide).
I created a series of concept sketches to be reviewed by the product team for the following criteria:
1. Potential for authentic ball returns.
2. Engineering feasibility and risk.
3. Factory capabilities and costing estimates.
4. Product Launch deadline and team capacity.
The top three concept sketches advanced to rapid protoyping.
The primary goal of the prototypes was to establish the potential for authentic ball returns.
This prototype was the clear winner and showed potential to hit all of our product and business objectives.
1. Collaborate with Engineering:
• Create 3D CAD for validation testing
• Determine tube inner and outer diameter
• Strategize break point in the frame for packaging and assembly.
2. Collaborate with Sourcing and Development:
• Compare net options and add a "strike zone".
• Evaluate factory capabilities and timelines.
• Confirm costing, MOQs and profit margin.
3. Collaborate with Product Line Manager
• Organize user testing goals and schedule.
• Coordinate communication with Marketing.
• Confirm all functional and aesthetic elements.
The prototype was translated into CAD to facilitate the following discussions:
1. Frame Specifications and force analysis
2. Net Fabrication
3. Branding and CMF (Color, Material, Finish)
Factory samples go through rounds of testing, measuring, and reviewing. All feedback is collected and communicated back to the factory for the next sample round.
1st Sample Round
2nd Sample Round
3rd Sample Round
Using factory prototypes we began user testing with a selection of athletes, teams, coaches and parents. Testing results:
1. Users quickly discovered how to use the product without any guidance.
2. Athletes were engaged and inspired to create their own games with the product.
3. Coaches readily identified drills they could run on the product (for all skill levels).
4. Parents loved that the product gave their child autonomy to practice on their own.
SKLZ Fielding Trainer is the first baseball rebounder to provide game-like grounders, line drives, and pop flys.
Whether you're with a team or practicing solo, improve your fundamentals including throwing consistently at the target, proper footwork and rhythm attacking the ball.
Your players will go from fielding grounders to catching line drives and fly balls in an instant with the Fielding Trainer’s easy settings.
The Fielding Trainer gives you the power to have more dynamic practices and coaching sessions or let players practice multiple defensive plays on their own.
Designed for easy setup, takedown and storage, the Fielding Training is perfect for team practice, one-on-one coaching, or backyard play.
If intellectual property isn't protected, you're likely to start seeing knock-offs within the year. Building in patent-able elements to the design increases the longevity of revenue potential.
Patent:
USD805591S1The Red Dot Award is an international design competition with an emphasis on innovation. A jury only awards this sought-after seal of quality to products that feature an outstanding design.
