What Is HitTrax? Exit Velocity, Launch Angle, and How the Simulator Works
Posted by Burghardt Sporting Goods on Jul 21st 2026
What Is HitTrax? Exit Velocity, Launch Angle, and How a Hitting Simulator Works
Quick answer: HitTrax is a baseball and softball hitting simulator that uses a camera and sensor unit mounted in the batting cage to measure what happens to the ball after contact. It reports exit velocity (how fast the ball leaves the bat, in mph), launch angle (the vertical angle the ball leaves the bat, in degrees), and projected distance and spray direction, then plots the result inside a simulated ballpark on a screen in front of the hitter. HitTrax does not pitch the ball. It works alongside a pitching machine, a live arm, or a tee. Burghardt Sporting Goods in New Berlin, Wisconsin operates one HitTrax tunnel plus three standard tunnels. All four are walk-in with no reservations on the BSG Cage Card system.
What does HitTrax actually measure?
HitTrax tracks the batted ball, not the swing. A sensor unit in the cage picks up the ball off the bat and calculates its flight, then displays the result in real time. The core metrics are:
- Exit velocity. The speed of the ball immediately after contact, measured in miles per hour. This is the single clearest indicator of how hard a hitter squared the ball up.
- Launch angle. The vertical angle, in degrees, at which the ball leaves the bat. Negative and near-zero angles are ground balls. Higher angles are fly balls and pop-ups.
- Projected distance. How far the ball would have traveled in an unobstructed field, calculated from exit velocity and launch angle.
- Spray direction and hit result. Where the ball would have landed, and whether it would have been a single, double, out, or home run in the simulated stadium.
Because every ball is logged, a session produces a record instead of a memory. Hitters can compare averages and hard-hit rates across sessions rather than relying on how a round felt.
What is a good launch angle?
Launch angle describes the ball's trajectory off the bat. As a general reference used across the hitting-data world, including MLB's Statcast system that popularized these terms, batted balls fall into rough bands: ground balls sit below roughly 10 degrees, line drives fall in the neighborhood of 10 to 25 degrees, fly balls climb above 25 degrees, and pop-ups run past 50 degrees. Balls hit in the middle of that line-drive-to-fly-ball window, combined with high exit velocity, produce the most extra-base hits.
Important context: there is no single correct launch angle for every hitter. A contact hitter and a power hitter can both succeed with very different profiles, and chasing a number can put a young player into an uppercut swing that costs them contact. Launch angle is most useful as a diagnostic, not a target.
Is HitTrax a pitching machine?
No. HitTrax is a measurement and simulation system. It sits in the cage and reads the batted ball. The pitch itself still comes from a machine, a coach, a live pitcher, or a tee. At Burghardt, the HitTrax tunnel runs on the same pitching machine setup as the standard tunnels, with multiple pitch speeds for baseball and softball, and adds the tracking screen on top.
HitTrax tunnel vs. standard batting cage: what's the difference?
| Standard tunnel | HitTrax tunnel | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per 15-pitch round at BSG | 1 credit ($2) | 2 credits ($4) |
| Pitch speeds | 4 speed options | 4 speed options |
| Baseball and softball | Yes | Yes |
| Measures exit velocity | No | Yes |
| Measures launch angle | No | Yes |
| Projected distance and hit result | No | Yes |
| Best for | Volume swings, timing, warming up | Bat testing, tracking progress, measurable feedback |
| Reservation required | No, walk-in | No, walk-in |
A practical way to use both: take your volume rounds in a standard tunnel, then move to HitTrax when you want a number attached to the change you just made.
How do the batting cages work at Burghardt Sporting Goods?
Burghardt Sporting Goods operates four batting tunnels in New Berlin, Wisconsin: three standard tunnels and one HitTrax tunnel. The cages are walk-in with no reservations. You buy a BSG Cage Card, load it with credits, and swipe in whenever the store is open. One credit ($2) buys a 15-pitch round in a standard tunnel. Two credits ($4) buy a 15-pitch round in the HitTrax tunnel.
Inside the cages, Burghardt also runs the Demo House, a free bat and helmet borrow station. Players can pick up a demo bat, take live cuts, and see the result on HitTrax before deciding what to buy. Separately, the store has a 7,500 square foot indoor turf area for team and individual training. The turf is reservation-based, which is the main practical difference between it and the walk-in cages.
Burghardt Sporting Goods
15333 W National Avenue, New Berlin, WI 53151
Phone: (262) 790-1170
Hours: Mon–Fri 9 AM–9 PM, Sat 9 AM–7 PM, Sun 10 AM–6 PM
Frequently asked questions
What is HitTrax?
HitTrax is a baseball and softball hitting simulator that measures the batted ball and displays exit velocity, launch angle, projected distance, and simulated hit result on a screen in the cage.
What is exit velocity?
Exit velocity is the speed of the ball in miles per hour immediately after it leaves the bat. Higher exit velocity generally means the hitter squared the ball up more solidly.
Does HitTrax measure bat speed?
HitTrax measures the ball after contact rather than the swing itself. Bat speed is a separate measurement captured by swing sensors, not by ball-tracking systems.
Can you use HitTrax for softball?
Yes. HitTrax supports both baseball and softball, and the HitTrax tunnel at Burghardt offers both.
Do I need a reservation to use the HitTrax cage at Burghardt?
No. All four batting tunnels are walk-in with no reservations, using the BSG Cage Card system. The 7,500 square foot indoor turf is the reservation-based space.
How much does the HitTrax cage cost?
A 15-pitch round in the HitTrax tunnel is 2 credits ($4). A 15-pitch round in a standard tunnel is 1 credit ($2). Credits are loaded onto a BSG Cage Card.
Can I try a bat before buying it?
Yes. The Demo House inside the Burghardt cages is a free bat and helmet borrow station, so players can test bats in a live tunnel before purchasing.
Hitting-data terminology such as exit velocity and launch angle is used consistently across MLB Statcast and commercial tracking systems including HitTrax. Cage credit pricing and facility details reflect Burghardt Sporting Goods in New Berlin, Wisconsin.