Major League Baseball (MLB) has penned a deal with Sportradar, a Swiss-based international sportstech firm, to overhaul the way it approaches scouting.
Sportradar will deliver player analysis and insight services to the MLB and its 30 clubs, increasing coverage from 3,300 amateur baseball events to 20,000 annually.
The company will cover fixtures from college, international and professional partner leagues alongside amateur leagues. This includes the MLB Draft League, the Appalachian League, MLB Develops, and high-school events.
Eduard Blonk, Chief Commercial Officer, Sportradar, said: “Sportradar’s cutting-edge technology, alongside our reputation as a trusted partner to leading US sports leagues, is driving the transformation of sports performance analysis.
“Through Synergy we are pleased that we are expanding our relationship with MLB, equipping them with the deep data and insights they need to identify the next generation of players. We are eager to continue bringing innovative solutions to MLB.”
Headquartered in St Gallen, Switzerland, and active internationally, Sportradar has built itself up as one of the leading sports data providers in the US.
The company has benefited greatly from the increasing value of sports data in recent years, with it becoming an important commodity for media, betting operators, and the clubs themselves in ways far beyond just revenue generation.
Various leagues across the world have been evaluating how to make greater use of data and technology for scouting courses. FIFA, for example, has spoken favourably about ai.io, whilst Chelsea partnered with AISCOUT, integrating the platform into its recruitment process.
In the MLB’s case, the company is leveraging Sportradar’s Synergy Coaching and Scouting solution. The platform utilises AI-powered sports performance technology for analysis of players and game situations, which MLB hopes will be used by its clubs to inform drafting decisions and player development.
“We are excited to expand our relationship with Sportradar and ensure equal access to the Synergy video and data services for all 30 MLB Clubs,” said John D’Angelo, MLB’s Sr. Vice President of Amateur and Medical Operations.
This platform has become a key resource for Clubs in the domestic and international scouting process and we look forward to continuing our work with Sportradar in the coming years.”
