Report: MLB, Union working with engineers on new protective headgear

Major League Baseball says it's working with a California-based company to develop more protective headgear options for its players after yet another pitcher was struck in the head by a batted ball this week.

Officials from the league and MLB Players Association told ESPN's Outside the Lines on Friday that the two sides have been engaged for months with engineering and research firm Boombang, trying to manufacture new headgear products to present to pitchers for consideration.

Dan Jennings became the latest pitcher to be hit in the head on Thursday, when Pittsburgh's Jordy Mercer drilled a 101-mph comebacker off the Miami Marlins lefty's head. Jennings, 27, was hospitalized after the incident and diagnosed with a concussion.

Despite what appears to be a growing epidemic - seven pitchers in the last two years have been struck in the head - just one protective cap has been approved for use by major-league pitchers. The San Diego Padres' Alex Torres is the only pitcher in the majors to wear it.

The main drawback of the isoBLOX cap worn by Torres is its size, which measures wider and approximately six ounces heavier than standard New Era hats.

Not only are pitchers wary of the cap due to factors of comfort, officials told OTL that the isoBLOX cap likely wouldn't protect against a ball moving as fast as the one that struck Jennings. Via ESPN:

Even the official Rawlings MLB batting helmets aren't touted as failsafe protection against balls traveling above 100 mph. When the isoBLOX cap was approved in January, MLB said it met a safety standard at 83 mph -which was determined to be the average speed of liners reaching the mound.

MLB officials said their goal remains to create a product that's safe and doesn't interfere with pitchers' mechanics.