The 'Magic Tee' Is Here for the New Generation of Fly Ball Hitters

Kids are learning how to swing the bat thanks to the rise in home runs. Two Iowa dads are looking to capitalize on that trend with the "Magic Tee."

Eight years ago, Ryan McGuire, a former Iowa State coach was teaching his four-year-old how to swing a bat. His son had a toy that hung a ball on a string, allowing McGuire to teach the tyke to hit the lower half of the ball, something McGuire had trouble doing on the traditional tee with his college players.

The Statcast era in baseball has ushered in what some have called the “fly ball revolution.” New age batting analysis has made swinging for the fences fashionable. To do so means hitting the ball from below, contradicting the old coaching…