Powerhandz, the maker other sports training products, has partnered with baseball player David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox. The signing marks the company's entry into the baseball category with a line of weighted baseball gloves.
David Ortiz is a designated hitter and first baseman for the Boston Red Sox. He is a nine time All-Star and three times World Series champion. Additionally, during the 2006 baseball season, he set a Boston Red Sox record for the most home runs in a single season (54), a record he still holds today. Throughout his career, he has hit 503 home runs ranking him 27th on the MLB all-time home run list. Ortiz also holds the record as the all-time leader for a DH in MLB history with 447 home runs, 1,442 runs batted in, and 2,023 hits.
Traditionally, Ortiz has used donuts in the on deck circle to help intensify his training. With the use of Powerhandz weighted baseball gloves, the weight is now added to his hands, while using his normal bat and giving him the ability to actually hit balls while training. The additional weight will improve athletes’ performance by developing increased hand and arm strength, therefore producing a faster bat speed or faster hands for defensive players.
Ortiz commented on what he thinks youth and professionals should know about skill development training saying, “If you fail to prepare, then prepare to fail. That’s how I feel about training and skill development. You can have all the passion in the world, but if you don’t put the work in to develop your skills, you’re going to disappoint. You have to put in the hours, and doing your workout with these gloves on will make a bigger difference than you would think.”
Ortiz elaborated on his partnership with Powerhandz, “I like Powerhandz baseball gloves because they concentrate on the hand, not the bat. When swinging, it’s all about the hands. I decided to partner with the brand because I think this may be the new ‘secret weapon’ for players while training. It’s weighted, but not too heavy. Just enough that you notice it, but not too much to confuse your swing. I think this is the next generation donut.”
“A little over a year ago, we asked athletes and parents of athletes to trust our brand in the basketball market with our anti-grip weighted gloves and slick ball wrap. The response has been overwhelming, with thousands of product sold in over 55 countries,” said Danyel Surrency Jones, co-founder and COO of Powerhandz. “Today, Powerhandz has not only created an inspirational brand, we have created the next generation training tool that forces baseball and softball athletes to focus on the mechanics of their most prized possession, their hands.”
Darnell Jones, co-founder and CEO adds, “At Powerhandz, we are committed to making the best athletic performance-enhancing products and to working with the best of the best. David Ortiz is an influential all-star athlete at the top of his sport and we are proud to have Powerhandz included in his legacy. Together, we have the power to help athletes achieve their highest potential.”
