Boston Startup Brings Performance Wearable Technology To MLB

BOSTON (CBS) - Opening day is right around the corner, and WBZ business reporter Jeff Brown reports a Boston company's technology will be seen on the field this year.

Boston startup WHOOP is teaming with Major League Baseball to bring its performance wearable technology to big league diamonds.

The device is worn on the wrist and tracks a players' performance during games.

Founder Will Ahmed says the device is used to optimize performance.

"When we did a study with Major League Baseball over the course of last season, we found a direct correlation between how recovered athletes were and how fast they were pitching and how well they were hitting during games," Ahmed said.

The performance tracking starts when the athlete is asleep.

"We spend about a third of our life sleeping...and know very little about that time," Ahmed said.

And the sleep data can help determine how effective the player will be.

"An athlete will wake up with a recovery, that recovery score will tell them how prepared that athlete is for the day," Ahmed explains.

Ahmed says the players love it:

"Athletes really love the data they're getting from WHOOP, so they wear it voluntarily and they wear it every day," Ahmed says.

And teams can use this to get the most from these highly paid athletes.

"Each team is going to use this information differently, but it does create this interesting Moneyball 2.0 moment where it's not just how talented a player is, but also what the state of their body is that determines performance," Ahmed said.

MLB is the first U.S. professional sports league to approve the device for in game use.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Jeff Brown reports