SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com company (NASDAQ: AMZN), announced that Major League Baseball (MLB) has chosen AWS as its official provider for machine learning, artificial intelligence, and deep learning workloads. In extending its long-standing relationship, MLB will use AWS machine learning services to continue development of Statcast—the tracking technology that runs on AWS to analyze player performance for every game—and develop new technologies to support MLB Clubs in driving innovative fan experiences and engagement across all 30 Major League ballparks. In addition, MLB will work with the Amazon ML Solutions Lab to amplify game statistical data integrations within broadcasts, including MLB Network, and live digital distribution, such as MLB.com and the MLB At Bat app, using machine learning, creating more personalized viewer experiences tailored for each market and geographic region.

AWS’s broad range of cloud-based machine learning services will enable MLB to eliminate the manual, time-intensive processes associated with record keeping and statistics, such as scorekeeping, capturing game notes, and classifying pitches. By using Amazon SageMaker, MLB is empowering its developers and data scientists to automate these tasks as they learn to quickly and easily build, train, and deploy machine learning models at scale. For example, MLB and Amazon ML Solutions Lab are using Amazon SageMaker to test how well they can accurately predict pitches by evaluating the pitcher, batter, catcher, and situation to predict the type and location of the next pitch. MLB also intends to leverage Amazon SageMaker and the natural language processing service Amazon Comprehend to build a language model that would create analysis for live games in the tone and style of iconic announcers to capture that distinct broadcast essence baseball fans know and revere.

“Incorporating machine learning into our systems and practices is a great way to take understanding of the game to a whole new level for our fans and the 30 clubs,” said Jason Gaedtke, Chief Technology Officer at Major League Baseball. “We chose AWS because of their strength, depth, and proven expertise in delivering machine learning services and are looking forward to working with the Amazon ML Solutions Lab on a number of exciting projects, including detecting and automating key events, as well as creating new opportunities to share never-before-seen metrics.”

“MLB has been collecting statistical data on its players and clubs for decades, and turned to AWS in 2015 to take its game-day stats to the next level so that fans can dig deeper into advanced metrics that ultimately enhance enjoyment of the game,” said Mike Clayville, Vice President, Worldwide Commercial Sales at AWS. “AWS has the broadest and deepest portfolio of cloud services with the best security and proven operational expertise, which is why MLB chose to work with the world’s leading cloud to build, run, and enhance Statcast. We are excited to work with MLB as they continue their journey in the cloud, leveraging AWS machine learning services to capture previously immeasurable aspects of the game and find new ways to enhance the fan engagement model for baseball.”

For more information on MLB’s use of AWS machine learning, visit aws.amazon.com/statcastai.

About Amazon Web Services

For over 12 years, Amazon Web Services has been the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. AWS offers over 125 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, hybrid, virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR), media, and application development, deployment, and management from 55 Availability Zones (AZs) within 18 geographic regions and one Local Region around the world, spanning the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the UK. AWS services are trusted by millions of active customers around the world—including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies—to power their infrastructure, make them more agile, and lower costs. To learn more about AWS, visit https://aws.amazon.com.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

About Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB currently features record levels of labor peace, competitive balance and industry revenues, as well as the most comprehensive drug-testing program in American professional sports. MLB remains committed to making an impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world, perpetuating the sport’s larger role in society and permeating every facet of baseball’s business, marketing and community relations endeavors. With the continued success of MLB Advanced Media and MLB Network, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America’s National Pastime and a truly global game. For more information on Major League Baseball, visit www.MLB.com.