MLB approves pitchers' protective hats

A padded hat for pitchers, designed to cut down on skull fractures caused by line drives, has been approved by Major League Baseball.

Major League Baseball has approved a padded hat for pitchers, designed to cut down skull fractures. (AAP)

Major League Baseball has approved a padded hat for pitchers that is designed to cut down on the number of skull fractures caused by line drives.

The caps are manufactured by New York-based 4Licensing Corp and will be made available to pitchers for the 2014 season.

MLB wanted the hat to withstand a 133km/h line drive which a study determined was the average speed of a line drive when it reaches the pitcher's mound. Pitchers are given the option to use the cap.

The hats are about 1.25cm thicker in the front and 2.5cm thicker on the sides than a standard ball cap. The extra padding adds 198 grams to the weight of the hat.

Several pitchers have suffered skull fractures over the past few seasons including the Toronto Blue Jays' JA Happ who was hit by a line drive in May.

The Arizona Diamondbacks' Brandon McCarthy also suffered a skull fracture when he was struck in September 2012. McCarthy, who had brain surgery and missed the rest of the season, told ESPN he would not wear one because "it is too big" and "doesn't feel quite right".