If you’ve played baseball long enough, you’ve seen a pitcher get hurt by a baseball or come close to getting their head struck by a batted baseball. The pitcher is the most vulnerable player on the field because he is the closest to the batter and has the least amount of time to react immediately after throwing a pitch.

Easton-Bell has designed a helmet “dome” that attaches to a pitcher’s hat and protects the player from concussions. Although the helmet is still a prototype, the manufacturer will be releasing it within a year or so. Some sources expect the helmet to be released this fall.

The helmet is made from polystyrene, an energy absorbing plastic, and weighs just 5½ ounces. Easton-Bell made the helmet look “cool”, with its sci-fi like appearance, and gave it a head band design in order to keep a pitcher cool under high temperatures.

Concussions have been a big issue in the NFL and NHL, where blows to the head are common. Baseball has made headlines as well, with high-school and college players receiving life threatening injuries after being struck in the head with a baseball. Representatives of Little League Baseball expect the futuristic looking pitcher helmet to be standard safety equipment within 5 years.