Why This USC Pitching Coach Loves Portolite Practice Mounds

USC pitching coach Seth Etherton says customized Portolite baseball practice mounds can't be beat

Seth Etherton isn’t one to settle for second best.

So when the former big-leaguer and University of Southern California great became an assistant baseball coach at his alma mater a year ago, Etherton began searching for top-of-the-line equipment to help his players hit it out of the park.

That search led him to Portolite.

Etherton -- who began his first season as USC’s pitching coach in 2023 -- said was the easy choice for quality pitching mounds. He ordered four over-sized One-Piece Practice Mounds after meeting Portolite reps at the American Baseball Coaches Association convention in Nashville earlier this year.

“As I was walking through, I kept coming back to Portolite,” he said. “I wanted something that would hold up to heavy use every day. I wanted something that was one piece and easy to move. Portolite’s responsiveness and service has been outstanding. I couldn’t be happier.”

A top feature is the extra length of the mound.

While many mounds are around 10-feet long, Portolite’s oversized mound is 10”H by 10’6”L by 5’W. This means tall college pitchers have plenty of room to make a long stride and land on the mound

“With a lot of other mounds, players will land on the ground or turf,” Etherton said. “That’s not an issue now.”

These mounds are used daily by 18 players a day so must be durable, he said. Portolite customized the mounds for USC, adding extra fiberglass and cushion on the mound to hold up to the players’ cleats.

“Our guys love the feel of it,” Etherton said. “It truly emulates the feel of game play for them."

Etherton knows his stuff. 

He led USC to the College World Series title in 1998 and was the National Player of the Year that season.

He played four MLB seasons between 2000 and 2006: with Anaheim in 2000, the Cincinnati Reds in 2003, the Oakland Athletics in 2005, and the Kansas City Royals in 2006. He also played professionally for the Kia Tigers in 2007 and the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions in 2011.

He returned to USC after most recently serving as the pitching coach for the Louisville Bats in the Cincinnati Reds minor league system. Etherton was named an assistant coach for the USC baseball program in July 2022.

As a trainer and coach, Etherton wants to keep his players safe and healthy during daily practice drills.

Portolite’s full body, high performance poly protected resilient core construction gives pitchers a solid yet cushioned landing area to reduce knee and ankle strain. Etherton said he appreciates that the mounds are well-anchored and don’t move. 

“I’ve used a lot of mounds over the years that we had to stop to readjust as pitchers were throwing,” he said. “These feel like normal game mounds.”

These oversized mounds:

• Are made for the tallest pitchers, longest strides and extra “noisy” wind ups. There’s a larger back area to practice pick off moves.

• Come with a poly coating grips for gym floors without scratching. 

• Come with the most durable turf in clay, red, tan, and green colors.

• Have simulated rubbers that last 10 times longer than industry standards.

“Portolite has been amazing to work with,” Etherton said. “These are the best products on the market in my eyes.”