Prep Baseball Report

Joliet Preseason ID: Pitching Data Dive


Kevin Cronin
Tech Analyst, Area Scout

On Sunday, Feb. 26, the PBR Illinois team hosted the Joliet Preseason ID at Rhino Baseball Academy in Shorewood, Ill. The event featured almost 130 players from the surrounding area and gave our staff an in-depth look at numerous prospects before the IHSA season takes off.

Monday, we took a closer look at some of the immediate standouts who caught our attention with our Quick Hits. Yesterday, we published our statistical analysis, where we broke down the stat leaders from the more traditional categories. Today, we will take a further in-depth look at the top pitchers with the help of our tech partnerships, broken down by the categories down below: 

TRACKMAN

FASTBALL

VELOCITY (MAX)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Velocity (max)
1 Keegan Waters IL Morris 2024 RHP 88.2 mph
2 Ryan Exline IL Tinley Park 2024 RHP 87.0 mph
3 Elliott Alicea IL Burlington Central 2024 OF 85.9 mph
4 Ryan Sobun IL Joliet West 2025 SS 85.8 mph
5 John Meier IL Glenbrook South 2024 RHP 85.6 mph

Max Fastball Velocity: This metric calculates the speed of the pitch as it’s released from the pitcher’s hand.

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Matthew Szyska IL Prospect 2024 RHP 2304 rpm
2 Lucas Grant IL Joliet Catholic 2025 LHP 2240 rpm
3 Jack Zlogar IL Providence Catholic 2023 RHP 2234 rpm
4 Braydon McKendrick IL Brother Rice 2026 LHP 2202 rpm
5 Bode Bregar IL Oswego East 2024 RHP 2186 rpm

Spin Rate: This metric calculates the rate of spin on the baseball as it leaves the pitcher’s hand, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm). Historical data shows that high-spin fastballs lessen the impact of gravity, allowing for more ‘rise’ (or less fall, in other words) as it carries through the zone. Low-spin fastballs typically indicate the pitch has greater horizontal action, often making it tougher to square up, but generally easier to make contact with, leading to more ground balls, while high-spin fastballs show a correlation with swings and misses.

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Colin Pfeifer IL Morris 2025 LHP 20.4 in
2 Bradley Crawford IL Glenbrook South 2024 RHP 18.7 in
3 Lawrence Dennis Jr. IL Lincoln Park 2026 RHP 18.3 in
4 Collin Duffy IL Maine West 2024 RHP 18.2 in
5 Ian Campbell IL Joliet Catholic Academy 2026 RHP 17.5 in
6 Jimmy Sloan IL St. Laurence 2024 OF 17.1 in
7 Noah Pharo IL Minooka 2025 SS 16.9 in
8 Andrew Mueller IL St. Francis 2024 RHP 16.7 in
9 Canden Hardman IL Lexington 2024 C 16.7 in
10 Caleb Edwards IL Tremont 2024 3B 16.3 in

Induced Vertical Break: Used in short form as "IVB," this metric is most important on fastballs for creating rise and on curveballs for creating depth – it can also have some use when measuring sliders and cutters as well. Sliders tend to be closer to zero inches while cutters are generally between 5 and 15 inches. Usually fastballs and curveballs with large IVB have higher spin efficiencies as well. Sliders generally have very little (closer to zero) IVB and very low spin efficiency. You could also categorize IVB into spin rate as this is part of the “useful movement” you’re looking for. IVB is also a huge part of the vertical approach angle.

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Alek Terlecki IL Glenwood 2025 1B -20.1
2 Ryan Young IL Manteno 2024 LHP -17.2
3 Lucas Grant IL Joliet Catholic 2025 LHP -16.7
4 Nolan Buchen IL Orion 2025 RHP 16.1
5 Aaron Katz IL Hinsdale Central 2026 RHP 15.6

Horizontal Break: Outlined on TrackMan’s own website: “... horizontal movement is measured in inches between where the pitch actually crosses the front of home plate side-wise, and where it would have crossed home plate side-wise if had it traveled in a perfectly straight line from release. A positive number means the break was to the right from the pitcher’s perspective, while a negative number means the break was to the left from the pitcher’s perspective.”

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Cody DelFavero IL Morris 2024 OF 100 %
^ Gabe Sanders IL Yorkville 2026 LHP 100 %
^ Michael Boenzi IL Lake Zurich 2025 RHP 100 %
2 Jacob Kozelka IL Lockport 2025 C 83 %
3 Jacob Oberwise IL Saint Viator 2026 1B 80 %
4 Andrew Mueller IL St. Francis 2024 RHP 77 %
^ Ian Campbell IL Joliet Catholic Academy 2026 RHP 77 %
5 Bode Bregar IL Oswego East 2024 RHP 71 %
^ Ashton Janowski IL Oak Forest High School 2025 RHP 71 %
^ Jack Zlogar IL Providence Catholic 2023 RHP 71 %

Average MLB pitchers throw 62% strikes, and better pitchers throw strikes 65% of the time, or roughly 2:1 strikes to balls.

 


 

CURVEBALL

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 John Balla IL Hersey 2024 RHP 2621 rpm
2 Michael Boenzi IL Lake Zurich 2025 RHP 2591 rpm
3 Ryan Exline IL Tinley Park 2024 RHP 2523 rpm
4 Alec Novotney IL Marquette Academy 2026 SS 2436 rpm
5 Jack Zlogar IL Providence Catholic 2023 RHP 2421 rpm
6 Colin Kuchay IL Minooka 2026 3B 2331 rpm
7 Caleb Edwards IL Tremont 2024 3B 2311 rpm
8 Matthew Szyska IL Prospect 2024 RHP 2311 rpm
9 Lucas Grant IL Joliet Catholic 2025 LHP 2252 rpm
10 Camden Loomis IL Ottawa 2024 RHP 2230 rpm

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Nolan Hooper IL Yorkville Christian 2025 RHP -17.4 in
2 Noah Pharo IL Minooka 2025 SS -14.7 in
3 Bradley Crawford IL Glenbrook South 2024 RHP -14.3 in
4 Carson Miller IL Wheaton Academy 2025 1B -12.0 in
5 John Balla IL Hersey 2024 RHP -11.5 in

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Jack Zlogar IL Providence Catholic 2023 RHP -18.8
2 Jacob Kozelka IL Lockport 2025 C -17.5
3 Aaron Katz IL Hinsdale Central 2026 RHP -16.8
4 Michael Boenzi IL Lake Zurich 2025 RHP -16.6
5 John Balla IL Hersey 2024 RHP -15.6

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Jimmy Sloan IL St. Laurence 2024 OF 80 %
^ Caleb Edwards IL Tremont 2024 3B 80 %
^ Jerry O'Reilly IL Ridgewood 2024 LHP 80 %
^ Jacob Kozelka IL Lockport 2025 C 80 %
^ Jack Zlogar IL Providence Catholic 2023 RHP 80 %
2 Matthew Szyska IL Prospect 2024 RHP 75 %
3 Colin Pfeifer IL Morris 2025 LHP 66 %
4 Jack Hughes IL Marmion Academy 2025 LHP 60 %
^ Nash Brubaker IL Herscher 2026 1B 60 %
^ Michael Langan IL Neuqua Valley 2025 3B 60 %
^ Colin Kuchay IL Minooka 2026 3B 60 %
^ Joshua Prosise IL Joliet West 2024 3B 60 %
^ Adam Gerl IL Lincoln-Way West 2025 RHP 60 %
^ Nolan Buchen IL Orion 2025 RHP 60 %

 


 

SLIDER

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Matthew Szyska IL Prospect 2024 RHP 2503
2 Bode Bregar IL Oswego East 2024 RHP 2398
3 Benjamin Shea IL Lincoln-Way West 2024 SS 2374
4 Cody Yakimisky IL Mundelein 2024 RHP 2348
5 Gavin Fuscone IL St. Charles East 2026 3B 2287

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Benjamin Shea IL Lincoln-Way West 2024 SS -18.0 in
2 Nolan Hooper IL Yorkville Christian 2025 RHP -16.9 in
3 Braydon McKendrick IL Brother Rice 2026 LHP -10.0 in

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Canden Hardman IL Lexington 2024 C -15.0
2 Noah Pharo IL Minooka 2025 SS -14.3
3 Cody Yakimisky IL Mundelein 2024 RHP -13.3

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Nolan Hooper IL Yorkville Christian 2025 RHP 100 %
^ Bode Bregar IL Oswego East 2024 RHP 100 %
2 Canden Hardman IL Lexington 2024 C 80 %
3 Gavin Fuscone IL St. Charles East 2026 3B 66 %
^ Nolan Sullivan IL Brother Rice 2026 LHP 66 %
4 Pablo Herrera IL Plainfield South High School 2025 3B 60 %
^ Matthew Szyska IL Prospect 2024 RHP 60 %
^ Justin Buckner IL St. Rita 2025 RHP 60 %

 


 

CHANGEUP

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Subhaan Khan IL Saint Charles North 2026 RHP 17.1
2 Ryan Sobun IL Joliet West 2025 SS 16.2
3 Cade Laudeman IL Morris Community 2026 RHP 16.1
4 Aaron Katz IL Hinsdale Central 2026 RHP 15.8
5 Jack Zlogar IL Providence Catholic 2023 RHP 15.6
6 Jackson Miranda IL Minooka 2026 3B 15.2
7 Andrew Mueller IL St. Francis 2024 RHP 15.1
8 Lucas Grant IL Joliet Catholic 2025 LHP -15.1
9 Michael Langan IL Neuqua Valley 2025 3B 14.9
10 Alec Novotney IL Marquette Academy 2026 SS 14.8

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Score (max)
1 Lawrence Dennis Jr. IL Lincoln Park 2026 RHP 30
2 Colin Kuchay IL Minooka 2026 3B 30
3 Matthew Szyska IL Prospect 2024 RHP 29
4 Bradley Crawford IL Glenbrook South 2024 RHP 28
5 Carson Miller IL Wheaton Academy 2025 1B 28

+ CLICK HERE for a look at the complete statistics from the event.

RELATED CONTENT