Prep Baseball Report

McHenry Preseason ID: Pitching Data Dive


Kevin Cronin
Tech Analyst, Area Scout

On Feb. 11, the PBR Illinois team hosted its second Preseason ID event of the 2023: the McHenry Preseason ID. For the past seven years, this event has provided our staff with an opportunity to evaluate high school-aged prospects from northern Illinois, primarily. The McHenry event has historically revealed to us some of the area’s top talent, and this year was no different.

Yesterday, we broke down the top measurable data performers from the event with our Statistical Analysis.  Earlier today, we took a closer look at some of the immediate standouts who caught our attention with our Quick Hits. Now, 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 Ethan Dorchies IL Cary Grove 2024 RHP 91.5 mph
2 AJ Putty IL Huntley 2025 1B 87.5 mph
3 Kenny Nanos IL Mundelein 2024 RHP 87.5 mph
4 Mark Takasaki IL Jacobs 2024 C 87.0 mph
5 Noah Cryns IL Evanston Township 2024 RHP 86.2 mph
6 Drew Borkowski III IL Huntley 2026 SS 85.5 mph
7 Calen Scheider IL Hampshire 2025 RHP 85.2 mph
8 John Gariepy IL Crystal Lake Central 2025 RHP 84.6 mph
9 Quinn Drews IL Huntley 2024 C 83.6 mph
10 Tyler Tylka IL Wauconda 2024 RHP 83.5 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 Charlie Taczy IL Cary-Grove 2025 RHP 2301 rpm
2 Ethan Dorchies IL Cary Grove 2024 RHP 2246 rpm
3 Brady Klepfer IL Huntley 2026 C 2221 rpm
4 Carter Piecuch IL Huntley 2024 RHP 2187 rpm
5 Danny Newman IL Wauconda 2024 LHP 2160 rpm
6 Cole Kenyon IL Lake Zurich 2025 RHP 2159 rpm
7 Jake Chrzastowski IL Grant 2025 RHP 2157 rpm
8 Nick Coletta IL Lake Zurich 2025 1B 2151 rpm
9 Johnny Geisser IL Crystal Lake Central 2026 3B 2113 rpm
10 Josh Rudnick IL Huntley 2026 RHP 2101 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 John Dollinger IL Grant Community High School 2026 C 20.8 in
2 Brandon Pelz IL Bartlett 2026 SS 19.5 in
3 Jackson Kocent IL Prairie Ridge 2026 RHP 18.8 in
4 Shane Pfeiffer IL Hampshire 2026 2B 18.1 in
5 Ethan Riska IL McHenry 2026 OF 17.6 in
6 Brady Klepfer IL Huntley 2026 C 17.1 in
7 Hayden DeMarsh IL Dundee Crown 2025 3B 16.9 in
8 Mitchell Breeden IL McHenry 2026 RHP 16.7 in
9 Kenny Nanos IL Mundelein 2024 RHP 16.4 in
10 AJ Putty IL Huntley 2025 1B 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 Michael Zawilenski IL Saint Viator 2025 OF 18.8
2 Jackson Cavaliero IL Barrington 2025 SS 17.3
3 Eric Suarez IL Huntley 2025 OF 17.2
4 Calen Scheider IL Hampshire 2025 RHP 16.5
5 Quinn Drews IL Huntley 2024 C 16.3
6 Logan Stockton IL Hononegah 2024 2B 15.4
7 Robert Miller IL Vernon Hills 2026 SS 15.3
8 Kenny Nanos IL Mundelein 2024 RHP 15.3
9 Jacob Dorn IL Barrington 2025 OF -15.1
10 Hayden DeMarsh IL Dundee Crown 2025 3B 14.9

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 Brady Klepfer IL Huntley 2026 C 85 %
2 Michael Zawilenski IL Saint Viator 2025 OF 83 %
3 Rocco Lentine IL Huntley 2026 C 66 %
^ Tyler Tylka IL Wauconda 2024 RHP 66 %
4 Kyle Steffey IL Huntley 2026 RHP 62 %
^ Ethan Dorchies IL Cary Grove 2024 RHP 62 %
5 Johnny Geisser IL Crystal Lake Central 2026 3B 60 %
^ Quinn Drews IL Huntley 2024 C 60 %

 


 

CURVEBALL

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Cole Kenyon IL Lake Zurich 2025 RHP 2627 rpm
2 Jackson Murphy IL Wauconda 2025 OF 2529 rpm
3 Carson Young IL Antioch 2025 RHP 2311 rpm
4 Tyler Tylka IL Wauconda 2024 RHP 2288 rpm
5 Jacob Dorn IL Barrington 2025 OF 2264 rpm

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Jacob Dorn IL Barrington 2025 OF -17.5 in
2 Jackson Murphy IL Wauconda 2025 OF -17.4 in
3 Quinn Drews IL Huntley 2024 C -13.8 in
4 Tyler Tylka IL Wauconda 2024 RHP -13.3 in
5 Danny Newman IL Wauconda 2024 LHP -12.3 in

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Josh Rudnick IL Huntley 2026 RHP -17.7
2 Jack Dahlem IL Prairie Ridge 2026 RHP -17.5
3 Carter Kelley IL Crystal Lake Central 2025 LHP 16.1
4 Kenny Nanos IL Mundelein 2024 RHP -15.5
5 Brandon Pelz IL Bartlett 2026 SS -15.3

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Carson Young IL Antioch 2025 RHP 100 %
2 Ethan Riska IL McHenry 2026 OF 80 %
^ Brandon Pelz IL Bartlett 2026 SS 80 %
^ Jacob Dorn IL Barrington 2025 OF 80 %
3 Cole Kenyon IL Lake Zurich 2025 RHP 75 %
^ Colby Aschenbach IL Huntley 2024 RHP 75 %
4 Evan Dahl IL Lakes Community 2024 OF 66 %
^ Jackson Kocent IL Prairie Ridge 2026 RHP 66 %

 


 

SLIDER

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Cole Kenyon IL Lake Zurich 2025 RHP 2599
2 Mitchell Breeden IL McHenry 2026 RHP 2386
3 Charlie Taczy IL Cary-Grove 2025 RHP 2363
4 Scott Cole IL McHenry 2026 OF 2292
5 Nick Coletta IL Lake Zurich 2025 1B 2263

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 John Dollinger IL Grant Community High School 2026 C 10.8 in
2 Justin Ceisel IL Jacobs 2024 RHP 9.0 in
3 Zachary Readdy IL McHenry West 2025 RHP -8.9 in
4 Quinn Drews IL Huntley 2024 C -8.4 in
5 Jake Thorstenson IL Wauconda 2026 OF 8.2 in

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Johnny Geisser IL Crystal Lake Central 2026 3B -17.9
2 Cole Kenyon IL Lake Zurich 2025 RHP -15.9
3 Quinn Drews IL Huntley 2024 C -15.3
4 Jackson Cavaliero IL Barrington 2025 SS -15.0
5 Andrew Deegan IL Jacobs 2026 SS -13.2

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Justin Ceisel IL Jacobs 2024 RHP 100 %
^ Ethan Riska IL McHenry 2026 OF 100 %
2 Jacob Wagner IL McHenry 2023 RHP 80 %
3 Charlie Taczy IL Cary-Grove 2025 RHP 75 %
^ Colby Aschenbach IL Huntley 2024 RHP 75 %
^ Kyle Steffey IL Huntley 2026 RHP 75 %
4 John Gariepy IL Crystal Lake Central 2025 RHP 66 %

 


 

CHANGEUP

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Michael Zawilenski IL Saint Viator 2025 OF 18.3
2 Charlie Taczy IL Cary-Grove 2025 RHP 18.1
3 Danny Newman IL Wauconda 2024 LHP -17.9
4 Brady Klepfer IL Huntley 2026 C 17.8
5 Hayden DeMarsh IL Dundee Crown 2025 3B 17.5
6 Eric Suarez IL Huntley 2025 OF 17.1
7 Quinn Drews IL Huntley 2024 C 16.6
8 Jacob Wagner IL McHenry 2023 RHP 16.6
9 Logan Thennes IL Prairie Ridge 2026 1B -16.5
10 Kenny Nanos IL Mundelein 2024 RHP 16.4

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Karson Stiefer IL Prairie Ridge 2025 LHP 100 %
^ Justin Ceisel IL Jacobs 2024 RHP 100 %
2 Jackson Cavaliero IL Barrington 2025 SS 80 %
3 Jackson Kocent IL Prairie Ridge 2026 RHP 75 %
^ Nick Coletta IL Lake Zurich 2025 1B 75 %
^ John Gariepy IL Crystal Lake Central 2025 RHP 75 %

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

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