Prep Baseball Report

Preseason All-State, Upperclass: Pitching Data Dive


Kevin Cronin
Tech Analyst, Area Scout

On Feb. 25, the PBR Illinois staff hosted the Preseason All-State: Upperclass showcase at The MAX in McCook, Ill., featuring many of the state’s top players inside the 2024 class. This event helped our staff gain a clearer picture of the on-the-rise prospects in Illinois, and we’ll begin to break down the event thoroughly today and throughout the week. Inside today’s Quick Hits post, we’re highlighting the best of the best – the talent that exited the event with arrows pointed way up headed into the spring.

Last week, 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 Ryan Sloan IL York 2024 RHP 94.5 mph
2 Luke Weber IL Highland Park 2024 RHP 91.3 mph
3 Jack Olson IL Antioch 2024 RHP 91.3 mph
4 Tom Ford IL Lisle 2024 RHP 91.2 mph
5 Luke Oblen IL DePaul College Prep 2024 RHP 90.9 mph
6 Jeremy Allen IL Hersey 2024 RHP 90.4 mph
7 Aidan Hayse IL Joliet Catholic 2024 RHP 90.3 mph
8 Joshua Vaughn IL Illini Bluffs 2024 RHP 89.9 mph
9 Cole Noreuil IL Delavan 2024 RHP 89.8 mph
10 Bryce Koch IL Barrington 2024 RHP 89.7 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 Kaiden Nichols IL Effingham 2024 LHP 2735 rpm
2 Bryce Koch IL Barrington 2024 RHP 2490 rpm
3 Frankie Bilecki IL Marist 2024 LHP 2358 rpm
4 Tom Ford IL Lisle 2024 RHP 2297 rpm
5 Trevor Rehnstrom IL Glenbard East 2024 RHP 2287 rpm
6 Kaileb Hackman IL Normal Community 2024 3B 2274 rpm
7 Luke Oblen IL DePaul College Prep 2024 RHP 2271 rpm
8 Joshua Caccia IL St. Charles North 2024 RHP 2270 rpm
9 Toby Schriefer IL Bradley Bourbonnais 2024 RHP 2241 rpm
10 Jack Olson IL Antioch 2024 RHP 2240 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 Jack LoConte IL Andrew 2024 LHP 19.0 in
2 Jacob Gimbel IL Joliet Catholic 2024 LHP 18.8 in
3 Frankie Bilecki IL Marist 2024 LHP 18.6 in
4 Ryan Mickenbecker IL Plainfield North 2024 RHP 18.1 in
5 Jack Cozzi IL St. Edward Central Catholic 2024 OF 17.8 in
6 Tom Ford IL Lisle 2024 RHP 17.5 in
7 Nicholas Segreti IL Oak Forest 2024 RHP 17.2 in
8 Nathan Anderson IL Lyons Township 2024 LHP 17.1 in
9 Nick Baffa IL Notre Dame College Prep 2024 RHP 16.9 in
10 Michael Person IL Burlington Central 2024 RHP 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 Umbright IL Naperville Central 2024 RHP 18.8
2 Ryan Sloan IL York 2024 RHP 17.4
3 Luke Weber IL Highland Park 2024 RHP 16.5
4 Cooper Marrs IL Riverside-Brookfield 2024 OF 16.2
5 Toby Schriefer IL Bradley Bourbonnais 2024 RHP 15.8
6 David Cox IL Nazareth Academy 2024 SS 15.4
7 Ethan Eberle IL Normal Community 2024 LHP -15.4
8 Cole Noreuil IL Delavan 2024 RHP 15.2
9 Beau McBride IL New Trier 2024 LHP -15.1
10 Wyatt Murphy IL Riverside Brookfield 2024 RHP 14.7

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 Nick Baffa IL Notre Dame College Prep 2024 RHP 83 %
^ Ryan Sloan IL York 2024 RHP 83 %
^ Toby Schriefer IL Bradley Bourbonnais 2024 RHP 83 %
2 Jack LoConte IL Andrew 2024 LHP 80 %
^ David Cox IL Nazareth Academy 2024 SS 80 %
3 Ethan Eberle IL Normal Community 2024 LHP 66 %
^ Camden Raddatz IL Effingham 2024 3B 66 %
^ Nicholas Segreti IL Oak Forest 2024 RHP 66 %
^ Nicholas Rayyan IL Stevenson 2024 RHP 66 %
^ Nathan Anderson IL Lyons Township 2024 LHP 66 %
4 Trevor Rehnstrom IL Glenbard East 2024 RHP 62 %
^ Tommy Korn IL Crystal Lake Central 2024 RHP 62 %
5 Laughton Joyce IL Prospect 2024 RHP 60 %

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 Kaileb Hackman IL Normal Community 2024 3B 2582 rpm
2 Alex Schimmel IL Moline 2024 SS 2552 rpm
3 Trevor Rehnstrom IL Glenbard East 2024 RHP 2427 rpm
4 Ethan Eberle IL Normal Community 2024 LHP 2385 rpm
5 Casey Giemzik IL Brother Rice 2024 RHP 2308 rpm
6 Brady Chambers IL Lyons Township 2024 RHP 2301 rpm
7 Logan Gale IL Conant 2024 LHP 2251 rpm
8 Tom Ford IL Lisle 2024 RHP 2222 rpm
9 Jack Olson IL Antioch 2024 RHP 2219 rpm
10 Cooper Malamazian IL Nazareth Academy 2024 SS 2197 rpm

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Cole Noreuil IL Delavan 2024 RHP -20.5 in
2 Ethan Eberle IL Normal Community 2024 LHP -15.1 in
3 Ethan Godlewski IL Lincoln-Way East 2024 RHP -14.9 in
4 Laughton Joyce IL Prospect 2024 RHP -14.1 in
5 Jack Olson IL Antioch 2024 RHP -13.1 in

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Michael Umbright IL Naperville Central 2024 RHP -17.8
2 Casey Giemzik IL Brother Rice 2024 RHP -16.7
3 Chris Danko IL York 2024 OF -15.7
4 Ethan Eberle IL Normal Community 2024 LHP 15.7
5 Cooper Malamazian IL Nazareth Academy 2024 SS -15.4

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Brady Chambers IL Lyons Township 2024 RHP 80 %
^ Ryan Mickenbecker IL Plainfield North 2024 RHP 80 %
2 Nick Baffa IL Notre Dame College Prep 2024 RHP 75 %
3 Nolan Girard IL Glenbrook North 2024 LHP 60 %
^ Ethan Godlewski IL Lincoln-Way East 2024 RHP 60 %
^ Jacob Gimbel IL Joliet Catholic 2024 LHP 60 %
^ Michael Umbright IL Naperville Central 2024 RHP 60 %
^ Nathan Anderson IL Lyons Township 2024 LHP 60 %

 


 

SLIDER

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Ryan Sloan IL York 2024 RHP 2633
2 Tommy Korn IL Crystal Lake Central 2024 RHP 2629
3 Kaileb Hackman IL Normal Community 2024 3B 2549
4 Luke Oblen IL DePaul College Prep 2024 RHP 2409
5 Kaiden Nichols IL Effingham 2024 LHP 2408
6 Alex Schimmel IL Moline 2024 SS 2399
7 David Cox IL Nazareth Academy 2024 SS 2261
8 Jack Olson IL Antioch 2024 RHP 2259
9 Aidan Hayse IL Joliet Catholic 2024 RHP 2177
10 Nicholas Bestrick IL Carl Sandburg High School 2024 RHP 2165

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Ethan Godlewski IL Lincoln-Way East 2024 RHP -9.9 in
2 Nicholas Segreti IL Oak Forest 2024 RHP -8.7 in
3 Jack Olson IL Antioch 2024 RHP -8.4 in

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Joshua Caccia IL St. Charles North 2024 RHP -18.8
2 Chris Danko IL York 2024 OF -16.5
3 Ethan Godlewski IL Lincoln-Way East 2024 RHP -13.9
4 Alex Schimmel IL Moline 2024 SS -13.6
5 Ryan Sloan IL York 2024 RHP -13.3

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 David Cox IL Nazareth Academy 2024 SS 80 %
2 Tommy Korn IL Crystal Lake Central 2024 RHP 66 %
^ Jacob Gimbel IL Joliet Catholic 2024 LHP 66 %
3 Ethan Eberle IL Normal Community 2024 LHP 60 %
^ Luc Lawler IL Benet Academy 2024 RHP 60 %

 


 

CHANGEUP

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Michael Umbright IL Naperville Central 2024 RHP 20.3
2 Ethan Eberle IL Normal Community 2024 LHP -19.2
3 Wyatt Murphy IL Riverside Brookfield 2024 RHP 19.0
4 Luke Weber IL Highland Park 2024 RHP 18.5
5 Logan Gale IL Conant 2024 LHP -18.2
6 Beau McBride IL New Trier 2024 LHP -17.8
7 Ryan Sloan IL York 2024 RHP 17.3
8 Brady Chambers IL Lyons Township 2024 RHP 16.6
9 Joshua Caccia IL St. Charles North 2024 RHP 16.5
10 Trevor Rehnstrom IL Glenbard East 2024 RHP 16.3

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Score (max)
1 Kaiden Nichols IL Effingham 2024 LHP 35
2 Frankie Bilecki IL Marist 2024 LHP 29
3 Bryce Koch IL Barrington 2024 RHP 28
4 Wyatt Murphy IL Riverside Brookfield 2024 RHP 28
5 Kaileb Hackman IL Normal Community 2024 3B 27
6 Joshua Caccia IL St. Charles North 2024 RHP 27
7 Logan Gale IL Conant 2024 LHP 27
8 Trevor Rehnstrom IL Glenbard East 2024 RHP 27
9 Toby Schriefer IL Bradley Bourbonnais 2024 RHP 26
10 Nicholas Bestrick IL Carl Sandburg High School 2024 RHP 26

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

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