Prep Baseball Report

Unsigned Senior Showcase: Pitching Data Dive


Kevin Cronin
Tech Analyst, Area Scout

On Feb 5, PBR Illinois hosted the winter’s Unsigned Senior Showcase, as it does each and every winter, at the MAX complex in McCook, Ill., where over 30 prospects participated. These class of 2023 athletes remain uncommitted headed into their final season of their prep careers.

Yesterday, we published our Takeaway Story from the players from the event. Earlier today, we broke down the top measurable data performers from the event with our Statistical Analysis. 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 Aidan Capone IL Auburn 2023 OF 88.4 mph
2 Jason Sullivan IL Sandburg 2023 OF 86.8 mph
3 Connor Hale IL Saint Joseph-Ogden 2023 RHP 85.4 mph
4 Philip Peltes MO Duchesne 2023 RHP 84.7 mph
5 Casey Shell IL Lake Zurich 2023 RHP 84.4 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 Aidan Capone IL Auburn 2023 OF 2492 rpm
2 Payton Evans IL Bloomington 2023 C 2234 rpm
3 Philip Peltes MO Duchesne 2023 RHP 2211 rpm
4 Connor Hale IL Saint Joseph-Ogden 2023 RHP 2167 rpm
5 Ryan Wiles IL Prairie Ridge 2023 RHP 2165 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 Connor Hale IL Saint Joseph-Ogden 2023 RHP 22.1 in
2 Ryan Wiles IL Prairie Ridge 2023 RHP 19.0 in
3 Stephen Combs FL TNXL Academy 2024 OF 18.6 in
4 Austin Zernia IL Oak Lawn 2023 3B 18.3 in
5 Aidan Capone IL Auburn 2023 OF 17.3 in
6 Payton Evans IL Bloomington 2023 C 17.3 in
7 Jason Sullivan IL Sandburg 2023 OF 16.2 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 efficiencies. 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 vertical approach angle.

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Preston Wallace IL Lincoln-Way East 2023 OF 11.7
2 Aidan Capone IL Auburn 2023 OF 10.7
3 Zachary Spengler IL Bolingbrook 2023 RHP 9.4

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 Jason Sullivan IL Sandburg 2023 OF 83 %
^ Philip Peltes MO Duchesne 2023 RHP 83 %
2 Zachary Spengler IL Bolingbrook 2023 RHP 50 %
^ Payton Evans IL Bloomington 2023 C 50 %
^ Peter Lemke IL St Francis 2023 3B 50 %
^ Ryan Wiles IL Prairie Ridge 2023 RHP 50 %
3 Stephen Combs FL TNXL Academy 2024 OF 42 %
^ Emanuel Castillo IL Ogden International 2023 RHP 42 %

 


 

CURVEBALL

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Zachary Spengler IL Bolingbrook 2023 RHP 2071 rpm
2 Jason Sullivan IL Sandburg 2023 OF 2032 rpm
3 Connor Hale IL Saint Joseph-Ogden 2023 RHP 2019 rpm

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Austin Zernia IL Oak Lawn 2023 3B -9.1 in
2 Casey Shell IL Lake Zurich 2023 RHP -7.7 in
3 Preston Wallace IL Lincoln-Way East 2023 OF -5.9 in

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Zachary Spengler IL Bolingbrook 2023 RHP -12.5
2 Casey Shell IL Lake Zurich 2023 RHP -10.1
3 Preston Wallace IL Lincoln-Way East 2023 OF -7.9

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Stephen Combs FL TNXL Academy 2024 OF 60 %
2 Payton Evans IL Bloomington 2023 C 50 %
^ Ryan Wiles IL Prairie Ridge 2023 RHP 50 %
^ Austin Zernia IL Oak Lawn 2023 3B 50 %

 


 

SLIDER

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Philip Peltes MO Duchesne 2023 RHP 2250
2 Emanuel Castillo IL Ogden International 2023 RHP 2218
3 Peter Lemke IL St Francis 2023 3B 2198
4 Jason Sullivan IL Sandburg 2023 OF 2149
5 Payton Evans IL Bloomington 2023 C 2120

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Connor Hale IL Saint Joseph-Ogden 2023 RHP 15.8 in
2 Emanuel Castillo IL Ogden International 2023 RHP -7.6 in
3 Aidan Capone IL Auburn 2023 OF 5.0 in

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Jason Sullivan IL Sandburg 2023 OF -11.9
2 Emanuel Castillo IL Ogden International 2023 RHP -11.8
3 Connor Hale IL Saint Joseph-Ogden 2023 RHP -9.2
4 Zachary Spengler IL Bolingbrook 2023 RHP -8.9

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Philip Peltes MO Duchesne 2023 RHP 66 %
2 Payton Evans IL Bloomington 2023 C 50 %

 


 

CHANGEUP

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Aidan Capone IL Auburn 2023 OF 17.1
2 Jason Sullivan IL Sandburg 2023 OF 14.5

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Austin Zernia IL Oak Lawn 2023 3B 75 %
2 Payton Evans IL Bloomington 2023 C 50 %
^ Preston Wallace IL Lincoln-Way East 2023 OF 50 %
^ Jason Sullivan IL Sandburg 2023 OF 50 %

 


 

PROPLAY AI

ARM SPEED (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Arm Speed (avg)
1 Philip Peltes MO Duchesne 2023 RHP 27 m/s
2 Stephen Combs FL TNXL Academy 2024 OF 25 m/s
^ Emanuel Castillo IL Ogden International 2023 RHP 25 m/s
3 Connor Hale IL Saint Joseph-Ogden 2023 RHP 24 m/s
^ Jason Sullivan IL Sandburg 2023 OF 24 m/s
^ Aidan Capone IL Auburn 2023 OF 24 m/s

Measuring arm speed helps identify the athletes who both generate velocity now and have the potential to generate more in the future. A player's arm speed can help determine the pitcher's outlook for enduring prolonged outings when examined in conjunction with his stride length and extension, for example. And if the player is inefficiently transferring his energy into his release, yet still measuring above-average arm speed rates, then that can signal the potential for an even brighter future, should he learn how to become a more efficient mover.

HIP-TO-SHOULDER SEPARATION (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Hip Shoulder Seperation (avg)
1 Preston Wallace IL Lincoln-Way East 2023 OF -18 degrees
2 Stephen Combs FL TNXL Academy 2024 OF 1 degrees
3 Casey Shell IL Lake Zurich 2023 RHP 14 degrees

Hip-to-shoulder separation is a critical moment that takes place in a pitcher's delivery, and this measurement indicates the degrees of separation between the pelvis and the trunk at the point in time just before the player's lead leg strikes the ground. It is one of the most noteworthy indicators of determining a player's ability to reach high throwing velocity in an efficient way that can lead to less injury risk long-term.

DECEPTION (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Deception (avg)
1 Preston Wallace IL Lincoln-Way East 2023 OF 275 ms
2 Jason Sullivan IL Sandburg 2023 OF 117 ms
3 Ryan Wiles IL Prairie Ridge 2023 RHP 108 ms

According to ProPlayAI, the deception metric represents the amount of time, in units of milliseconds, a hitter would be able to see a ball from behind the pitcher’s body. Of course, throwing with higher velocities, better tunnelling, and taking advantage of seam shifted wake could also take advantage of these factors.

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

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