Welcome to the hitting side of Trackman Traits. In this series we spotlight players who have stood out in the 2021 season and take a deeper dive into their numbers to see what really stands out. Since the implementation of the Trackman and Blast technologies to our showcases, we have been fortunate to have seen a great deal of talent come through the system. Today we will be looking at one of the top catchers in the 2022 class, Matt Klein.

Before we get started, we’ll go over and define some of the terminology being used in this piece:

Exit Velocity – This metric measures the speed of the ball off the bat, measured in miles per hour (MPH).

Distance – This metric measures how far the ball traveled, or would travel if it was not obstructed, measured in feet.

Launch Angle – Measures the vertical angle of the ball as it leaves the bat. Positive numbers represent balls traveling upward off the bat and negative numbers mean the ball is traveling downward off the bat.

Fly Ball % - Percentage of fly balls hit during a given set of batted balls events. Trackman defines a fly ball as any batted ball with a launch angle between 25 degrees and 49.9 degrees.

Line Drive % - Percentage of line drives hit during a given set of batted ball events. Trackman defines a line drive as any batted ball with a launch angle between 10 degrees and 24.9 degrees.

Ground Ball % - Percentage of ground balls hit during a given set of batted ball events. Trackman defines a ground ball as any batted ball with a launch angle below 9.9 degrees.

Hard Hit % - Percentage of batted balls with an exit velocity of 90 MPH or higher.

Bat Speed – The speed of the sweet spot of the bat at impact, measured in MPH. The sweet spot is measured 6 inches from the tip of the bat.

Hand Speed – The speed of the handle of the bat just before impact, measured in MPH. The handle is measured 6 inches from the knob of the bat.

Rotational Acceleration – A measure of how quickly the hitter gets from launch position to being on plane. This is measured in G-Force (g).

On Plane Efficiency % - A measure of the percentage of your swing that was on swing plane.

 

Trackman Data Analysis

2022 catcher Matt Klein used the 2020 offseason to improve in all facets of his game. He put together a good showing at the 2020 KY/TN Border Battle event but was a clear standout during our Preseason All-State Showcase this year. Klein cut half a second off his 60-time, dropping from 7.28 to 6.78, improved his pop time from 1.97-2.02 to 1.85-1.91, and improved his velocity behind the plate from 76 to 80 mph. Let’s take a look at the strides Klein took at the plate:

The first thing that stands out from Matt Klein’s performance at the Preseason All-State showcase on February 7 is a big jump in his max exit velocity. Klein jumped from a max of 91.92 at the Border Battle in October to a new max of 97.06 mph while maintaining a solid average exit velocity of 85.75 mph. Another place where Klein made huge strides was his Hard Hit %. During the preseason event he posted a Hard Hit % of 28.6%, way up from the 10% he posted at the Border Battle. After seeing such a big jump in exit velocity, it makes sense that it is coincided with a big jump in Hard Hit %. Klein is beginning to hit more baseballs 90+ mph off the bat and I would expect that number to continue to rise as he continues to develop. Couple it with strong Line Drive and Fly Ball percentages (28.6% and 42.9%) and you have a player that should rack up extra base hits.

Blast Connection

Trackman does a great job showing the outcomes of players swings and their batted ball events. Its data is results based, the best numbers come when you get off your best swing and make your best contact. Blast Motion technology, also implemented this year along with Trackman, tracks the swing data of a player and can shine a light into what a player does well in their swing. When paired with Trackman, it can paint a more complete picture of a hitter and help explain why a player is able to hit the ball harder, further, and more consistently than others.

The two things that stand out the most in Klein’s Blast metrics are his hand speed and rotational acceleration. He posted a max hand speed of 25.9 mph and an average hand speed of 24.38 mph. Both numbers were good for third place finishes at the preseason event. His rotational acceleration maxed out at 22.5 g and averaged 20.4 g, both of which are well above average for a high school hitter. With little separation between his max and average Blast metrics, it’s a good indication that Klein has a good, repeatable swing.

Having high hand speed and rotational acceleration is a big reason why Klein is so successful at the plate. The first way it is helping him is in producing higher exit velocities. Being able to start the swing with a higher force and get it into the zone quickly allows Klein to hit the ball with more power. The second way it helps him is with plate discipline. By being able to start his swing and get on plane quickly, Klein is able to wait longer before committing to a swing. This could be the difference between chasing or laying off a late breaking curveball out of the zone. It will also help him handle higher velocity as he will be able to get his barrel into the zone much quicker than the average high school hitter.

Conclusion

Matt Klein has turned himself into exactly what you want in a catcher. He’s athletic, possesses a strong arm behind the plate, has great pop times, and tons of power from the left side of the plate. Klein will more than likely do a lot of damage for Trinity HS and will certainly be one to follow this high school season.