Prep Baseball Report

Magnolia State Games: Data Dive, Pitchers


Colin Chamblin
Deep South Operations & Area Scout

HATTIESBURG, MS - The 2024 Magnolia State Games was held on June 18th and 19th at Pete Taylor Park on the campus of Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, MS. This event was an invite-only event that consisted of some prospects from the 2025-2028 classes across all parts of Mississippi. These players went through extended pro-style workout that included batting practice using Trackman, and much more. Pitchers were able to throw simulated innings during gameplay and were able to get numbers and metrics via TrackMan. There were some players who showed up and continued to build off of prior performances, but there were also some new names who jumped onto our radar with a strong showing at the event.

Continuing our post-event coverage for this event, we take a look at some of the standouts from the Magnolia State Games. Below, you can find the leaderboards on the pitchers from the Magnolia State Games.

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FASTBALL 

MAX VELOCITY (MPH)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Velocity (max)
1 Cannon Hensarling MS OCEAN SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL 2025 RHP 91.2 mph
2 Maddox Miller MS Oak Grove 2025 1B 89.3 mph
3 Bankston Walters MS PRESBYTERIAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2026 RHP 88.2 mph
4 Sawyer Bates MS Canton Academy 2025 LHP 86.9 mph
5 Jackson Meehan MS Northwest Rankin 2026 SS 86.8 mph
6 Rylan Kentner MS North Pontotoc High School 2027 RHP 86.8 mph
7 Aidan Strong MS ITAWAMBA AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL 2026 RHP 86.6 mph
8 Elijah Sanders MS Lewisburg High School 2026 RHP 86.2 mph
9 Aiden Peets MS MADISON RIDGELAND ACADEMY 2026 2B 86.0 mph
10 Rece Atkinson MS Kosciusko 2027 RHP 85.9 mph

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Grady Mitchell MS CORINTH HIGH SCHOOL 2026 OF 2266 rpm
2 Bankston Walters MS PRESBYTERIAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2026 RHP 2241 rpm
3 Rylan Kentner MS North Pontotoc High School 2027 RHP 2226 rpm
4 Cannon Hensarling MS OCEAN SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL 2025 RHP 2209 rpm
5 Parker Orr MS Jackson Academy 2027 OF 2180 rpm
6 Aidan Strong MS ITAWAMBA AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL 2026 RHP 2172 rpm
7 Connor Simpson MS DESOTO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 2025 LHP 2171 rpm
8 Maddox Miller MS Oak Grove 2025 1B 2093 rpm
9 Conner Black MS CALEDONIA HIGH SCHOOL 2025 SS 2065 rpm
10 Jackson Meehan MS Northwest Rankin 2026 SS 2060 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.

SPIN EFFICIENCY% (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Efficiency % (avg)
1 Eli Bagley MS Hernando 2027 OF 94 %
2 Weston Stanton MS MYRTLE ATTENDANCE CENTER 2027 RHP 94 %
3 Tanner Harris MS LAFAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL 2026 C 94 %
4 Tre Adcox MS BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL 2027 3B 94 %
5 Jaxon Herod MS WEST UNION ATTENDANCE CENTER 2028 2B 92 %

Spin Efficiency: This metric is the percentage of the raw spin rate that directly impacts pitch movement; so while raw spin is measured by revolutions per minute (rpm), spin efficiency is the ratio of true spin divided by raw spin. It’s important to understand that more is not always better when it comes to spin efficiency. The optimal spin efficiency on a pitch depends on the pitch type and should be understood in the context of a pitcher’s entire arsenal. Regarding the true four-seam fastball, a spin efficiency close to 100 percent is preferable, indicating that nearly all the backspin generated on the ball as it leaves the pitcher’s hand is contributing to the “riding” action the pitch has as it enters and exits the strike zone, making it especially effective in the upper third of the strike zone.

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Connor Simpson MS DESOTO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 2025 LHP 18.5 in
2 Eli Bagley MS Hernando 2027 OF 17.8 in
3 Aiden Peets MS MADISON RIDGELAND ACADEMY 2026 2B 17.8 in
4 Grady Mitchell MS CORINTH HIGH SCHOOL 2026 OF 17.5 in
5 Jaxson Moore MS HARRISON CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 2025 RHP 17.5 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 Woods Roberson MS Hartfield 2025 RHP 16.8
2 Weston Stanton MS MYRTLE ATTENDANCE CENTER 2027 RHP 16.5
3 Rylan Kentner MS North Pontotoc High School 2027 RHP 15.7
4 Cash James MS Presbyterian Christian School 2026 OF 15.7
5 Tre Adcox MS BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL 2027 3B 15.5

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 Bankston Walters MS PRESBYTERIAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2026 RHP 70 %
2 Cannon Hensarling MS OCEAN SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL 2025 RHP 68 %
3 Houston Williams MS CANTON ACADEMY 2026 RHP 66 %
4 Hayden Lundine MS Marshall Academy 2025 OF 60 %
5 Eli Withers MS FRENCH CAMP ACADEMY 2026 RHP 58 %
^ Wyatt McDaniels MS MOOREVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 2027 C 58 %

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


CURVEBALL

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 James Blackwood MS OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL 2026 OF 2423 rpm
2 Conner Black MS CALEDONIA HIGH SCHOOL 2025 SS 2409 rpm
3 Cash James MS Presbyterian Christian School 2026 OF 2318 rpm
4 Parker Orr MS Jackson Academy 2027 OF 2298 rpm
5 Aidan Strong MS ITAWAMBA AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL 2026 RHP 2197 rpm

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Sawyer Bates MS Canton Academy 2025 LHP 17.6
2 Woods Roberson MS Hartfield 2025 RHP 17.6
3 Conner Black MS CALEDONIA HIGH SCHOOL 2025 SS -15.0
4 Wil Drew MS Copiah Academy 2026 RHP -12.3
5 James Blackwood MS OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL 2026 OF -11.4

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Cooper Richardson MS DeSoto Central 2025 RHP 80 %
^ Jaxson Moore MS HARRISON CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 2025 RHP 80 %
2 Connor Young MS HERNANDO HIGH SCHOOL 2025 SS 75 %
^ Rece Atkinson MS Kosciusko 2027 RHP 75 %
3 Ayden Dartez MS St. Stanislaus 2027 C 69 %
4 Wyatt McDaniels MS MOOREVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 2027 C 66 %
^ Aiden Peets MS MADISON RIDGELAND ACADEMY 2026 2B 66 %
^ Wil Drew MS Copiah Academy 2026 RHP 66 %
^ Reid Garrett MS CALEDONIA HIGH SCHOOL 2026 RHP 66 %
^ Hayden Lundine MS Marshall Academy 2025 OF 66 %
5 Weston Stanton MS MYRTLE ATTENDANCE CENTER 2027 RHP 63 %


SLIDER

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Cannon Hensarling MS OCEAN SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL 2025 RHP 2539
2 Rylan Kentner MS North Pontotoc High School 2027 RHP 2510
3 Bankston Walters MS PRESBYTERIAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2026 RHP 2409
4 Conner Black MS CALEDONIA HIGH SCHOOL 2025 SS 2409
5 Hayden Wilson MS MADISON CENTRAL 2026 SS 2359

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Matthew McKinley MS JACKSON PREPARATORY SCHOOL 2025 LHP 13.6
2 Conner Black MS CALEDONIA HIGH SCHOOL 2025 SS -13.5
3 Kellen Garcia MS SUMRALL HIGH SCHOOL 2025 SS -11.6
4 Sawyer Bates MS Canton Academy 2025 LHP 11.6
5 Reid Garrett MS CALEDONIA HIGH SCHOOL 2026 RHP -11.1

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Jackson Meehan MS Northwest Rankin 2026 SS 100 %
^ Ayden Dartez MS St. Stanislaus 2027 C 100 %
2 Reid Garrett MS CALEDONIA HIGH SCHOOL 2026 RHP 80 %
3 Houston Williams MS CANTON ACADEMY 2026 RHP 66 %
^ Matthew McKinley MS JACKSON PREPARATORY SCHOOL 2025 LHP 66 %
4 Parker Hicks MS NEW ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL 2027 3B 55 %
5 Cannon Hensarling MS OCEAN SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL 2025 RHP 50 %
^ Maddox Miller MS Oak Grove 2025 1B 50 %
^ Bankston Walters MS PRESBYTERIAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2026 RHP 50 %
^ Jax Coker MS TUPELO CHRISTIAN PREPARATORY SCHOOL 2026 RHP 50 %
^ Sawyer Bates MS Canton Academy 2025 LHP 50 %


CHANGEUP

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Jax Coker MS TUPELO CHRISTIAN PREPARATORY SCHOOL 2026 RHP 2024 rpm
2 Hayden Wilson MS MADISON CENTRAL 2026 SS 1974 rpm
3 Connor Simpson MS DESOTO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 2025 LHP 1930 rpm
4 Rece Atkinson MS Kosciusko 2027 RHP 1839 rpm
5 Cannon Hensarling MS OCEAN SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL 2025 RHP 1830 rpm

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Rylan Kentner MS North Pontotoc High School 2027 RHP 19.2
2 Aidan Strong MS ITAWAMBA AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL 2026 RHP 18.1
3 Weston Stanton MS MYRTLE ATTENDANCE CENTER 2027 RHP 16.4
4 Tre Adcox MS BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL 2027 3B 15.9
5 Jackson Meehan MS Northwest Rankin 2026 SS 15.5

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Rylan Kentner MS North Pontotoc High School 2027 RHP 100 %
^ Hayden Wilson MS MADISON CENTRAL 2026 SS 100 %
^ Jackson Meehan MS Northwest Rankin 2026 SS 100 %
^ Connor Simpson MS DESOTO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 2025 LHP 100 %
^ Houston Williams MS CANTON ACADEMY 2026 RHP 100 %
2 Tanner Harris MS LAFAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL 2026 C 80 %
^ Conner Moore MS South Jones 2025 LHP 80 %
3 Conner Black MS CALEDONIA HIGH SCHOOL 2025 SS 75 %
^ Hayden Smith MS MAGNOLIA HEIGHTS SCHOOL 2025 RHP 75 %
4 Jaxson Moore MS HARRISON CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 2025 RHP 66 %
^ Austin Sanders MS PISGAH HIGH SCHOOL 2026 RHP 66 %
5 Matthew McKinley MS JACKSON PREPARATORY SCHOOL 2025 LHP 50 %
^ Woods Roberson MS Hartfield 2025 RHP 50 %
^ Sawyer Bates MS Canton Academy 2025 LHP 50 %
^ Weston Stanton MS MYRTLE ATTENDANCE CENTER 2027 RHP 50 %
^ Cannon Hensarling MS OCEAN SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL 2025 RHP 50 %
^ Aiden Peets MS MADISON RIDGELAND ACADEMY 2026 2B 50 %


  

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