On Wednesday October 16t, Prep Baseball Report hosted an event at the impressive Ultimate Performance facility in Matthews, NC.  An indoor facility, it allows for a full pro-style workout with players getting a lot of reps.  With rain falling for most of the day, players were able to get the full workout with Ultimate Performance’s facility.

During the open identification, players were able to run a laser timed 30, moved indoors and to a 30 yard dash instead of a 60 due to the weather, workout at their defensive position, and go through multiple offensive stations for evaluations.  The facility at Ultimate Performance allows outfielders to field through batted ground balls and make throws of up to 150 feet.  Infielders and catchers are able to make full length throws, simulating positional play.  Offensively, hitters worked through multiple cages, including an exit velocity cage, prior to getting to open box cage that allowed hitters and evaluators to see the ball fly off the bat. 

Today we take a full look at the statistical leaders from the workout.  Several players put up very intriguing numbers and should be follows as they enter into their spring season.  In the coming days we will begin to break down each athlete's performance with links to their video from the day.

CLICK HERE to see the roster and statistics from the event.

 

Queen City ID: Statistical Leaders

 

 

THE 30 YARD DASH

Due to inclement weather, the players ran indoors on a shortened track, running a 30 yard distance instead of a 60 yard distance.  Below the times are listed as "Home to First", but this was just a straight 30 yard run, starting from a steal break stance.  The numbers still should give coaches and scouts an idea of players that have quickness in their game.  Five players broke the 4.00 second mark with the median 30 time at 4.10.

 

EXIT VELOCITY

During the offensive portion of the day, players worked through an exit velocity testing station.  At this station, players attacked a ball on a tee with a radar gun reading the exit velocity of the ball off the barrel.  Players had the chance to swing their own bat, plus bats provided by Mizuno.  The numbers below are only from the exit velocity station.  The top exit velocity checked in at 91 mph and 9 players registered a speed of 85 mph or higher in the testing.  The median exit velocity from the Queen City ID at Ultimate Performance was 86 mph.

 

POSITIONAL VELOCITY – INFIELDERS

Infielders were able to workout at Shortstop in the pro-style portion of the Queen City ID.  Players were hit a variety of ground balls, moving to secure the ball before transitioning the ball into a throw across the diamond.  Scouts are evaluating multiple areas during this session.  Arm strength, carry, accuracy, and ease of actions can all be marked.  PBR scouts add a radar gun to give a number to the arm strength.  While the radar reading does not tell the entire story, it does give evaluators a feel for pure arm strength.  11 infielders worked out from shortstop.  The top radar reading across the diamond registered at 83 mph, with a median reading of 81 mph.

 

POSITIONAL VELOCITY – OUTFIELDERS

Similar to the infielders, there are several data points that evaluators are looking for as outfielders took batted balls,  making throws of 150 ft to home plate.  PBR scouts, again, took radar readings on each throw, giving scouts a chance to gauge arm strength with a solid number.  Four outfielders worked out with a top positional throw marked at 93 mph.  The median outfield throw for the group was at 85 mph.

 

CATCHER POP TIMES & POSITIONAL VELOCITY

In the pro-style workout, catchers workout from behind home plate, making multiple throws to 2B, simulating a stolen base attempt.  Scouts again are looking for a quick, clean transition to the release as well as carry and accuracy on the throw.  For catchers, evaluators will put a stopwatch on the “pop time” or the time the ball hits their glove to the time the ball hits the MIF’s glove at 2B.  Coaches can also time the transition from when the ball hits the catchers glove to when he is able to release his throw.  PBR scouts add the radar gun to put a number on the arm strength out of the crouched position.  The top pop time in the workout was a 2.04, with a median time from the group of 5 catchers of 2.12.  The top positional velocity checked in at 77 mph out of the hand, while the median for the group clocked in at 74 mph.

 

MAX FASTBALL

Pitchers threw controlled bullpens inside Ultimate Performance for PBR scouts.   PBR used the new Stalker Pro SII radar gun to collect velocity and spin rates on each pitch.  While scouts are evaluating stuff, mechanics, efficiency, and command, velocity can be a key component in an evaluation.  Seven arms threw at the event with the top fastball registering at 85 mph.  The median top fastball came in at 81 mph.