San Antonio Summer Open Data Dive: Pitching
June 29, 2023
On Tuesday, June 6 the PBR Texas team hosted the San Antonio Summer Open at Cornerstone Christian High School. The event featured players from all HS classes and provided our staff with an in-depth look at some of the area's top prospects.
We broke down the top measurable data performers from the event with our Stat Story. 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:
FASTBALL
MAX VELOCITY (MPH)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Velocity (max) |
1 | Nickolas Rodriguez | TX | Cornerstone Christian | 2024 | RHP | 87.2 mph |
2 | Samuel Morales | TX | Cornerstone Christian | 2025 | SS | 87.2 mph |
3 | Matthew McClenan | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | 3B | 85.0 mph |
4 | Cole Johnson | TX | Pieper | 2026 | LHP | 82.8 mph |
5 | Julian Ramirez | TX | Clark | 2024 | RHP | 82.0 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 | Julian Ramirez | TX | Clark | 2024 | RHP | 2123 rpm |
2 | Timothy Kim | TX | Vista Ridge | 2024 | RHP | 2091 rpm |
3 | Cole Johnson | TX | Pieper | 2026 | LHP | 2040 rpm |
4 | Matthew McClenan | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | 3B | 2039 rpm |
5 | Samuel Morales | TX | Cornerstone Christian | 2025 | SS | 2023 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 | Jacob Abrusley | TX | Canyon | 2027 | SS | 18.0 in |
2 | Noah Eckles | TX | Reagan | 2026 | OF | 16.1 in |
3 | Cole Johnson | TX | Pieper | 2026 | LHP | 16.1 in |
4 | TJ Byrd | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | RHP | 16.1 in |
5 | Alex Abrusley | TX | Canyon | 2027 | 3B | 15.6 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 | Matthew McClenan | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | 3B | 16.2 |
2 | Samuel Morales | TX | Cornerstone Christian | 2025 | SS | 15.5 |
3 | Cole Johnson | TX | Pieper | 2026 | LHP | -14.4 |
4 | TJ Byrd | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | RHP | 11.7 |
5 | Noah Eckles | TX | Reagan | 2026 | OF | 11.5 |
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 | Cooper Gibson | TX | Smithson Valley HS | 2027 | 3B | 76 % |
2 | TJ Byrd | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | RHP | 66 % |
3 | Jack Richard Vasquez | TX | San Marcos | 2027 | LHP | 62 % |
CURVEBALL
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | Timothy Kim | TX | Vista Ridge | 2024 | RHP | 2731 rpm |
2 | Matthew McClenan | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | 3B | 2610 rpm |
3 | Samuel Morales | TX | Cornerstone Christian | 2025 | SS | 2552 rpm |
4 | TJ Byrd | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | RHP | 2175 rpm |
5 | Jacob Abrusley | TX | Canyon | 2027 | SS | 2124 rpm |
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
1 | Timothy Kim | TX | Vista Ridge | 2024 | RHP | -13.8 in |
2 | Noah Eckles | TX | Reagan | 2026 | OF | -11.6 in |
3 | TJ Byrd | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | RHP | -8.1 in |
4 | Jack Richard Vasquez | TX | San Marcos | 2027 | LHP | -7.5 in |
5 | Luke Villagomez | TX | Pieper | 2027 | C | -6.2 in |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Noah Eckles | TX | Reagan | 2026 | OF | -15.2 |
2 | Luke Villagomez | TX | Pieper | 2027 | C | -14.8 |
3 | TJ Byrd | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | RHP | -14.5 |
4 | Samuel Morales | TX | Cornerstone Christian | 2025 | SS | -13.8 |
5 | Jack Richard Vasquez | TX | San Marcos | 2027 | LHP | 11.1 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Ashton Wilkinson | TX | Navarro | 2027 | SS | 100 % |
2 | Samuel Morales | TX | Cornerstone Christian | 2025 | SS | 66 % |
3 | Julian Ramirez | TX | Clark | 2024 | RHP | 50 % |
SLIDER
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | Matthew McClenan | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | 3B | 2607 |
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
1 | Nickolas Rodriguez | TX | Cornerstone Christian | 2024 | RHP | -3.5 in |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Matthew McClenan | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | 3B | -12.7 |
2 | Nickolas Rodriguez | TX | Cornerstone Christian | 2024 | RHP | -6.6 |
CHANGEUP
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Samuel Morales | TX | Cornerstone Christian | 2025 | SS | 20.6 |
2 | Cooper Gibson | TX | Smithson Valley HS | 2027 | 3B | 14.8 |
3 | Nickolas Rodriguez | TX | Cornerstone Christian | 2024 | RHP | 13.3 |
4 | Cole Johnson | TX | Pieper | 2026 | LHP | -13.2 |
5 | TJ Byrd | TX | Brandeis | 2026 | RHP | 11.7 |