Tuscaloosa Summer ID: Data Dive, Pitchers
July 17, 2024
TUSCALOOSA, AL - The Tuscaloosa Summer ID was held on Tuesday, July 9th at Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa, AL. This event was an open event hosting some talented prospects from the 2025-2029 classes in Alabama. These players went through extended pro-style workout that included batting practice using Trackman and Blast Motion, ran the 60-yard dash using Swift Performance, and much more. Pitchers were able to throw during a simulated bullpen and were able to get numbers and metrics off of our Trackman unit, such as pitch velocity, spin rate, horizontal & vertical movement & much more. 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 this week.
Continuing our post-event coverage for this event, we look at some of the leaders from advanced data from the event. Please continue to check back over the next week, as we will release quick hits articles, other various event leaderboards, individual scouting reports, and much more on each player present at the event.
View entire event stats HERE.
FASTBALL
MAX VELOCITY (MPH)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Velocity (max) |
1 | Jacob Driver | AL | Marbury High School | 2025 | RHP | 90.5 mph |
2 | Ford Traweek | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2026 | SS | 86.5 mph |
3 | Gibbs White | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2027 | 3B | 86.1 mph |
4 | Jackson Carmichael | AL | Bessemer Academy | 2026 | RHP | 83.6 mph |
5 | Spencer Davis | AL | Hillcrest | 2025 | RHP | 82.9 mph |
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | Spencer Davis | AL | Hillcrest | 2025 | RHP | 2422 rpm |
2 | Ford Traweek | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2026 | SS | 2254 rpm |
3 | Jacob Driver | AL | Marbury High School | 2025 | RHP | 2240 rpm |
4 | Gibbs White | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2027 | 3B | 2229 rpm |
5 | Colin Woodward | AL | Spain Park | 2027 | RHP | 2076 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 | Bentley Smith | AL | Douglas | 2028 | RHP | 100 % |
2 | Luke Wallace | MS | GEORGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL | 2028 | RHP | 95 % |
3 | Jacob Driver | AL | Marbury High School | 2025 | RHP | 92 % |
4 | Jackson Carmichael | AL | Bessemer Academy | 2026 | RHP | 92 % |
5 | Braxton Vice | AL | Demopolis | 2026 | 1B | 89 % |
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 | Bentley Smith | AL | Douglas | 2028 | RHP | 16.8 in |
2 | Barrett Hughey | AL | Bibb County | 2029 | 3B | 16.1 in |
3 | Cameron Adkins | AL | North River Christian | 2029 | 1B | 15.9 in |
4 | Bennett Lightsey | AL | American Christian Academy | 2029 | OF | 15.4 in |
5 | Jacob Driver | AL | Marbury High School | 2025 | RHP | 14.8 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 | Braxton Vice | AL | Demopolis | 2026 | 1B | -18.5 |
2 | Cameron Adkins | AL | North River Christian | 2029 | 1B | -17.9 |
3 | Luke Wallace | MS | GEORGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL | 2028 | RHP | 8.3 |
4 | Jackson Carmichael | AL | Bessemer Academy | 2026 | RHP | 8.2 |
5 | Colin Woodward | AL | Spain Park | 2027 | RHP | 8.1 |
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 | Jackson Carmichael | AL | Bessemer Academy | 2026 | RHP | 100 % |
2 | Christopher England Jr. | AL | Hillcrest | 2027 | 1B | 75 % |
^ | Barrett Hughey | AL | Bibb County | 2029 | 3B | 75 % |
3 | Cameron Adkins | AL | North River Christian | 2029 | 1B | 66 % |
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 | Gibbs White | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2027 | 3B | 2480 rpm |
2 | Blake Jackson | AL | American Christian Academy | 2025 | LHP | 2454 rpm |
3 | Bentley Smith | AL | Douglas | 2028 | RHP | 2394 rpm |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Jackson Carmichael | AL | Bessemer Academy | 2026 | RHP | -13.9 |
2 | Peyton Rackard | AL | Hillcrest | 2027 | SS | -13.1 |
3 | Gibbs White | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2027 | 3B | -12.8 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Jackson Carmichael | AL | Bessemer Academy | 2026 | RHP | 100 % |
2 | Bentley Smith | AL | Douglas | 2028 | RHP | 60 % |
3 | Gibbs White | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2027 | 3B | 50 % |
^ | Peyton Rackard | AL | Hillcrest | 2027 | SS | 50 % |
SLIDER
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | Spencer Davis | AL | Hillcrest | 2025 | RHP | 2444 |
2 | Ford Traweek | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2026 | SS | 2309 |
3 | Jackson Carmichael | AL | Bessemer Academy | 2026 | RHP | 2222 |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Jackson Carmichael | AL | Bessemer Academy | 2026 | RHP | -13.6 |
2 | Jacob Driver | AL | Marbury High School | 2025 | RHP | -12.1 |
3 | Ford Traweek | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2026 | SS | -10.4 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Jacob Driver | AL | Marbury High School | 2025 | RHP | 100 % |
2 | Ford Traweek | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2026 | SS | 50 % |
3 | Jackson Carmichael | AL | Bessemer Academy | 2026 | RHP | 33 % |
^ | Spencer Davis | AL | Hillcrest | 2025 | RHP | 33 % |
CHANGEUP
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | Jackson Carmichael | AL | Bessemer Academy | 2026 | RHP | 1836 rpm |
2 | Bentley Smith | AL | Douglas | 2028 | RHP | 1634 rpm |
3 | Spencer Davis | AL | Hillcrest | 2025 | RHP | 1556 rpm |
4 | Colin Woodward | AL | Spain Park | 2027 | RHP | 1555 rpm |
5 | Gibbs White | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2027 | 3B | 1523 rpm |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Braxton Vice | AL | Demopolis | 2026 | 1B | -18.2 |
2 | Blake Jackson | AL | American Christian Academy | 2025 | LHP | -17.4 |
3 | Bentley Smith | AL | Douglas | 2028 | RHP | 12.5 |
4 | Gibbs White | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2027 | 3B | 11.7 |
5 | Jackson Carmichael | AL | Bessemer Academy | 2026 | RHP | 9.9 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Peyton Rackard | AL | Hillcrest | 2027 | SS | 100 % |
^ | Ford Traweek | AL | Tuscaloosa County | 2026 | SS | 100 % |
2 | Christopher England Jr. | AL | Hillcrest | 2027 | 1B | 50 % |
^ | Colin Woodward | AL | Spain Park | 2027 | RHP | 50 % |
^ | Bennett Lightsey | AL | American Christian Academy | 2029 | OF | 50 % |
+ CLICK HERE for a look at the complete statistics from the event.
Upcoming Events
SHOWCASE | DATE | LOCATION |
Future Games (Invite-Only) | July 23rd-28th, 2024 | LakePoint Sports (Emerson, GA) |
Junior Future Games (Invite-Only) | July 23rd-28th, 2024 | LakePoint Sports (Emerson, GA) |
Senior Future Games (Invite-Only) | July 23rd-28th, 2024 | LakePoint Sports (Emerson, GA) |
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