Mesa Summer ID: Pitching Data Dive
June 2, 2024
This past Wednesday, the Prep Baseball Arizona staff began it's Summer Tour as we hosted the first of three Summer ID showcases with the Mesa Summer ID at Desert Ridge High School in Mesa, Arizona. This event featured roughly 30 prospects from the 2025 - 2028 classes and allowed players to update their metrics and profiles following the high school season. Summer ID showcases also serve as identifiers for Invite-Only events throughout the rest of the calendar year.
Earlier this week, we broke down the top measurable data performers from the event with our Statistical Analysis article. 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:
For complete event results, click here.
To view upcoming event schedule, click here.
FASTBALL
MAX VELOCITY (MPH)
Max Fastball Velocity: This metric calculates the speed of the pitch as it’s released from the pitcher’s hand.
SPIN RATE (AVG)
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.)
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.)
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%
CURVEBALL
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
SLIDER
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
CHANGEUP
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
UPCOMING EVENTS
| SHOWCASE | STATE | DATE | LOCATION |
| 2024 ProCase - West | AZ | 06/02 | Pepperdine University |
| Top Prospect Games: Upperclass (Invite-Only) | AZ | 06/03 | Grand Canyon University - Phoenix, AZ |
| Top Prospect Games: Underclass (Invite-Only) | AZ | 06/10 | American Family Fields of Phoenix |
| West Side Summer ID | AZ | 06/18 | Canyon View High School - Waddell, AZ |
| Glendale Summer ID | AZ | 07/16 | Apollo High School - Glendale, AZ |
| Future Games (Class of 2026/27) | NATIONAL | 07/24 | LakePoint Sports |
| Junior Future Games (Class of 2028/29) | NATIONAL | 07/24 | LakePoint Sports |
| Senior Future Games (Class of 2025) | NATIONAL | 07/24 | LakePoint Sports |