On Saturday, February 3rd the Prep Baseball Ontario staff hosted the annual Canadian College & University Showcase at BP Sports Park in Welland, Ontario. This event featured 30 prospects from the across the province in the 2024 and 2025 classes looking to play college baseball within Ontario and Canada. The event featured roughly a dozen college coaches within the province and allowed our staff an opportunity to get an in-depth look at the players, as well as collect updated metrics via our tech partner TrackMan.

Earlier this week, we broke down the top measurable data performers from the event with our Statistical Analysis and Quick Hits. 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.”

CURVEBALL

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

SLIDER

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

STRIKE ZONE %

CHANGEUP

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE	STATE	DATE	LOCATION
2024 Greater Toronto Preseason ID	ON	02/19	Vaughan Sportsplex
2024 Canada Reds Academy Scout Day	ON	02/23	Russell Sports Dome
2024 Ottawa/Gatineau Preseason ID	ON	03/01	Bell Sensplex
2024 Titans Scout Day	ON	03/23	True North Fieldhouse
2024 Spring Future Games Trials	ON	03/29	The Athlete Matrix
2024 Pitcher Only Future Games Trials	ON	03/29	NRS Institute
2024 Pitcher Only Future Games Trials II	ON	04/01	NRS Institute
2024 Junior Future Games Trials	ON	04/01	The Athlete Matrix
2024 Spring Future Games Trials II	ON	04/06	Campus Fieldhouse
2024 Unsigned Senior Showcase	ON	04/07	Campus Fieldhouse
2024 Junior Future Games Trials II	ON	04/13	Campus Fieldhouse
2024 Terriers Scout Day	ON	04/24	King's Christian Collegiate
Improve My Profile with Game Video (Ontario)	ON	08/29	Ontario

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