Greater Toronto Preseason ID: Pitching Data Dive
February 22, 2024
On Monday, February 19th the Prep Baseball Ontario staff hosted the annual Greater Toronto Preseason ID at the Vaughan Sportsplex in Vaughan, Ontario and the event gives players a chance to showcase their offseason developments prior to their spring trips down South. The event also serves as an identifier and qualifier for our Select Series Events such as Future Games (2026), Jr. Future Games (2028/2029), Senior Future Games (2025), West Coast Games (2025/2026) Best of the West (18U & 15U), NY State Games (2025-2027) and NorthEast Senior Games (2025).
This event featured over 110 prospects from the across the province in the 2024 - 2028 classes and allowed our staff an opportunity to get an in-depth look at the players, as well as collect updated metrics via our tech partners TrackMan and Swift Performance.
Earlier this week, we broke down the top measurable data performers from the event with our Statistical Analysis. 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 %
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 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 Ontario Blue Jays Scout Day | ON | 04/18 | The Athlete Matrix |
| 2024 Terriers Scout Day | ON | 04/24 | King's Christian Collegiate |
| 2024 18U Best of the West | ON | 05/01 | Norbrock Stadium (Kamloops, BC) |
| 2024 15U Best of the West | ON | 05/01 | Norbrock Stadium (Kamloops, BC) |
| Improve My Profile with Game Video (Ontario) | ON | 08/29 | Ontario |