On Oct. 25, the PBR Illinois staff hosted its final event of the year: the Underclass Showcase. This event was open to all of the state’s prospects in its 2023, 2024, and 2025 graduating classes, and allowed us to end our annual showcase circuit with a bang. 

Our staff was treated to a look at some of the brightest up-and-coming talents in the state, and we began our event breakdown on Tuesday with a close examination of the event’s highlights, inside this Quick Hits post, and we later took a magnifying glass to the event’s leaderboards in our Statistical Analysis post.

Today, with the help of our Blast Motion-integrated technology, we’re breaking down the data gathered during this event’s impressive round of batting practice.

The leaderboards below may include some terminology you have not yet heard of, so we encourage you to learn more about the metrics the Blast Motion device captures during each individual swing. Blast has provided users with an informative, in-depth video series regarding these metrics on their website, and you can find a link to that page here.

HAND SPEED (PEAK & AVERAGE)

Peak Hand Speed: The observed maximum speed as measured on the handle of the bat (measured six inches from the knob of the bat). Peak Hand Speed will occur prior to the moment of impact, very close to the commit time in the swing when the wrists unhinge.

BAT SPEED (PEAK & AVERAGE)

Bat Speed: The observed speed of the sweet spot of the bat at impact. The sweet spot of the bat is measured six inches from the tip of the bat.

Peak Bat Speed: The highest forward speed at the sweet spot of the bat, as measured six inches from the tip of the bat. This may occur at or before the moment of impact.

ROTATIONAL ACCELERATION (PEAK & AVERAGE)

Body Rotation: A swing that has the appropriate relative contributions of body and bat rotations is an efficient and Powerful swing that maintains proper sequencing. An efficient baseball swing is one in which the body creates the initial movements, which is then transferred to the arms and out to the bat, thereby maximizing Bat Speed through this proximal-to-distal kinematic sequencing movement pattern.

ON-PLANE EFFICIENCY PERCENTAGE

On-Plane Efficiency: This metric measures the percentage of your swing that the sweet spot of the bat is considered to be On Plane. The reference plane is defined at the moment of impact. The percentage of your swing On Plane is determined by the amount of speed generated within that reference plane.

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