On Jan. 31, the PBR Illinois team hosted its first showcase of the new year: the McHenry Preseason I.D. For the past five years, this event has provided our staff with an opportunity to evaluate high school-aged prospects from Northern Illinois, primarily. The McHenry event has historically revealed to us some of the area’s top talent, and this year was no different.

If you missed us in McHenry, check out our showcase page to see when we’re in the neighborhood next.

On Monday, our staff collaborated to highlight the biggest takeaways from Sunday’s showcase, and we published them within this Quick Hits piece. We published our traditional statistics measured on Tuesday, inside of our Statistical Analysis post, as well more detailed pitching and batted-ball metrics inside of our TrackMan Files.

Today, our Blast Motion devices are helping us take a magnifying glass to the day's most noteworthy offensive performances, as their technology measures a batter's swing with frame-by-frame detail. Check out our findings below.

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 (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)