Pitching Spin Rates: Preseason All-State West
January 30, 2020
On Sunday January 26th, ninety-one of the top players in the state of North Carolina converged at the Ultimate Performance Sports Center in Matthews, NC. The Preseason All-State showcase event is the top winter event in North Carolina year after year and with the increased demand, there are now two sessions, an east and a west. Below we take our first look at some player notes from the Preseason All-State West.
The day consisted of a full pro-style workout with pitchers throwing controlled bullpens, followed by defensive workouts for the position players. Hitters were able to go through multiple cages to get loose prior to moving through two exit velocity stations. Live BP was taken in a large cage, allowing scouts and coaches to see the ball fly off the bat.
During the bullpen portion of the event, PBR scouts used the Stalker Pro IIs giving radar readings and spin rate readings on each arm. As scouts are diving into the information, the pure velocity and spin rate can be used as pieces to the puzzle to determine which arms may have advantages against hitters. Below is a look at the spin rates from some of the top arms in the state.
CLICK HERE to see the full roster and stats from the Preseason All-State West
Preseason All-State West – By the Numbers:
- 91 players went through the workout at Ultimate Performance
- 36 pitchers threw controlled bullpens
- 80 hitters went through offensive and defensive workouts
- 24 players ran a sub-4.00 on the 30 yard laser timed sprint
- 33 hitters posted an exit velocity of 90 mph or higher
- 9 of 19 catchers posted a pop time of 2.10 or lower
- 7 Outfielders posted a positional velocity of 90 mph or higher
- 10 Pitchers worked at 86 or higher
- 3 arms touched 90 or better
- 2468rpm was the top fastball spin rate at the event.
Spin Rates: Preseason All-State West
Top High Spin Rate Fastballs
Spin rates on the fastball can viewed in two ways. High spin fastballs tend to allow the pitch to play at a higher perceived velocity than the radar is reading. Hitters may say that the ball is jumping on them or exploding as it gets near the hitting zone. The high spin rate allows the pitch to create that affect to hitters. The median spin rate at the pro level on a fastball ranges from 2100 rpm to 2250 rpm. Typically the harder a player, or group of players, are throwing, that group will have a higher average spin rate. Fastballs that sit outside the norm, on the high end, are deemed to be high spin rate fastballs. Below is a look at the top five high spin rates from the Preseason All-State West.
Top Low Spin Rate Fastballs
While it is good to be above the norm with the spin rate on a fastball, it is also good to be below the norm on the fastball spin rate. A low spin rate fastball typically has sinking action, working underneath swings, creating ground balls. Again velocity can matter in terms of the norm, so for the function of this article we are looking for low spin rate fastballs that play at the higher end of average for the high school level. Below are the top five low spin rate fastballs from the Preseason All-State West.
High Spin Rate Breaking Balls
The spin rate on a breaking ball is just the tip of the iceberg on the reasons why a breaking pitch may be effective. Spin direction and spin efficiency can be as big a determining factor as to whether the breaking pitch has late, hard action. The spin rate does gives us an idea as to whether a pitcher may have the ability to spin the ball effectively now or in the future. Below are the top 10 highest spinning breaking balls from the Preseason All-State West.