Welcome back to the hitting side of Trackman Traits. In this series we will spotlight one player each week who stood out during this 2020 season and take a deeper dive into their numbers and take a look at some that really stand out. Since the implementation of the Trackman technology to our showcases this summer we have been fortunate enough to have seen a great deal of talent come through the system. Today, we will be taking a look at the number three first baseman in Pennsylvania's 2021 class, Michael Ciocco.

Before we get started, we'll go over and define some of the terminology being used in the piece. 

Exit Velocity-  this one's pretty simple but this metric measures the speed of the ball off the bat, measured in miles per hour (mph).

Distance- another simple one, this metric measures how far the ball traveled or would travel if it was not obstructed, measured in feet.

Launch Angle- measures the vertical angle of the ball as it leaves the bat. Positive numbers represent balls traveling upward off of the bat and negative numbers mean the ball is traveling downward off of the bat. 

Fly Ball %-  Percentage of fly balls hit during a given set of batted ball events. Trackman defines a fly ball as any batted ball with a launch angle between 25 degrees and 49.9 degrees. 

Line Drive%-  Percentage of line drives hit during a given set of batted ball events. Trackman defines a line drive as any batted ball with a launch angle between 10 degrees and 24.9 degrees.

Hard Hit%-  Percentage of batted balls with an exit velocity of 90 MPH or higher. 

Bat Speed- The speed of the sweet spot of the bat at impact, measured in MPH. The sweet spot is measured 6 inches from the tip of the bat. - Blast Motion

Hand Speed-  The speed of the handle of the bat just before impact, measured in MPH. The handle of the bat is measured 6 inches from the knob of the bat. -Blast Motion

 

 

TRACKMAN DATA ANALYSIS

We had plenty of chances to catch up with Ciocco this summer starting in DuBois for the 2020 PA State Games and at other events including the 2020 Buckeye Elite Showcase and the PA Prospect Games. At all three, he showed plenty of power topping the 100 MPH exit velocity barrier at each event. Let's take a deeper look into the numbers. 

Ciocco had his highest peak and average exit velocity at the 2020 Buckeye Elite Showcase clocking in at 104.68 MPH and 96.15 MPH, respectively. Those are both huge numbers, but he proved it was not a fluke at the other events he attended. At the PA Prospect Showcase, he put up a peak exit velocity of 101.53 MPH and an average exit velocity of 90.97 MPH. Two legit showings for sure, but for comparison's sake, we'll look at what he did at the PA State Games to see how he stacked up against some of the state's top talent. 

Instead of just listing his stats from the event, take a look at some of the leaderboards he finds himself a part of:

As you can see, he clearly stood out amongst his peers as one of the top power bats at the event. He finds himself in atop the leaderboard for average distance and in the top three for both peak and average exit velocity and max distance. This pretty much speaks for itself, not only is Ciocco one of the top first basemen in his class, he's one of the top bats in the state period. There is legit power in that right-handed bat of Ciocco's and as the only uncommitted first basemen ranked in the top five for PA's 2021 class, that should be changing real soon. Let's dig a bit deeper to see where all that power comes from. 

BLAST CONNECTION

Trackman does a great job showing the outcomes of players swings and their batted ball events. Its data is results based, the best numbers come when you get off your best swing and make your best contact. Blast Motion technology, also implemented at the same time this summer as the Trackman, tracks the swing data of a player and can shine a light into what a player does well in their swing. When paired with Trackman data, it can paint a more complete picture of a hitter and help explain why a player is able to hit the ball harder, farther, and more consistently than others. 

Two Blast Motion metrics that I like to look at are bat speed and hand speed. These two metrics are easy to confuse, but bat speed looks at the speed of the barrel and hand speed looks at the speed of the handle and are both measured at their peak speed during the swing. Higher bat speed can be achieved through a number of different ways, and Ciocco's physicality certainly helps him generate some extra bat speed. Aside from just a player's physical profile, other Blast metrics such as hand speed can point to why some players have a higher bat speed. 

Unsurprisingly, these were two metrics that Ciocco was above average in. He showcased a peak bat speed of 79.5, putting him in the upper echelon of peak bat speeds at the 2020 PA State Games. Following his trend of consistent big numbers, his average bat speed was 75.93 mph. He was remarkably consistent in swinging it very hard. His peak and average numbers both showcase his quick bat and that should help project well against increased velocity. 

Ciocco also showed very quick hands, a reason why that bat speed is as high as it is. He peaked at a 24.4 mph hand speed and averaged a 23.32 mph hand speed, both advanced numbers pointing to a reason why he was able to swing it so well. In a game setting, higher hand speed and bat speed will allow you that extra split second to see the ball out of the pitchers hand and make later decision while still being able to catch up to increased velocity. 

CONCLUSION

With a player who has the physical profile that Michael Ciocco possesses, in combination with his above average bat and hand speed, it is no wonder he is able to destroy baseballs at the rate he does. Ciocco does not get cheated at the plate, and with that mentality, he should continue to put up big numbers like these. We will definitely be keeping our eyes on Ciocco as we enter the 2021 season and hope to see him continue mashing.  To all the baseballs in the Keystone State, you have been warned.