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Stars Scout Day: Trackman Traits Intriguing Arms

July 5, 2021
Mason McRae
PBR Virginia/DC

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The expanded usage of data, and the importance of it in regards to player development and player assessment is a legitimate, undeniable tool used by high school, college, and professional teams across the country. Today we break down some of the data from our Stars Baseball Scout Day. See which players stood out in regards to Trackman data. 
Glossary Terms Intro & Links:

Induced Vertical Break: IVB
Vertical Approach Angle: VAA 
Horizontal Break: HB
Release Speed: RS or Velo
Release Height: RH or RelHei

Most Intriguing Data Profiled Arms:

 

 

Fastball: Touched 86.1 mph, average raw spin at 2,151 rpm but optimized it with high spin efficiency and a 12:30/12:45 tilt, and low release height. This gives off a flat approach angle, his lowest one in the zone being -4.2 degrees. Averaged out at 85.0 mph, 20.5 inches of IVB, and 7.4 inches of HB. He threw every FB at either 12:30 or 12:45 and averaged 18.5 or more inches of IVB on every pitch. 

Curveball: High spin efficiency breaker (relatively speaking) at 69.9 mph on average. Threw it slightly vertical from 7:30 at 7:45, so it plays like a slurve with heavy sweep and drop. Had 2,235 rpm on the pitch and threw it in the zone at 67%. 

Changeup: Velocity was right between the FB and CB at 74.8 mph on average. Spin rate dropped off about 500 rpm from the FB. Had slightly longer extension and lower release on the CH then he did the FB, which is the case for most pitchers. 


 

Fastball: Threw it at or around 1:00, averaged just 15.6 inches of IVB, but has somewhat low release. Shows potential for more vertical movement, has 2,036 rpm. But his highest efficiency pitch had 17.1 inches of IVB. And his average would’ve been an inch higher had he not thrown a low efficiency 1:15 pitch (this was his only low spin efficiency FB) that had less run than his average, and only 13.8 inches of IVB. Already sitting at 84.6 mph, up to 86.4. As the velocity progresses, his spin rate will too and he could be in the 18-19 inch IVB range as long as his spin efficiency is consistently 90%+ like it was at this event and the release stays the same.

Slider: Averaged -2.8 inches of IVB, and -8.9 inches of HB. Which is good. But it’s misleading, and the pitch is actually better. He threw it primarily at 9:00. He threw one at 7:15, which had -7.4 inches of HB and -8.8 inches of IVB. Ignore this pitch, and he would’ve had about zero inches of IVB and 7 inches of HB, which would be a gyro-heavy pitch with a shape that drops off laterally. He threw it hard at 76.4 mph, up to 78.0 mph. Had high-spin on the pitch at 2,504 rpm.


Changeup: Although he was unable to locate it in the zone, the shape is similar to FB with identical movement and 1:00/1:15 tilt, just 6.6 mph slower. There’s more potential for the pitch if he gets more sidespin to create a larger differential from his FB movement-wise.

 

 

Fastball: Above average spin, high vertical release creates vertical axis, tilts range between 12:15 and 1:00. Has somewhat high spin efficiency (90-95%), so he’s generating plus lift (19.5 inches), and very little lateral movement. Its movement profile is almost entirely backspin with slight gyro spin. Nearly every pitch was within 2 inches of IVB of each other, though his HB had a slightly looser distribution; cut two pitches and had less than 4 inches of HB on those.

Curveball: Very loose tilt distribution. Threw one pitch with a left-handed pitcher's traditional 12/6 curve axis, threw another on the opposite side with a slurve-look at an 8:00 tilt. The pitch plays like a low spin efficiency (relative to other 6:00 CB) and has zero lateral movement with almost entirely topspin. Because it’s only a 1,411 rpm offering, there’s not a ton of movement to be had. Averaged 9.5 inches of vertical drop, and -0.2 of HB. Potential for a good 12/6 CB is strong as long as he continues to throw it with a 6:00 - 6:45, which he did do three times in this session. 

Changeup: Similar profile as his FB, vertical axis. Generates very little fade, didn’t throw it in the zone during this session. Has spin efficiency on the pitch so no room for a seam-shifted wake, it’s a lift-centric CH with majority backspin which creates a downward breaking shape.