This past year we introduced the Trackman B1 Portable unit to our showcase events. The industry leading technology has the ability to track ball flight and collect data at an unprecedented level. 

Ball flight metrics have become increasingly important across all levels of amateur baseball. Whether it's professional scouts or college coaches, evaluators are looking for additional ways to find value that might be difficult for the naked eye to pick up. 

On the pitching side, some of the key metrics we're able to identify are spin rate, vertical break and horizontal movement. This helps us understand the movement profile of an offering and quantify the type of potential a specific pitch has moving forward. 

In this article, we're specifically looking at horizontal break on a FB from a side-arm release. We define horizontal break as the following:

horizontal Break

Distance, measured in inches, between where the pitch actually crosses the front of home plate side-wise, and where it would have crossed home plate side-wise if had it traveled in a perfectly straight line from release. A positive number means the break was to the right from the pitcher’s perspective, while a negative number means the break was to the left from the pitcher’s perspective. - Trackman 

Sinker

'21 RHP/OF Slater Whitaker (Ferndale)

For this breakdown, we're going to be using sinker data as opposed to FB data. The reason being is that with a lower arm slot, Whitaker's FB really creates more natural running/sinking action and thus we need to compare it to the proper data based off of that. If we were dealing with a RHP who throws from a higher, more over-the-top release, we could compare their data to FB metrics. It is important to note that a HS/NCAA sinker creates more movement due to the LACK of velocity. Understand that a higher number does not automatically mean an offering is better or more effective. The horizontal movement helps create a more well-rounded understanding of the pitch and needs to be looked at with other data, such as velocity, in mind as well. 

Let's take a look at Whitaker on the bump and the movement he can create on his low-release FB...

We isolated 3 pitches for this video. 

Velocity	Spin Rate	Horizontal mvmt	Vertical mvmt	Release Ht	Release Side
74.6	1695	21.8"	6.5"	2'2"	3'1"
75.0	1864	18.8"	9.2"	2'	3'1"
73.9	1694	19.3"	9.8"	2'4"	3'1"

breakdown

When looking at Whitaker's FB, we took into consideration the velocity, spin rate, horizontal break, vertical break, release height and release side. 'Release height' is how far above the ground he actually lets go of the baseball. 'Release side' is how far from the center of the rubber his release point is. So right away, we can see we're dealing with a unique spot for the ball to come out of. For a right handed hitter, you're picking up the ball from a lower arm slot that is essentially behind you. When looking across all 3 levels of baseball (MLB, NCAA, HS) we can see the average amount of horizontal movement on a sinker ranges from 16.3" - 17.2". On these 3 particular pitches, Whitaker is averaging 19.96" of horizontal movement or "arm side run". And on the offerings that had lower horizontal numbers, he was still able to create more depth with a higher vertical break of 9.2" and 9.8". So even if the ball doesn't run as much, it avoids flattening out. 

The data helps reinforce the potential of Whitaker's FB and prove that it's more than just a "funky" offering. Conversely, the data doesn't guarantee results. Pitchers still need to execute, hit spots and compete. But if they have a higher understanding of their arsenal, it can help refine their approach against hitters. 

All in all, with Trackman, we have a better understanding of what this pitch can do despite not having above average velocity. While velocity is always going to have its place in the game, there are still ways to be effective and create roles on the mound without lighting up the radar gun. For anyone looking for a right-handed specialist or someone who can consistent produce ground ball contact, Whitaker has the skills to potentially fill that role. 

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