Prep Baseball Report

Underclass Preseason All-State: Pitching Data Dive


Cam Black-Araujo
Arizona Operations

This past Saturday and Sunday, the PBR Arizona staff hosted it's marquee event of the preseason with the Underclass Preseason All-State at Casteel High School in Queen Creek, Arizona. This event featured roughly 85 prospects from the 2026 and 2027 classes and featured a large crop of Arizona's top underclass prospects for a pro-style workout on Saturday, followed by live-game action on Sunday.

The event allowed our staff to collect updated data on all athletes, as well as give us an up-close look at the players ahead of the high school season and our updated rankings that will be rolling out.

Earlier this week, we broke down the top measurable data performers from the event with our Statistical Analysis article. Now, we will take a further in-depth look at the top pitchers with the help of our tech partnerships, broken down by the categories down below:

For complete event results, click here.
To view upcoming event schedule, click here.

FASTBALL

MAX VELOCITY (MPH)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Velocity (max)
1 Jaxen Maxey AZ Valley Christian 2026 OF 89.8 mph
2 Carter Jacobson AZ Corona Del Sol 2026 RHP 88.4 mph
3 Vinnie Keck AZ Saguaro 2026 OF 88.3 mph
4 Blake Gonzales AZ Hamilton 2027 3B 88.1 mph
5 Roman Carrington AZ 2026 SS 87.8 mph
6 Ryan Bresaw AZ Basha High School 2026 RHP 87.0 mph
7 Henry Verhamme AZ Cactus Shadows 2026 SS 87.0 mph
8 Erick Jaylen Jimenez AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2027 OF 86.7 mph
9 Soren Etheridge AZ Phoenix Country Day 2027 RHP 86.1 mph
10 Sam Jenkins AZ Notre Dame Prep 2027 RHP 86.0 mph

Max Fastball Velocity: This metric calculates the speed of the pitch as it’s released from the pitcher’s hand.

SPIN RATE (AVG)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Erick Jaylen Jimenez AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2027 OF 2576 rpm
2 Jaxen Maxey AZ Valley Christian 2026 OF 2263 rpm
3 Maxx Kane AZ Casteel 2026 OF 2253 rpm
4 Roman Carrington AZ 2026 SS 2236 rpm
5 Conor Rae AZ Hamilton 2027 SS 2211 rpm
6 Noah Weiss AZ Pinnacle 2026 RHP 2177 rpm
7 Frank Gearhart AZ Hamilton High School 2026 1B 2176 rpm
8 Sam Jenkins AZ Notre Dame Prep 2027 RHP 2149 rpm
9 Raydon Rocha AZ Mica Mountain 2026 SS 2139 rpm
10 Blake Gonzales AZ Hamilton 2027 3B 2101 rpm

Spin Rate: This metric calculates the rate of spin on the baseball as it leaves the pitcher’s hand, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm). Historical data shows that high-spin fastballs lessen the impact of gravity, allowing for more ‘rise’ (or less fall, in other words) as it carries through the zone. Low-spin fastballs typically indicate the pitch has greater horizontal action, often making it tougher to square up, but generally easier to make contact with, leading to more ground balls, while high-spin fastballs show a correlation with swings and misses.

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Kobe Olivares AZ Casteel High School 2026 OF 21.1 in
2 Stephen Preston AZ Shadow Ridge 2027 SS 19.4 in
3 Vinnie Keck AZ Saguaro 2026 OF 17.3 in
4 Colin Eick AZ Casteel 2026 2B 16.9 in
5 Cayden Hokanson AZ Casteel 2026 RHP 16.7 in
6 Hawk Licari AZ Cactus Shadows 2027 LHP 16.6 in
7 Roman Carrington AZ 2026 SS 16.5 in
8 Carter Jacobson AZ Corona Del Sol 2026 RHP 16.2 in
9 Sam Jenkins AZ Notre Dame Prep 2027 RHP 15.9 in
10 Soren Etheridge AZ Phoenix Country Day 2027 RHP 15.9 in

Induced Vertical Break: Used in short form as "IVB," this metric is most important on fastballs for creating rise and on curveballs for creating depth – it can also have some use when measuring sliders and cutters as well. Sliders tend to be closer to zero inches while cutters are generally between 5 and 15 inches. Usually fastballs and curveballs with large IVB have higher spin efficiencies as well. Sliders generally have very little (closer to zero) IVB and very low spin efficiency. You could also categorize IVB into spin rate as this is part of the “useful movement” you’re looking for. IVB is also a huge part of the vertical approach angle.

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Jack McDonough AZ Perry 2027 RHP 19.2
2 Alex Korbesmeyer AZ Pinnacle 2026 1B 18.1
3 Frank Gearhart AZ Hamilton High School 2026 1B 16.8
4 Ryan Sanchez AZ Valley Christian 2027 C 15.9
5 Roman Carrington AZ 2026 SS 15.9
6 Mitchell Lamoreaux AZ Mountain View 2027 OF 15.0
7 Owen Konerko AZ Cactus Shadows 2027 3B 13.0
8 Dylan Keith AZ Red Mountain 2027 OF 13.0
9 Noah Weiss AZ Pinnacle 2026 RHP 12.8
10 Tanner Terry AZ Notre Dame Prep 2027 C 12.8

Horizontal Break: Outlined on TrackMan’s own website: “... horizontal movement is 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.”

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Cayden Hokanson AZ Casteel 2026 RHP 88 %
2 Hawk Licari AZ Cactus Shadows 2027 LHP 76 %
3 Ethan Rauscher AZ Casteel 2027 2B 75 %
4 Dean Thompson AZ Hamilton 2027 1B 66 %
5 Angel Armenta AZ Walden Grove 2026 C 63 %
^ Mitchell Lamoreaux AZ Mountain View 2027 OF 63 %
6 Carter Jacobson AZ Corona Del Sol 2026 RHP 62 %
^ Tanner Terry AZ Notre Dame Prep 2027 C 62 %
7 Grady Openden AZ Brophy College Prep 2027 OF 60 %
^ Merrick Phelps AZ Casteel 2027 LHP 60 %

CURVEBALL

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Maxx Kane AZ Casteel 2026 OF 2449 rpm
2 Erick Jaylen Jimenez AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2027 OF 2326 rpm
3 Sam Jenkins AZ Notre Dame Prep 2027 RHP 2205 rpm
4 Conor Rae AZ Hamilton 2027 SS 2118 rpm
5 Raydon Rocha AZ Mica Mountain 2026 SS 2100 rpm

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Kobe Olivares AZ Casteel High School 2026 OF 21.1 in
2 Stephen Preston AZ Shadow Ridge 2027 SS 19.4 in
3 Vinnie Keck AZ Saguaro 2026 OF 17.3 in
4 Colin Eick AZ Casteel 2026 2B 16.9 in
5 Cayden Hokanson AZ Casteel 2026 RHP 16.7 in

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Talin Roth AZ Casteel 2027 RHP -16.0
2 Maxx Kane AZ Casteel 2026 OF 13.3
3 Erick Jaylen Jimenez AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2027 OF -12.9
4 Raydon Rocha AZ Mica Mountain 2026 SS -12.7
5 Kobe Olivares AZ Casteel High School 2026 OF -10.7

STRIKE ZONE %

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Talin Roth AZ Casteel 2027 RHP -16.0
2 Maxx Kane AZ Casteel 2026 OF 13.3
3 Erick Jaylen Jimenez AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2027 OF -12.9
4 Raydon Rocha AZ Mica Mountain 2026 SS -12.7

SLIDER

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Henry Verhamme AZ Cactus Shadows 2026 SS 2295
2 Dean Thompson AZ Hamilton 2027 1B 2254
3 Vinnie Keck AZ Saguaro 2026 OF 2229
4 Conor Rae AZ Hamilton 2027 SS 2228
5 Cooper Gribbons AZ Casteel 2027 1B 2171
6 Noah Weiss AZ Pinnacle 2026 RHP 2153
7 Tanner Terry AZ Notre Dame Prep 2027 C 2134
8 Logan Reber AZ Casteel 2026 C 2125

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Grady Openden AZ Brophy College Prep 2027 OF -9.1 in
2 Dean Thompson AZ Hamilton 2027 1B 8.4 in
3 Logan Reber AZ Casteel 2026 C -7.4 in
4 Jack McDonough AZ Perry 2027 RHP 7.3 in
5 Ethan Rauscher AZ Casteel 2027 2B 6.4 in
6 Colin Eick AZ Casteel 2026 2B 5.4 in
7 Vinnie Keck AZ Saguaro 2026 OF -5.2 in
8 Frank Gearhart AZ Hamilton High School 2026 1B -5.1 in

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Merrick Phelps AZ Casteel 2027 LHP 15.5
2 Henry Verhamme AZ Cactus Shadows 2026 SS -14.6
3 Vinnie Keck AZ Saguaro 2026 OF -14.5
4 Frank Gearhart AZ Hamilton High School 2026 1B -13.3
5 Cooper Gribbons AZ Casteel 2027 1B -10.9
6 Logan Reber AZ Casteel 2026 C -10.6
7 Grady Openden AZ Brophy College Prep 2027 OF -10.0
8 Mitchell Lamoreaux AZ Mountain View 2027 OF -8.8

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Alex Korbesmeyer AZ Pinnacle 2026 1B 100 %
^ Angel Armenta AZ Walden Grove 2026 C 100 %
^ Conor Rae AZ Hamilton 2027 SS 100 %
2 Mitchell Lamoreaux AZ Mountain View 2027 OF 80 %
3 Bennett Nordini AZ Desert Mountain 2026 3B 75 %
4 Noah Weiss AZ Pinnacle 2026 RHP 66 %
^ Mario Pedraza AZ Williams 2026 RHP 66 %
^ Tanner Terry AZ Notre Dame Prep 2027 C 66 %

CHANGEUP

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Erick Jaylen Jimenez AZ Sandra Day O'Connor 2027 OF 19.1
2 Max Jelinek AZ Saguaro 2027 RHP 18.3
3 Carter Jacobson AZ Corona Del Sol 2026 RHP 18.0
4 Maverick Bolen AZ Horizon 2027 C 16.9
5 Dylan Keith AZ Red Mountain 2027 OF 16.4
6 Conor Rae AZ Hamilton 2027 SS 16.4
7 Frank Gearhart AZ Hamilton High School 2026 1B 16.2
8 Tanner Terry AZ Notre Dame Prep 2027 C 16.0
9 Noah Weiss AZ Pinnacle 2026 RHP 15.7
10 Talin Roth AZ Casteel 2027 RHP 15.2

STRIKE ZONE RATE%

Rank Name State School Class Pos Zone %
1 Tanner Terry AZ Notre Dame Prep 2027 C 100 %
^ Stephen Preston AZ Shadow Ridge 2027 SS 100 %
^ Cayden Hokanson AZ Casteel 2026 RHP 100 %
2 Talin Roth AZ Casteel 2027 RHP 50 %
^ Maxx Kane AZ Casteel 2026 OF 50 %
^ Merrick Phelps AZ Casteel 2027 LHP 50 %

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE STATE DATE LOCATION
Mesa Preseason ID AZ 01/31 Desert Ridge High School - Mesa, AZ
Preseason All-State Games: Upperclass (Invite-Only) AZ 02/03 Cactus Shadows High School - Scottsdale, AZ
Super 60 Pro Showcase NATIONAL 02/04 The MAX - McCook, IL
Arizona Rising Stars ID AZ 04/13 Grand Canyon University - Phoenix, AZ
Arizona Rising Stars ID - Session 2 AZ 04/27 Grand Canyon University - Phoenix, AZ

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