Prep Baseball Scout Day: USA Scout: Data Dive - Pitchers
May 15, 2024
On May 9th, we hosted USA Scout at Lakepoint Sports for a Scout Day. This event featured players from the 2025-2029 classes, and it provided our staff with an in-depth look at some high-follow players into the summer.
Inside today’s Pitching Data dive we will highlight the players with top metrics per Trackman.
Early this week, we broke down the stat leaders from the more traditional categories in our statistical analysis. Today, we will take an even closer look at the pitchers in attendance with the help of our tech partners, broken down by the categories and leaderboards below.
FASTBALL
MAX VELOCITY (MPH)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Velocity (max) |
1 | JR Zeimet | GA | Gordon Lee | 2026 | C | 85.9 mph |
2 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 82.5 mph |
3 | Brody Conner | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | 79.2 mph |
4 | Logan Harmon | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | OF | 77.3 mph |
5 | Noah Csizmar | GA | Creekview | 2025 | RHP | 77.2 mph |
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 2385 rpm |
2 | JR Zeimet | GA | Gordon Lee | 2026 | C | 2167 rpm |
3 | Brady Colton | GA | Etowah High School | 2026 | LHP | 2001 rpm |
4 | Easton Shank | GA | Hillgrove | 2026 | LHP | 1793 rpm |
5 | Hunter Ash | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | 1789 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.
SPIN EFFICIENCY% (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Efficiency % (avg) |
1 | Easton Shank | GA | Hillgrove | 2026 | LHP | 96 % |
2 | Logan Harmon | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | OF | 94 % |
3 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 92 % |
4 | Cole Trawick | GA | North Paulding | 2029 | OF | 92 % |
5 | Noah Csizmar | GA | Creekview | 2025 | RHP | 91 % |
Spin Efficiency: This metric is the percentage of the raw spin rate that directly impacts pitch movement; so while raw spin is measured by revolutions per minute (rpm), spin efficiency is the ratio of true spin divided by raw spin. It’s important to understand that more is not always better when it comes to spin efficiency. The optimal spin efficiency on a pitch depends on the pitch type and should be understood in the context of a pitcher’s entire arsenal. Regarding the true four-seam fastball, a spin efficiency close to 100 percent is preferable, indicating that nearly all the backspin generated on the ball as it leaves the pitcher’s hand is contributing to the “riding” action the pitch has as it enters and exits the strike zone, making it especially effective in the upper third of the strike zone.
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
1 | Cole Trawick | GA | North Paulding | 2029 | OF | 20.4 in |
2 | Easton Shank | GA | Hillgrove | 2026 | LHP | 20.2 in |
3 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 19.2 in |
4 | Brady Colton | GA | Etowah High School | 2026 | LHP | 18.8 in |
5 | Malcolm Davis Jr. | GA | Harrison High School | 2028 | OF | 17.6 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 Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 15.1 |
2 | Luke Darvish | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | RHP | 14.8 |
3 | Logan Harmon | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | OF | 13.4 |
4 | Hunter Ash | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | 12.7 |
5 | Noah Csizmar | GA | Creekview | 2025 | RHP | 11.7 |
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 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 60 % |
2 | Logan Harmon | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | OF | 57 % |
3 | Brody Conner | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | 50 % |
^ | Malcolm Davis Jr. | GA | Harrison High School | 2028 | OF | 50 % |
4 | Noah Csizmar | GA | Creekview | 2025 | RHP | 42 % |
5 | Luke Darvish | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | RHP | 41 % |
Average MLB pitchers throw 62 percent strikes, and better pitchers throw strikes 65 percent of the time, or a ratio of roughly 2:1, strikes to balls.
CURVEBALL
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | JR Zeimet | GA | Gordon Lee | 2026 | C | 2315 rpm |
2 | Brady Colton | GA | Etowah High School | 2026 | LHP | 2048 rpm |
3 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 1884 rpm |
4 | Brody Conner | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | 1830 rpm |
5 | Easton Shank | GA | Hillgrove | 2026 | LHP | 1801 rpm |
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
1 | Malcolm Davis Jr. | GA | Harrison High School | 2028 | OF | 9.0 in |
2 | Cole Trawick | GA | North Paulding | 2029 | OF | 8.4 in |
3 | Brody Conner | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | 7.0 in |
4 | Noah Csizmar | GA | Creekview | 2025 | RHP | 6.3 in |
5 | Brady Colton | GA | Etowah High School | 2026 | LHP | -4.7 in |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | JR Zeimet | GA | Gordon Lee | 2026 | C | -14.9 |
2 | Brady Colton | GA | Etowah High School | 2026 | LHP | 7.0 |
3 | Easton Shank | GA | Hillgrove | 2026 | LHP | 6.9 |
4 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | -6.8 |
5 | Hunter Ash | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | -4.2 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Brody Conner | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | 57 % |
2 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 50 % |
3 | Noah Csizmar | GA | Creekview | 2025 | RHP | 40 % |
^ | Brady Colton | GA | Etowah High School | 2026 | LHP | 40 % |
4 | JR Zeimet | GA | Gordon Lee | 2026 | C | 25 % |
5 | Hunter Ash | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | 20 % |
^ | Cole Trawick | GA | North Paulding | 2029 | OF | 20 % |
SLIDER
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | Brody Conner | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | 2163 |
2 | Luke Darvish | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | RHP | 1829 |
3 | Easton Shank | GA | Hillgrove | 2026 | LHP | 1814 |
4 | Logan Harmon | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | OF | 1769 |
5 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 1765 |
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
1 | Malcolm Davis Jr. | GA | Harrison High School | 2028 | OF | 20.7 in |
2 | Luke Darvish | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | RHP | 10.9 in |
3 | Logan Harmon | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | OF | 9.3 in |
4 | Brody Conner | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | 5.6 in |
5 | Easton Shank | GA | Hillgrove | 2026 | LHP | 5.6 in |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | -8.1 |
2 | Easton Shank | GA | Hillgrove | 2026 | LHP | 6.5 |
3 | Luke Darvish | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | RHP | -5.9 |
4 | Brody Conner | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | -2.4 |
5 | Malcolm Davis Jr. | GA | Harrison High School | 2028 | OF | -1.2 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Luke Darvish | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | RHP | 57 % |
2 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 50 % |
^ | Logan Harmon | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | OF | 50 % |
3 | Easton Shank | GA | Hillgrove | 2026 | LHP | 40 % |
4 | Brody Conner | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | 20 % |
CHANGEUP
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | Easton Shank | GA | Hillgrove | 2026 | LHP | 1827 rpm |
2 | JR Zeimet | GA | Gordon Lee | 2026 | C | 1648 rpm |
3 | Brady Colton | GA | Etowah High School | 2026 | LHP | 1644 rpm |
4 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 1613 rpm |
5 | Luke Darvish | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | RHP | 1447 rpm |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Easton Shank | GA | Hillgrove | 2026 | LHP | -16.7 |
2 | Luke Darvish | GA | Cherokee High School | 2026 | RHP | 13.4 |
3 | Brady Colton | GA | Etowah High School | 2026 | LHP | -12.0 |
4 | Brody Conner | GA | South Paulding High School | 2027 | SS | 11.4 |
5 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 10.4 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Brady Colton | GA | Etowah High School | 2026 | LHP | 50 % |
2 | Jack Ripley | GA | Sequoyah High School | 2026 | 3B | 28 % |
3 | JR Zeimet | GA | Gordon Lee | 2026 | C | 20 % |
RELATED CONTENT
- GA Georgia Class of 2026 Updated Rankings 5/30/24
- GA Prep Baseball Scout Day: Southeast Sox: Data Dive - Position Players 5/28/24
- GA Prep Baseball Scout Day: Southeast Sox: Data Dive - Pitchers 5/28/24
- GA Prep Baseball Scout Day: Southeast Sox - Statistical Analysis 5/26/24
- GA Prep Baseball Scout Day: Georgia Jackets: Data Dive - Position Players 5/23/24