Unsigned Senior Showcase: Pitching Data Dive
October 9, 2023
On Oct. 1, PBR Illinois hosted the fall’s Unsigned Senior Showcase, as it does each and every fall, at The MAX complex in McCook, Ill., where over 50 prospects participated. These Class of 2024 athletes remain uncommitted headed into the final offseason of their prep careers, and this group that performed at The MAX last weekend underscored the unsigned talent still remaining in Illinois.
For a closer look at the showcase details and the technologies we'll have on-site to assist our in-person evaluation for all in attendance, click here. For a complete look at those registered to attend this event, view the most up-to-date version of the roster by clicking here.
Last Tuesday, we took a closer look at some of the immediate standouts who caught our attention with our Quick Hits. Earlier today, we published our Statistical Analysis, where we broke down the stat leaders from the more traditional categories. 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:
TRACKMAN
FASTBALL
VELOCITY (MAX)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Velocity (max)
1
Luca Fiore
IL
Nazareth
2024
LHP
85.9 mph
2
Zakery Sumser
IL
Naperville North
2024
RHP
84.2 mph
3
Sean O'Dowd
IL
Maine South
2024
RHP
84.1 mph
4
Max Woodward
IL
Kaneland
2024
RHP
83.7 mph
5
Liam Arnold
IL
Palatine
2024
RHP
82.8 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
Tyler Alicea
IL
Saint Patrick
2024
SS
2146 rpm
2
Luca Fiore
IL
Nazareth
2024
LHP
2107 rpm
3
Liam Arnold
IL
Palatine
2024
RHP
2096 rpm
4
Aidan Conners
IL
Hinsdale Central
2024
3B
2090 rpm
5
Zakery Sumser
IL
Naperville North
2024
RHP
2090 rpm
6
Frederick Wessel
IL
Maine South
2024
RHP
2081 rpm
7
Robert Gouwens
IL
Marist
2024
RHP
2053 rpm
8
Rodney DeSilva
IL
Joliet Central
2024
OF
1963 rpm
9
Max Woodward
IL
Kaneland
2024
RHP
1955 rpm
10
Justin Pinkowski
IL
Fenwick
2024
RHP
1950 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
Rodney DeSilva
IL
Joliet Central
2024
OF
21.0 in
2
Robert Gouwens
IL
Marist
2024
RHP
20.1 in
3
Zakery Sumser
IL
Naperville North
2024
RHP
17.8 in
4
Tyler Alicea
IL
Saint Patrick
2024
SS
16.7 in
5
Andrew Danehl
IL
Thornton Fractional South
2024
RHP
16.7 in
6
Justin Pinkowski
IL
Fenwick
2024
RHP
16.4 in
7
Aidan Conners
IL
Hinsdale Central
2024
3B
15.7 in
8
Brett Lane
WI
Monroe
2024
3B
15.7 in
9
Frederick Wessel
IL
Maine South
2024
RHP
15.6 in
10
Luca Fiore
IL
Nazareth
2024
LHP
14.3 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
Velo Range
1
Zakery Sumser
IL
Naperville North
2024
RHP
76.7-78.2 mph
2
Luis Arreola
IL
Carmel Catholic
2024
RHP
73.7-75.9 mph
3
Sean O'Dowd
IL
Maine South
2024
RHP
72.7-74.9 mph
4
Kevin O'Connor
IL
DePaul College Prep
2024
LHP
72.4-73.3 mph
5
Lukas Trippiedi
IL
Addison Trail
2024
RHP
70.0-72.2 mph
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
Kevin O'Connor
IL
DePaul College Prep
2024
LHP
71 %
2
Luis Arreola
IL
Carmel Catholic
2024
RHP
66 %
3
Brett Lane
WI
Monroe
2024
3B
60 %
^
Aidan Conners
IL
Hinsdale Central
2024
3B
60 %
Average MLB pitchers throw 62% strikes, and better pitchers throw strikes 65% of the time, or roughly 2:1 strikes to balls.
CURVEBALL
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Spin Rate (avg)
1
Brody Clark
IL
Bradley Bourbonnais
2024
LHP
2447 rpm
2
Max Woodward
IL
Kaneland
2024
RHP
2347 rpm
3
Aidan Conners
IL
Hinsdale Central
2024
3B
2256 rpm
4
Frederick Wessel
IL
Maine South
2024
RHP
2250 rpm
5
Justin Pinkowski
IL
Fenwick
2024
RHP
2194 rpm
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
IVB (avg)
1
Rodney DeSilva
IL
Joliet Central
2024
OF
-13.3 in
2
Liam Arnold
IL
Palatine
2024
RHP
-10.6 in
3
James MacMillan
IL
DePaul College Prep
2024
LHP
-10.0 in
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
HM (avg)
1
Frederick Wessel
IL
Maine South
2024
RHP
-13.1
2
Brody Clark
IL
Bradley Bourbonnais
2024
LHP
12.8
3
Rodney DeSilva
IL
Joliet Central
2024
OF
-12.6
4
Liam Arnold
IL
Palatine
2024
RHP
-12.2
5
Aidan Conners
IL
Hinsdale Central
2024
3B
-11.8
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Zone %
1
Brody Clark
IL
Bradley Bourbonnais
2024
LHP
50 %
^
Tyler Alicea
IL
Saint Patrick
2024
SS
50 %
^
Justin Pinkowski
IL
Fenwick
2024
RHP
50 %
2
Cody Neilson
IL
Fremd
2024
2B
42 %
3
James MacMillan
IL
DePaul College Prep
2024
LHP
40 %
^
Robert Gouwens
IL
Marist
2024
RHP
40 %
^
Liam Arnold
IL
Palatine
2024
RHP
40 %
^
Brett Lane
WI
Monroe
2024
3B
40 %
4
Carter Laudeman
IL
Morris
2024
OF
33 %
^
Luis Arreola
IL
Carmel Catholic
2024
RHP
33 %
5
Frederick Wessel
IL
Maine South
2024
RHP
20 %
SLIDER
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Spin Rate (avg)
1
Luca Fiore
IL
Nazareth
2024
LHP
2405
2
Zakery Sumser
IL
Naperville North
2024
RHP
2321
3
Sean O'Dowd
IL
Maine South
2024
RHP
2207
4
Luis Arreola
IL
Carmel Catholic
2024
RHP
2127
5
Kevin O'Connor
IL
DePaul College Prep
2024
LHP
2111
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
IVB (avg)
1
Zakery Sumser
IL
Naperville North
2024
RHP
7.2 in
2
Sean O'Dowd
IL
Maine South
2024
RHP
5.9 in
3
Lukas Trippiedi
IL
Addison Trail
2024
RHP
-4.5 in
4
Frank Porcelli
IL
Downers Grove North
2024
RHP
4.4 in
5
Tyler Alicea
IL
Saint Patrick
2024
SS
-3.0 in
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
HM (avg)
1
Kevin O'Connor
IL
DePaul College Prep
2024
LHP
16.6
2
Rodney DeSilva
IL
Joliet Central
2024
OF
-16.3
3
Luca Fiore
IL
Nazareth
2024
LHP
10.9
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Zone %
1
Lukas Trippiedi
IL
Addison Trail
2024
RHP
80 %
2
Luis Arreola
IL
Carmel Catholic
2024
RHP
75 %
^
Sean O'Dowd
IL
Maine South
2024
RHP
75 %
3
Frank Porcelli
IL
Downers Grove North
2024
RHP
33 %
^
Rodney DeSilva
IL
Joliet Central
2024
OF
33 %
CHANGEUP
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
HM (avg)
1
Sean O'Dowd
IL
Maine South
2024
RHP
17.9
2
Luis Arreola
IL
Carmel Catholic
2024
RHP
17.6
3
Brody Clark
IL
Bradley Bourbonnais
2024
LHP
-16.5
4
Max Woodward
IL
Kaneland
2024
RHP
15.5
5
Luca Fiore
IL
Nazareth
2024
LHP
-14.9
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
HM (avg)
1
Sean O'Dowd
IL
Maine South
2024
RHP
17.9
2
Luis Arreola
IL
Carmel Catholic
2024
RHP
17.6
+ CLICK HERE for a look at the complete statistics from the event.
RELATED CONTENT