Charlotte Preseason ID & Rising Stars: Trackman Hitting Metrics
February 6, 2025
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Prep Baseball North Carolina launched its 2025 coverage with the Preseason ID events on January 18 and 19. On Saturday, January 18, the Prep Baseball scouting team hosted players at the On Deck Baseball Academy in Charlotte, NC, for the Charlotte Preseason ID and Charlotte Rising Stars event. On Deck is a spacious facility that enables players to participate in a comprehensive pro-style workout, updating their stats, analytics, and video profiles.
The Preseason ID events provide high school players with an opportunity to assess their performance as they prepare for the spring season. These events offer a platform for athletes to evaluate the impact of their off-season training on their on-field potential. Additionally, players can update their Prep Baseball Player Profile, connecting with more than 1,000 college coaches and scouts who subscribe to Prep Baseball.
The Rising Stars event is tailored for middle school players, offering a glimpse into their future on the high school field and beyond. This event introduces young athletes to the metrics, staff, and workouts employed by Prep Baseball, fostering familiarity with contemporary evaluation processes. These players represent the next generation of talent, and events like Rising Stars provide an early foundation for their development.
Event Overview
The day commenced with a series of athletic tests. Each player’s height, weight, and grip strength were measured. Athletes then participated in a laser-timed 30-yard sprint using the VALD Athletic laser timing system. This system provided detailed data, including 10-yard and 25-yard splits, as well as top-end running speed calculations for each player.
Defensive Workout
Players showcased their skills at their primary positions during the defensive workout. Prep Baseball scouts evaluated their performance, recorded video, and collected data on arm strength and pop times.
Offensive Workout
During the offensive session, players took BP in an open cage environment, allowing scouts to observe ball flight in a field-like setting. TrackMan technology was utilized to collect data on every ball put in play within fair territory, providing valuable insights into each player’s offensive capabilities.
Bullpen Session
The final segment of the day focused on pitchers. Attending arms threw controlled bullpens while TrackMan gathered data on velocity, spin rate, and pitch movement. These sessions allowed scouts to evaluate pitchers and assess catchers receiving the bullpen sessions.
Post-Event Analysis
Following the event, the Prep Baseball staff will analyze the collected data, including metrics, analytics, and player evaluations. Leaderboards highlighting players’ physical attributes will be published. In the coming weeks, expect detailed scouting reports, blogs, videos, and podcasts covering the event. Player assesments will include a full scouting report hosted on the player's profile. Prep Baseball's scouting staff will filter through all of the Preseason Event information and update the North Carolina Player Rankings prior to the high school season.
For more information, including news, stats, and rosters from the Charlotte Preseason ID, CLICK HERE.
Charlotte Preseason ID By the Numbers
21 Players in attendance
10 Pitchers threw bullpens
2 Pitchers recorded fastballs at 89 mph or higher
3 Pitchers achieved a max spin rate above 2300 rpm on their fastball
4 Pitchers recorded a max spin rate of 2300 rpm or higher on their breaking ball
17 Hitters participated in the offensive evaluation
6 Hitters recorded a BLAST Bat Speed average of 69 mph or higher
Charlotte Preseason ID & Rising Stars - Trackman Hitting Metrics
EXIT VELOCITY
TrackMan is able to track every ball hit into fair territory, throughout the BP sessions. Below are the best exit velocities produced by individual players, by category.
Max Exit Velocity
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Exit Velocity (max)
1
Luke Ponczka
NC
West Rowan
2026
1B
101.9 mph
2
Jaxon Haynes
NC
Providence
2027
OF
96.6 mph
3
Leyton Guhl
NC
Carmel Christian
2027
OF
96.4 mph
4
Brady Williamson
NC
Cuthbertson
2027
C
96.2 mph
5
Caden O'Neill
NC
Charlotte Catholic
2026
SS
95.1 mph
6
Ryan Watters
NC
Cuthbertson
2027
OF
91.2 mph
7
Kilby Hartley
NC
Baylor
2027
2B
89.8 mph
8
Landon Bartley
NC
Parkwood
2027
SS
89.4 mph
9
Camden Cobb
NC
Gaston Christian
2026
C
89.4 mph
10
Connor Kullman
NC
Hopewell
2027
OF
88.6 mph
Best Average Exit Velocity
DISTANCE OFF THE BAT
TrackMan is able to measure and track the ball while in the air. For every fair ball put in play it will display the distance the hit traveled.
Peak Distance - Best of the Hitter’s Session
Average Distance - Average of each ball tracked in the Session
SWEET SPOT PERCENTAGE
TrackMan is able to track and follow how hard the ball is hit as well as the angle off the bat. With this information, TrackMan has deduced the Sweet Spot as batted balls hit with a launch angle of 8 - 32 degrees.
LAUNCH ANGLE PERCENTAGE
Based on the ball flight, TrackMan is able to identify each hit as a ground ball, line drive, or fly ball. While there are many factors as to why a hitter may approach each pitch in a certain way, the overall groupings of BP can give some insight to each hitter's approach.
Line Drive %
Fly Ball %
Ground Ball %