Welcome back to Trackman Traits. In this piece we will be dissecting the numbers the Trackman produces and the effect they can have on a pitcher's approach. Below there will be definitions of each category that we believe to be the most important for a young arm to keep in mind as well as breaking down an arm and giving suggestions on how they can improve their game. Keep in mind, in some categories it is better to be further away from average even if the numbers are wavering on below average. 

FASTBALL VELOCITY

Fastball velocity doesn't go much deeper than just looking at the numbers and comparing them to the graphic below! Fastball velocity complements just about all of the other metrics that are measured. If you throw hard, it makes all your other pitches/metrics even better.

FASTBALL SPIN RATE

Spin rate is a measurement that if you are below average or above average, you can pitch with more room for error. On the other hand, if you are average you should try to throw in the bottom half of the zone with exceptional command. High spin fastballs profile as one that is frequently described as having "late life". Low spin fastballs tend to profile as a fastball that has heavy feel to it. Pitch movement is still dependent on spin direction of the pitch but Trackman does not have that metric displayed on profiles. 

BAUER UNITS

Bauer Units are an easier way of determining how useful the spin numbers are compared to the velocity. We can calculate this metric by taking average spin rate and dividing it by average velocity. Bauer Units are useful because we can have a case of two pitchers with the same spin numbers, ex. 2200 RPM, but one pitcher throws 90 MPH and the other throws 83 MPH. The pitcher throwing 90 MPH with 2200 spin is not as impressive as the pitcher throwing 83 MPH with the same spin. Typically, we would tell the harder throwing pitcher to throw up in the zone purely off his velocity and his high spin, but because his Bauer Units would equate to around 24 that would be only 1 unit off of average (23), therefore he would want to hammer the bottom of the zone. On the other side, the pitcher throwing 83 MPH has a Bauer Unit measurement of 26 which is incredibly impressive. This would allow him to throw up in the zone even though his velocity is not blow away type numbers because he produces above average spin with that slated velocity. 

FASTBALL INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK

As far as deception and importance goes, fast induced vertical break (IVB) may be the most important. Induced vertical break is not what is sounds. IVB simply means the pitch is "breaking" upward from the average level a pitch falls from release to home plate. This is a stat that you want to stay away from being average at. Fortunately, this can be tweaked slightly depending on release height. To put it simply, the higher number =  more "rise" the pitch has compared to average. Lower number = more depth the pitch has to it. 

VERTICAL APPROACH ANGLE

Vertical Approach Angle (VAA) is essentially how steep or shallow the ball is entering the strike zone. The average entry into the zone is around -5.5 degrees for the Division 1 college level. Anything below or above that number is considered an outlier and would be ideal because it is not what the hitter is used to seeing. A VAA of -4.5 degrees would be considered a shallow entry, this, with some other variables mixed in (IVB, velocity, release height), allow for success up in the zone due to the "ride" or even sometimes "rising" effect. A VAA of -6 degrees would be considered a steep entry. This is the type of ball that has a lot of success in the bottom of the zone (including the same variables mentioned previously) because it feels like the pitcher is throwing it off Mt Everest. With the perfect combination of low IVB and high release it could be a very steep entry that would be hard to hit. 

Fastball Breakdown

Velocity: Lynch runs his fastball into the Mid 80's with ease in his mechanics. Ideally, he can use his fastball only and get a lot of guys out no matter where he throws it, but as he gets older he will have to learn to pitch to where his fastball is strongest in the zone. The goal of this article isn't just to talk about how hard Soares throws, but to evaluate his Trackman profile and see exactly where he will find the most success in the zone. The good part about Lynch's velocity is that he is able to hold a velocity close to his max velo. Typically, you see guys with a max velo of about 2-3 MPH higher than their working velocity. 

Spin Rate: Soares floats around 2120 RPM which puts him in the top 25% among high school arms for spin rate. Spin creates a ceiling for pitch movement essentially when thrown properly. With this high of spin, you should expect his fastball to have a good movement profile, granted there are no inefficiencies. 

 Bauer Units: Bauer Units give us a good idea of the "expected" spin Lynch produces for the velocity he is throwing. With a Bauer Unit measurement of 25, Soares is above the average spin rate for the "typical" 84 MPH fastball. What this means is he just generates more spin that what you see from an average fastball of this velocity. Again, this measurement is not something that you want to be super concerned with. It is more valuable just to gauge you spin relative to your velocity. 

Induced Vertical Break: Lynch does not have high "blow you away" metrics at the moment, but what he does have is intriguingly low numbers. As we have said many, many times in these articles is that it's never a bad thing to be on the low side of the charts. With an average of 12.7" of IVB, it means his fastball is sinking far lower than the average HS fastball does. Adding depth to the heater while maintaining velocity is critical for a sinker. If he is able to continue to induce this movement in the coming years while continuing to add velocity, he will be an extremely dangerous arm. With 14.5" of horizontal movement this fastball poses to be a legitimately dangerous pitch for hitters. 14.5 inches puts him just below the top 10% of horizontal movement for HS arms. Being at the bottom of the chart for IVB and top of the chart for HM is always a very good thing. The best place in the zone for success is probably going to be down and arm side for Lynch. This would be known as the "dead zone" for RHH and it is a great spot to let the fastball settle in. Lynch will be an arm to follow along for the next couple years as he continues to develop into a power arm with a nasty fastball. The 6-foot-2, 180lb freshman has a bright future ahead of him. 

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