Welcome back to Trackman Traits! We will be dissecting the numbers the Trackman produces and the effect they can have on a pitcher's approach. Below are 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 goes, induced vertical break (IVB) is one of the more important metrics. 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: As a 2023, Anthony Marano out of DePaul Catholic has been up to 87.78 MPH with his FB. The young right hander sits between 86-88 MPH, not bad for a sophomore in high school. Velocity is king in the game of baseball, so Marano is doing well for his age. Among high school arms, he ranks among the top 10 percentile for FB velocity. At 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, the projectability in the frame along with his age suggest that there is still plenty more in the tank for Marano down the line.

Spin Rate:  Marano's average spin rate on his FB is 2193 RPM and his max spin rate is 2266 RPM. When comparing his average spin rate to other high school arms, he sits around the top 25 percentile in this category. When looking at the max spin rate, he would find himself among the top 10 percentile for high school arms. That higher spin helps keep the ball on plane longer and makes that 86-88 play up a notch.

Bauer Units:  Higher spin guy will always have higher numbers in this category. At 26 Bauer Units, Marano is no different here. Having that higher spin can also suggest that a pitcher is line for a velo jump or that he just natural spins the ball well, and he will continue to do so as he progresses. Another sign that Marano can be a guy who is sniffing low 90s with his heater by the end of his high school career.

Induced Vertical Break:  Despite the high spin and high velo on the FB, Marano's FB does not have a ton of movement. He would be considered more of a low IVB guy, maxing out in this category at 19.3 inches and averaging at 17 inches of movement. At the high school level, these numbers find themselves closer to the average. When looking at the horizontal movement on his pitches, they do not really jump off the page at me. From his high 3/4 arm slot, he generates some arm side run. To maximize that arm side action, he would benefit from throwing his FB to his arm side and down at the knees, allowing for that movement to take the pitch away from the barrels of hitters. 

Vertical Approach Angle:   Looking at his average VAA, he is also about average in this category as well, further solidifying the idea that he should be looking to throw his FB down in the zone. An entry of -5.0 degrees into the zone, this is the definition of an average entry into the zone. Despite the higher spin and higher velo, his FB does not profile as one that is going to be dominant when located up in the zone. 

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