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: Today, we're taking a look at a younger arm, uncommitted 2024 RHP Daviel Fernandez. Fernandez has a FB that already sits in the 84-85 range and has made it's way up to 86 MPH in the past, not too shabby for a freshman in high school. As he gets older and begins to mature some more, he should see that FB continue to light up radar guns. 

Spin Rate: The ability to be a high spin guy is different than just throwing hard, you can train to throw harder, but you can't train how to spin the ball more, so this is more something that comes naturally to players. Fernandez sees his average spin rate on the FB at 1968 RPM and the max was 2030 RPM. This would put him right around the average among high school pitchers. When projecting that out, those numbers start to stray towards the lower end of the spectrum as you get to higher levels of play, meaning that the low spin Fernandez has on his FB will play to his advantage. If he can locate his FB down around the knees, it should gives hitters fits as they are only able to make soft contact.

Bauer Units: A lower spin pitcher, it is not surprising the Bauer Units are also lower. At 24 Bauer Units on his FB, this is just one above the average of 23 in this category, suggesting his FB will have the best chance at success when thrown down in the zone. When you're able to locate that heavy, low spin FB down in the zone, it has the tendency to miss barrels as it dips and darts away towards the weak spots on the bat.

Induced Vertical Break:  With an average IVB of 15.1 inches and a max of 16.9 inches, these fall in the bottom half among all high school pitchers. Again, like with spin, this is a metric where being on one end of the spectrum is an advantage to pitchers. The lower IVB, like with the lower spin, also suggests a FB that will play at the bottom of the strike zone.

Vertical Approach Angle: Fernandez already shows a good feel for the strike zone, as evidenced by his Zone % of 66.7%. FB command is extremely important, and it looks like Fernandez already has developed some feel for commanding his FB. When looking where he attacked with the FB however, it was all up in the zone. This skewed the VAA a touch, since pitches higher in the zone have shallower entries by nature. To get a better look at what the VAA would look like when down in the zone, his lowest FB in the strike zone had a VAA of -5.6 degrees, a steeper entry, which we would expect when looking at the rest of these metrics. All signs here point to a FB that can induce tons of weak contact at the bottom of the zone and with the development of some solid off-speed stuff to play off that FB, Fernandez should be a 2024 to keep your eyes on. 

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