On Wednesday, January 24th, the PBR Nevada staff hosted it's first open event of the 2024 season with the Las Vegas Preseason ID hosted on the campus of UNLV at Earl E. Wilson Baseball Stadium. This event featured 75 players from the Las Vegas area in the 2024 - 2027 classes, including some of the top players within their classes and a large crop of high-level uncommitted players. The Preseason ID allowed our staff to get an up close view, as well as updated metrics and data, on players before they hit the field for the high school season.

Earlier this week we began our post-event coverage within our Quick Hits (Upperclass), Quick Hits (Underclass) and Statistical Analysis articles. 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:

For complete event results, click here.
To view upcoming event schedule, click here.

FASTBALL

MAX VELOCITY (MPH)

Max Fastball Velocity: This metric calculates the speed of the pitch as it’s released from the pitcher’s hand.

SPIN RATE (AVG)

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.)

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.)

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%

CURVEBALL

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

STRIKE ZONE %

SLIDER

SPIN RATE (AVG.)

INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

STRIKE ZONE %

CHANGEUP

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)

STRIKE ZONE %

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE	STATE	DATE	LOCATION
Reno Preseason ID	NV	02/04	University of Nevada - Peccole Park
Super 60 Pro Showcase	NATIONAL	02/04	The MAX - McCook, IL
Las Vegas Rising Stars ID	NV	03/10
Reno Rising Stars ID	NV	03/30	Reed High School - Sparks, NV

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