Pitcher-Only Future Games Trials: Pitching Data Dive
March 31, 2024
On Friday, March 29th the Prep Baseball Ontario staff hosted the annual Pitcher-Only Future Games Trials at the NRS Institute in East York, Ontario. Future Games Trials serve as an opportunity for players who are age-eligible for our two premiere team's heading to LakePoint in late July for the annual Future Games event... Future Games (2026/2027) and Senior Future Games (2025). Canada will also featued a Jr. Future Games team at the event with Ontario's Trials coming on Monday at the Athlete Matrix.
This event featured roughly 35 arms prospects from the across the province in the 2025 - 2027 classes and allowed our staff an opportunity to get an in-depth look at the players, as well as collect updated metrics via our tech partner TrackMan.
Below, we will take a further in-depth look at the top pitchers with the help of our TrackMan, broken down by the categories down below:
For complete event results, click here.
To view upcoming event schedule, click here.
FASTBALL
MAX VELOCITY (MPH)
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Velocity (max) |
| 1 | Trent Rudge | ON | Essex District | 2025 | RHP | 89.2 mph |
| 2 | Matthew Neufeld | ON | Cardinal Carter | 2026 | RHP | 88.7 mph |
| 3 | Nick Halcovitch | ON | Waterdown District HS | 2025 | RHP | 88.5 mph |
| 4 | Julian Sabourin | ON | Bishop Tonnos | 2026 | RHP | 87.4 mph |
| 5 | Gabriel Larocque | ON | St. Charles College | 2026 | C | 86.8 mph |
| 6 | Simon Santos | ON | St. Martins | 2025 | RHP | 85.6 mph |
| 7 | Maxwell Hillier | ON | East York Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | 84.3 mph |
| 8 | Mason Van Dyke | ON | Notre Dame | 2025 | RHP | 84.2 mph |
| 9 | Thomas Khan | ON | St. Mary Catholic Secondary School | 2025 | RHP | 83.9 mph |
| 10 | Griffin Dougan | ON | St. Aloysius Gonzaga | 2025 | RHP | 83.3 mph |
Max Fastball Velocity: This metric calculates the speed of the pitch as it’s released from the pitcher’s hand.
SPIN RATE (AVG)
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
| 1 | Matthew Neufeld | ON | Cardinal Carter | 2026 | RHP | 2361 rpm |
| 2 | Griffin Dougan | ON | St. Aloysius Gonzaga | 2025 | RHP | 2267 rpm |
| 3 | Liam Milleker | ON | Birchmount Collegiate Institute | 2026 | RHP | 2261 rpm |
| 4 | Nick Halcovitch | ON | Waterdown District HS | 2025 | RHP | 2257 rpm |
| 5 | Gabriel Larocque | ON | St. Charles College | 2026 | C | 2241 rpm |
| 6 | Joshua Blanco | ON | Collingwood Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | 2207 rpm |
| 7 | Jacob Helps | ON | Wallaceburg | 2025 | RHP | 2181 rpm |
| 8 | Simon Missal | ON | Oakville Trafalgar | 2026 | RHP | 2171 rpm |
| 9 | Mason Van Dyke | ON | Notre Dame | 2025 | RHP | 2165 rpm |
| 10 | Adam Visram | ON | Bayview Secondary School | 2025 | RHP | 2132 rpm |
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.)
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
| 1 | Owen Kotler | ON | Crescent School | 2025 | SS | 19.1 in |
| 2 | Harutaro Masani | ON | York Mills College | 2025 | RHP | 18.9 in |
| 3 | Gabriel Larocque | ON | St. Charles College | 2026 | C | 18.9 in |
| 4 | AJ Hussein | ON | Bradford District | 2026 | RHP | 18.5 in |
| 5 | Simon Missal | ON | Oakville Trafalgar | 2026 | RHP | 17.2 in |
| 6 | Simon Santos | ON | St. Martins | 2025 | RHP | 16.7 in |
| 7 | Cameron Bentley | ON | Humberside Collegiate | 2025 | LHP | 16.6 in |
| 8 | Joshua Blanco | ON | Collingwood Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | 16.4 in |
| 9 | Jacob Gillies | ON | Glenview Park Secondary School | 2026 | RHP | 15.8 in |
| 10 | Brody Steinman | ON | Pain Court | 2026 | LHP | 15.8 in |
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.)
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
| 1 | Trent Rudge | ON | Essex District | 2025 | RHP | 16.7 |
| 2 | Simon Santos | ON | St. Martins | 2025 | RHP | 15.4 |
| 3 | Thomas Khan | ON | St. Mary Catholic Secondary School | 2025 | RHP | 14.8 |
| 4 | Mason Van Dyke | ON | Notre Dame | 2025 | RHP | 14.6 |
| 5 | Joshua Blanco | ON | Collingwood Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | 13.6 |
| 6 | Cole Cavanagh | ON | Holy Cross | 2027 | LHP | -13.4 |
| 7 | Matthew Neufeld | ON | Cardinal Carter | 2026 | RHP | 13.1 |
| 8 | Mark Verma | ON | St. Thomas Aquinas | 2025 | RHP | 12.8 |
| 9 | AJ Hussein | ON | Bradford District | 2026 | RHP | 12.4 |
| 10 | Max Nantais-Vlahovich | ON | Mentor College | 2026 | RHP | 12.3 |
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 %
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
| 1 | Matthew Neufeld | ON | Cardinal Carter | 2026 | RHP | 78 % |
| 2 | Cole Stroud | ON | John F. Ross CVI | 2026 | LHP | 77 % |
| 3 | Simon Santos | ON | St. Martins | 2025 | RHP | 72 % |
| 4 | Rowan MacDonald | ON | Riverdale Collegiate | 2025 | LHP | 70 % |
| 5 | Mark Verma | ON | St. Thomas Aquinas | 2025 | RHP | 66 % |
| ^ | Joshua Blanco | ON | Collingwood Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | 66 % |
| 6 | Cole Cavanagh | ON | Holy Cross | 2027 | LHP | 60 % |
| ^ | Maxwell Hillier | ON | East York Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | 60 % |
| ^ | Adam Visram | ON | Bayview Secondary School | 2025 | RHP | 60 % |
| 7 | Thomas Khan | ON | St. Mary Catholic Secondary School | 2025 | RHP | 58 % |
CURVEBALL
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
| 1 | Simon Missal | ON | Oakville Trafalgar | 2026 | RHP | 2695 rpm |
| 2 | Maxwell Hillier | ON | East York Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | 2465 rpm |
| 3 | Gabriel Larocque | ON | St. Charles College | 2026 | C | 2428 rpm |
| 4 | Jeff Blundell | ON | Pickering | 2026 | RHP | 2375 rpm |
| 5 | Max Nantais-Vlahovich | ON | Mentor College | 2026 | RHP | 2276 rpm |
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
| 1 | Maxwell Hillier | ON | East York Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | -12.9 in |
| 2 | Preston Hackert | ON | Elmira District | 2024 | RHP | -10.7 in |
| 3 | Spencer MacLellan | ON | Barrie North Collegiate | 2026 | RHP | -8.6 in |
| 4 | Simon Missal | ON | Oakville Trafalgar | 2026 | RHP | -8.3 in |
| 5 | Cole Stroud | ON | John F. Ross CVI | 2026 | LHP | 7.2 in |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
| 1 | Jacob Helps | ON | Wallaceburg | 2025 | RHP | -13.2 |
| 2 | Maxwell Hillier | ON | East York Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | -13.2 |
| 3 | Joshua Blanco | ON | Collingwood Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | -12.3 |
| 4 | Owen Kotler | ON | Crescent School | 2025 | SS | -11.8 |
| 5 | Simon Missal | ON | Oakville Trafalgar | 2026 | RHP | -11.1 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
| 1 | Joshua Blanco | ON | Collingwood Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | 66 % |
| 2 | Brody Steinman | ON | Pain Court | 2026 | LHP | 57 % |
SLIDER
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
| 1 | Adam Visram | ON | Bayview Secondary School | 2025 | RHP | 2410 |
| 2 | Jacob Helps | ON | Wallaceburg | 2025 | RHP | 2372 |
| 3 | Nick Halcovitch | ON | Waterdown District HS | 2025 | RHP | 2252 |
| 4 | Liam Milleker | ON | Birchmount Collegiate Institute | 2026 | RHP | 2236 |
| 5 | Mason Van Dyke | ON | Notre Dame | 2025 | RHP | 2192 |
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
| 1 | Emmett Doyle | ON | Barrie North Collegiate | 2026 | RHP | -7.4 in |
| 2 | Adam Visram | ON | Bayview Secondary School | 2025 | RHP | 6.1 in |
| 3 | Gregory Conliffe | ON | Humberside Collegiate | 2025 | LHP | 5.4 in |
| 4 | Jack Thompson | ON | Richview Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | 5.0 in |
| 5 | Joshua Blanco | ON | Collingwood Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | 4.8 in |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
| 1 | Thomas Khan | ON | St. Mary Catholic Secondary School | 2025 | RHP | -15.5 |
| 2 | Simon Santos | ON | St. Martins | 2025 | RHP | -11.7 |
| 3 | Jacob Gillies | ON | Glenview Park Secondary School | 2026 | RHP | -11.6 |
| 4 | Gregory Conliffe | ON | Humberside Collegiate | 2025 | LHP | 11.1 |
| 5 | Liam Milleker | ON | Birchmount Collegiate Institute | 2026 | RHP | -10.7 |
STRIKE ZONE %
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
| 1 | Jack Thompson | ON | Richview Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | 80 % |
| 2 | Griffin Dougan | ON | St. Aloysius Gonzaga | 2025 | RHP | 66 % |
| ^ | Adam Visram | ON | Bayview Secondary School | 2025 | RHP | 66 % |
| 3 | Jacob Gillies | ON | Glenview Park Secondary School | 2026 | RHP | 60 % |
| 4 | Trent Rudge | ON | Essex District | 2025 | RHP | 57 % |
CHANGEUP
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
| 1 | Trent Rudge | ON | Essex District | 2025 | RHP | 19.1 |
| 2 | Jack Thompson | ON | Richview Collegiate | 2025 | RHP | 17.2 |
| 3 | Nick Halcovitch | ON | Waterdown District HS | 2025 | RHP | 16.7 |
| 4 | Jeff Blundell | ON | Pickering | 2026 | RHP | 16.0 |
| 5 | Mason Van Dyke | ON | Notre Dame | 2025 | RHP | 15.9 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
| Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
| 1 | Mason Van Dyke | ON | Notre Dame | 2025 | RHP | 71 % |
| 2 | Brody Steinman | ON | Pain Court | 2026 | LHP | 60 % |
| 3 | Preston Hackert | ON | Elmira District | 2024 | RHP | 50 % |
UPCOMING EVENTS
| SHOWCASE | STATE | DATE | LOCATION |
| 2024 Junior Future Games Trials 4.1.24 | ON | 04/01 | The Athlete Matrix |
| 2024 Spring Future Games Trials II 4.6.24 | ON | 04/06 | Campus Fieldhouse |
| 2024 Team Ontario Scout Day | ON | 04/17 | The Dugout |
| 2024 Ontario Blue Jays Scout Day | ON | 04/18 | The Athlete Matrix |
| 2024 Terriers Scout Day | ON | 04/24 | King's Christian Collegiate |
| 2024 18U Best of the West | ON | 05/01 | Norbrock Stadium (Kamloops, BC) |
| 2024 15U Best of the West | ON | 05/01 | Norbrock Stadium (Kamloops, BC) |
| 2024 Canadian Trials | ON | 05/09 | TNXL Academy - Ocoee, FL |
| 2024 New England Academic Games (Invite Only) | ON | 07/09 | Yale |
| Future Games (Class of 2026/27) | NATIONAL | 07/24 | LakePoint Sports |
| Junior Future Games (Class of 2028/29) | NATIONAL | 07/24 | LakePoint Sports |
| Senior Future Games (Class of 2025) | NATIONAL | 07/24 | LakePoint Sports |
| 2024 Toronto Summer Open | ON | 07/30 | Dan Lang Field |
| 2024 Midwest Super Sophomore Games (Invite Only) | ON | 08/02 | Indiana University - Bart Kaufman Field |
| Improve My Profile with Game Video (Ontario) | ON | 08/29 | Ontario |
RELATED CONTENT
- ON Ontario Blue Jays Scout Day: Quick Hits 4/25/24
- ON Ontario Blue Jays Scout Day: Statistical Analysis 4/22/24
- ON Team Ontario Scout Day: Statistical Analysis 4/21/24
- ON Spring Future Games Trials II: Hitting Data Dive 4/13/24
- ON Spring Future Games Trials II: Pitching Data Dive 4/13/24
- ON Spring Future Games Trials II: Statistical Analysis 4/13/24
- ON Jr. Future Games Trials: Pitching Data Dive 4/03/24
- ON Jr. Future Games Trials: Hitting Data Dive 4/03/24