Prep Baseball Report

Super 60: FlightScope Pitching Leaderboard


Phil Kerber
Assoc. Scout/JUCO Wire Editor

The Super 60 Pro Showcase took place on Sunday, February 4 at the MAX-McCook Athletic & Exposition Center in McCook, IL. This event featured 70 of the top 2018 high school draft prospects in PBR's nearly 40 state coverage area. As part of PBR's comprehensive coverage of amateur baseball, all the action was captured using a FlightScope Strike unit. Today, we present to you a snippet of the pitching data collected, including leaderboards on: Fastball Velocity, Fastball Zone Speed, Fastball Carry, Fastball Spin Rate, Fastball Carry, Curveball Spin Rate, Slider Spin Rate, Changeup Carry and Changeup Spin Rate.


TOP fastball velocity
Ryan Cusick and Tyler Lewis solidified themselves as one and two in terms of arm strength on the mound. Together they hold eight of the ten spots on our leaderboard, with Cusick holding four of the top six. Cusick's 96.8 mph fastball was an event-best, and his 95.6 mph effort was runner-up. Lewis topped out at 95.4 mph, good for the third positon. The other two arms to populate our table are Francois Castillo, who was clocked at 94.4 mph, and Nick Thwaits at 93.9 mph.
Name State School Class Pos FB Velocity
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 96.8
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 95.6
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 95.4
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 95.2
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 94.6
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 94.5
Francois Castillo IL Lake View 2018 RHP 94.4
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 94.1
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP 93.9
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 93.8
TOP FASTBALL zone speed
Fastball zone speed is the measure of the ball's velocity as it crosses home plate. This differs from our fastball velocity table above, as that is a measure of the ball's velocity as it is leaving the pitcher's hand. It should come as no surprise that this leaderboard features the same names as the fastball velocity leaderboard. These prospects had the hardest fastballs, so you can expect them to be corssing the plate at a higher velcoity than others, given that a typical fastball loses approximately eight miles per hour from pitcher's hand to plate. It is interesting to see that the hardest fastball of the day, Ryan Cusick's 96.8 mph pitch, came across at 85.0 mph, one of the last entries on the leaderboard. While a 93.1 mph fastball from Nick Thwaits maintained better velocity, crossing at 85.4 mph. 
Name State School Class Pos FB Velocity FB Zone Speed
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 95.6 86.9
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 95.2 86.5
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 94.5 85.6
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 93.8 85.5
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP 93.1 85.4
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 94.1 85.3
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 94.6 85.2
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 93.8 85.0
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 96.8 85.0
Francois Castillo IL Lake View 2018 RHP 94.4 85.0
TOP fastball carry
Fastball carry is the difference between fastball velcoity and fastball zone speed. It tells us who's fastball maintained velocity the best, who's ball carried. A typical fastball will lose approximately eight miles per hour between leaving the pitcher's hand and crossing home plate. Based upon this, Nick Thwaits possesses the remarkable ability to not only maintain velocity, but also consistently do it, as he posted the top three fastball carry numbers. The only other prospect to truly match Thwaits' consistency is Connor Van Scoyoc. If the table were to be extended to a Top 20, Van Scoyoc would hold spots 13-14-15-16, with an average carry of 8.3 mph. Connor Noland and Kaleb Hill flashed the ability to maintain velocity. 
Name State School Class Pos FB Carry
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP  7.65
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP 7.84
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP 7.84
Micah Dallas TX Home School 2018 RHP 7.91
Jack Neely TX Churchill 2018 RHP 7.99
Wyatt Olds OK McLoud 2018 RHP 8.12
Connor Noland AR Greenwood 2018 RHP 8.18
Gus Radel SD Sioux Falls Roosevelt 2018 RHP 8.21
Connor Noland AR Greenwood 2018 RHP 8.24
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 8.26
TOP fastball spin rate
When it comes to spin rate on a fastball, you want to be anything but average. Why is that? Because average is what batters are used to, it is ingrained in their muscle memory, the typical flight of a fastball. How does a high spin rate on a fastball help? In simple terms, it fends off the effects of gravity for a longer period of time, meaning the path of the ball stays up longer than that of an average fastball. Pitcher's with high fastball spin rate typically induce more fly balls than others. For reference, the 2015 MLB average fastball spin rate was around 2,200 rpm. This leaderboard shows us that William English and Wyatt Olds had the highest of spin rates and were able to consistently do it. A deeper dive into fastball spin rate from the Super 60 would show that Kohl Franklin and Nathan Lavender, although not spinning it at the rate of English and Olds, consistently have their fastball spin rates in the 2,400-to-2,500 range.
Name State School Class Pos FB Spin Rate
William English MI Detroit Western International 2018 RHP 2584
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP 2581
William English MI Detroit Western International 2018 RHP 2579
Wyatt Olds OK McLoud 2018 RHP 2577
Wyatt Olds OK McLoud 2018 RHP 2575
Wyatt Olds OK McLoud 2018 RHP 2573
Mateo Gil TX Timber Creek 2018 RHP 2565
William English MI Detroit Western International 2018 RHP 2565
Wyatt Olds OK McLoud 2018 RHP 2557
William English MI Detroit Western International 2018 RHP 2555
Lowest fastball spin rate
As stated above, you want your fastball to have anything but average spin rate. This means that a low spin rate can be extremely effective as well. What does a low spin rate on a fastball do? It allows for gravity to play a larger part in the trajectory of the ball, causing the flight of the ball to drop lower than that of an average spin rate fastball. This type of pitch, rightly called a sinker, induces far more ground balls than its counterparts. The table below consistents of only two prospects, LHP Kaleb Hill and 6-foot-9 RHP Jack Neely. Not seen on this leaderboard is Micah Dallas. Dallas consistently had spin rate on his fastball at, or just below, 2000 rpm. In general, Neely's entire repetoire (Fastball, Cutter, Changeup, Curveball) was below 2000 rpm.
Name State School Class Pos FB Spin Rate
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1550
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1556
Jack Neely TX Churchill 2018 RHP 1585
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1656
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1674
Jack Neely TX Churchill 2018 RHP 1727
Jack Neely TX Churchill 2018 RHP 1755
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1755
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1829
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1834
TOP Curveball spin rate
A high spin rate on a curveball is a desirable attribute to have. High spin creates more break, which in turn creates a pitch that is difficult for batter's to make contact with. The spin rate on Connor Van Scoyoc's curveball was impressive to say the least. At just over 3,000 rpm, Van Scoyoc's spin rate would place him in the upper echelon of MLB curveball spin rate. It was not just a one-time deal either, as the table below illustrates. Van Scoyoc was able to repeat and maintain his spin rate. In 2015, the MLB average spin rate on a curveball was around 2,300 rpm. Nick Schmidt, Kohl Franklin, and Francois Castillo were all capable of snapping off a curveball with high spin rate at times. All three were consistently in the 2,500-2,700 range. 
Name State School Class Pos CB Spin Rate
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 3043
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 2923
Nick Schmidt MO Holt 2018 RHP 2817
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 2768
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP 2681
Kohl Franklin OK Broken Arrow 2018 RHP 2680
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 2667
Nick Schmidt MO Holt 2018 RHP 2665
Francois Castillo IL Lake View 2018 RHP 2646
Nick Schmidt MO Holt 2018 RHP 2640
TOP SLIDER spin rate
A slider is one of the more difficult pitches to identify and classify, as they can be thrown with a wide range of spin rates and velocity. The 2015 MLB average spin rate on a slider was just under 2,100 rpm. As the table shows, Tyler Lewis and Mateo Gil were able to spin their sliders at an alarmingly high rate. It is interesting to note that while Lewis' slider came in at 81-84 mph, Gil's sat 77-78 out of the windup and dipped to 74-75 in the stretch, but he maintained spin rate. This further illustrates that velocity does not translate to spin rate. Although not thrown with quite as much spin, Gus Radel and Jacob Maton threw sliders with above-average spin rate. Radel was consistently up above 2,500 rpm, while Maton was between the 2,400 and 2,500 range.
Name State School Class Pos SL Spin Rate
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 2760 
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 2759
Mateo Gil TX Timber Creek 2018 RHP 2754
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 2740
Mateo Gil TX Timber Creek 2018 RHP 2735
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 2729
Mateo Gil TX Timber Creek 2018 RHP 2729
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 2689
Mateo Gil TX Timber Creek 2018 RHP 2675
Gus Radel SD Sioux Falls Roosevelt 2018 RHP 2595
TOP Changeup carry
Changeup carry is viewed in the exact opposite way that fastball carry is viewed. A fastball you want to carry, have that extra bit of life. With a changeup, as the name suggests, you want that change of speed. A good pitcher has the ability to manipulate the speed of his pitches, creating more deception. Jack Neely, Clayton Nettleton, Tyler Polk, and Max Alba were all consisntently able to create more drag on their changeups than most prospects, reducing the velocity of their changeup to a greater degree.
Name State School Class Pos CH Carry
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 11.3 
Clayton Nettleton IA Davenport West 2018 RHP 11.1
Jack Neely TX Churchill 2018 RHP 11.1
Jack Neely TX Churchill 2018 RHP 10.8
Nick Schmidt MO Holt 2018 RHP 10.7
Javier Ramos OK Vian 2018 RHP 10.4
Mateo Gil TX Timber Creek 2018 RHP 10.2
Tyler Polk OK Duncan 2018 RHP 10.2
Tyler Polk OK Duncan 2018 RHP 10.1
Mateo Gil TX Timber Creek 2018 RHP 10.1
TOP changeup spin rate
Changeups are, by nature, thrown with less spin, which creates that fade/sink action. As it was discussed earlier, low spin rate allows for the effects of gravity to be more pronounce. Meaning a changeup will look like a fastball out of the hand, but arrive at the plate with less velocity and at a lower trajectory. Kaleb Hill and Drew Rom were the only two pitchers to throw a split-finger, which is similar to a changeup in that you do not want a lot of spin on it. The 2015 MLB average spin rate on a split-finger was just over 1,500 rpm, while a changeup came in around 1,700 rpm. A number of prospects were able to consisntely spin a changeup below the 2015 MLB average. Connor Van Scoyoc, Wade Beasley, and Connor Noland were able to do it at the highest rate, with the majority of their spin rates coming in under 1,500. While Ryan Cusick would slot in right behind them. 
Name State School Class Pos CH Spin Rate
Drew Rom KY Highlands 2018 LHP 1214*
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 1299
Connor Noland AR Greenwood 2018 RHP 1340
Micah Dallas TX Home School 2018 RHP 1358
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 1401
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 1437
Wade Beasley AR Horatio 2018 RHP 1454
Connor Noland AR Greenwood 2018 RHP 1456
Connor Noland AR Greenwood 2018 RHP 1458
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 1472

The Super 60 Pro Showcase took place on Sunday, February 4 at  the MAX-McCook Athletic and Exposition 

TOP FASTBALL VELOCITY
Ryan Cusick and Tyler Lewis solidified themselves as one and two in terms of arm strength on the mound. Together they hold eight of the ten spots on our leaderboard, with Cusick holding four of the top six. Cusick's 96.8 mph fastball was an event-best, and his 95.6 mph effort was runner-up. Lewis topped out at 95.4 mph, good for the third positon. The other two arms to populate our table are Francois Castillo, who was clocked at 94.4 mph, and Nick Thwaits, at 93.9 mph.
Name State School Class Pos FB Velocity
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 96.8
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 95.6
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 95.4
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 95.2
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 94.6
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 94.5
Francois Castillo IL Lake View 2018 RHP 94.4
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 94.1
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP 93.9
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 93.8
TOP FASTBALL ZONE SPEED
Fastball zone speed is the measure of the ball's velocity as it crosses home plate. This differs from our fastball velocity table above, as that is a measure of the ball's velocity as it is leaving the pitcher's hand. It should come as no surprise that this leaderboard features the same names as the fastball velocity leaderboard. These prospects had the hardest fastballs, so you can expect them to be corssing the plate at a higher velcoity than others, given that a typical fastball loses approximately eight miles per hour from pitcher's hand to plate. It is interesting to see that the hardest fastball of the day, Ryan Cusick's 96.8 mph pitch, came across at 85.0 mph, one of the last entries on the leaderboard. While a 93.1 mph fastball from Nick Thwaits maintained better velocity, crossing at 85.4 mph. 
Name State School Class Pos FB Velocity FB Zone Speed
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 95.6 86.9
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 95.2 86.5
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 94.5 85.6
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 93.8 85.5
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP 93.1 85.4
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 94.1 85.3
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 94.6 85.2
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 93.8 85.0
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 96.8 85.0
Francois Castillo IL Lake View 2018 RHP 94.4 85.0
TOP FASTBALL CARRY
Fastball carry is the difference between fastball velcoity and fastball zone speed. It tells us who's fastball maintained velocity the best, who's ball carried. A typical fastball will lose approximately eight miles per hour between leaving the pitcher's hand and crossing home plate. Based upon this, Nick Thwaits possesses the remarkable ability to not only maintain velocity, but also consistently do it, as he posted the top three fastball carry numbers. The only other prospect to truly match Thwaits' consistency is Connor Van Scoyoc. If the table were to be extended to a Top 20, Van Scoyoc would hold spots 13-14-15-16, with an average carry of 8.3 mph. Connor Noland and Kaleb Hill flashed the ability to maintain velocity. 
Name State School Class Pos FB Carry
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP  7.65
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP 7.84
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP 7.84
Micah Dallas TX Home School 2018 RHP 7.91
Jack Neely TX Churchill 2018 RHP 7.99
Wyatt Olds OK McLoud 2018 RHP 8.12
Connor Noland AR Greenwood 2018 RHP 8.18
Gus Radel SD Sioux Falls Roosevelt 2018 RHP 8.21
Connor Noland AR Greenwood 2018 RHP 8.24
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 8.26
TOP FASTBALL SPIN RATE
When it comes to spin rate on a fastball, you want to be anything but average. Why is that? Because average is what batters are used to, it is engrained in their muscle memory, the typical flight of a fastball. How does a high spin rate on a fastball help? In simple terms, it fends off the effects of gravity for a longer period of time, meaning the path of the ball stays up longer than that of an average fastball. Pitcher's with high fastball spin rate typically induce more fly balls than others. For reference, the 2015 MLB average fastball spin rate was around 2200 rpm. This leaderboard shows us that William English and Wyatt Olds had the highest of spin rates and were able to consistently do it. A deeper dive into fastball spin rate from the Super 60 would show that Kohl Franklin and Nathan Lavender, although not spinning it at the rate of English and Olds, consistently have their fastball spin rates in the 2400-to-2500 range.
Name State School Class Pos FB Spin Rate
William English MI Detroit Western International 2018 RHP 2584
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP 2581
William English MI Detroit Western International 2018 RHP 2579
Wyatt Olds OK McLoud 2018 RHP 2577
Wyatt Olds OK McLoud 2018 RHP 2575
Wyatt Olds OK McLoud 2018 RHP 2573
Mateo Gil TX Timber Creek 2018 RHP 2565
William English MI Detroit Western International 2018 RHP 2565
Wyatt Olds OK McLoud 2018 RHP 2557
William English MI Detroit Western International 2018 RHP 2555
LOWEST FASTBALL SPIN RATE
As stated above, you want your fastball to have anything but average spin rate. This means that a low spin rate can be extremely effective as well. What does a low spin rate on a fastball do? It allows for gravity to playa larger part in the trajectory of the ball, causing the flight of the ball to drop lower than that of an average spin rate fastball. This type of pitch, rightly called a sinker, induces far more ground balls than its counterparts. 
Name State School Class Pos FB Spin Rate
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1550
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1556
Jack Neely TX Churchill 2018 RHP 1585
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1656
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1674
Jack Neely TX Churchill 2018 RHP 1727
Jack Neely TX Churchill 2018 RHP 1755
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1755
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1829
Kaleb Hill AR Watson Chapel 2018 LHP 1834
TOP CURVEBALL SPIN RATE
K
Name State School Class Pos CB Spin Rate
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 3043
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 2923
Nick Schmidt MO Holt 2018 RHP 2817
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 2768
Nick Thwaits OH Fort Recovery 2018 RHP 2681
Kohl Franklin OK Broken Arrow 2018 RHP 2680
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 2667
Nick Schmidt MO Holt 2018 RHP 2665
Francois Castillo IL Lake View 2018 RHP 2646
Nick Schmidt MO Holt 2018 RHP 2640
TOP SLIDER SPIN RATE
J
Name State School Class Pos SL Spin Rate
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 2760 
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 2759
Mateo Gil TX Timber Creek 2018 RHP 2754
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 2740
Mateo Gil TX Timber Creek 2018 RHP 2735
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 2729
Mateo Gil TX Timber Creek 2018 RHP 2729
Tyler Lewis IA WDM Valley 2018 RHP 2689
Mateo Gil TX Timber Creek 2018 RHP 2675
Gus Radel SD Sioux Falls Roosevelt 2018 RHP 2595
TOP CHANGEUP CARRY
A
Name State School Class Pos CH Carry

         
TOP CHANGEUP SPIN RATE
K
Name State School Class Pos CH Spin Rate
Drew Rom KY Highlands 2018 LHP 1214*
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 1299
Connor Noland AR Greenwood 2018 RHP 1340
Micah Dallas TX Home School 2018 RHP 1358
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 1401
Ryan Cusick CT Avon Old Farms 2018 RHP 1437
Wade Beasley AR Horatio 2018 RHP 1454
Connor Noland AR Greenwood 2018 RHP 1456
Connor Noland AR Greenwood 2018 RHP 1458
Connor Van Scoyoc IA Cedar Rapids Jefferson 2018 RHP 1472

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