Dirtbags Scout Day: Trackman Traits
October 25, 2021
Follow @PBRVirginiaDC
Facebook + Instagram
The expanded usage of data, and the importance of it in regards to player development and player assessment is a legitimate, undeniable tool used by high school, college, and professional teams across the country. Today we break down some of the data from our Mid-Atlantic Orioles Scout Day. See which players stood out in regards to Trackman data.
Glossary Terms Intro & Links:
Induced Vertical Break: IVB
Vertical Approach Angle: VAA
Horizontal Break: HB
Release Speed: RS or Velo
Release Height: RH or RelHei
The Top Pitchers:
Joe Gomez
Class of 2023 / RHP
Player Information
-
Graduating Class: 2023
-
Primary Position: RHPSecondary Position: SS
-
High School: Fluvanna CountyState: VA
- Summer Team: VA Dirtbags platinum 2023
-
Height: 5-10Weight: 160lbs
- Bat/Throw: R/R
Fastball: Has an elite, high-spin heater and combines that with a low release to create a flat approach angle. Up to 2,574 rpm, averaged out at 2,456 rpm. Has just 15.3 inches of IVB, but pushes his tilt vertical from 1:30 when his slot-inferred tilt is likely closer to 2:00. He does a good job creating backspin from his unique slot and can pitch up in the zone even with slightly below average vertical break due to a FB with a VAA at/around -4 degrees at the top of zone. He even managed to throw two fastballs with a IVB > 20” showed feel for creating run/ride. He hit 86.7 mph and averaged out at 85.5 mph.
Curveball: Another elite spin pitch. Up to 3,080 rpm, and 3,061 rpm on average. Has an innate feel for supinating and is able to produce a high spin efficiency shape creating heavy sweep and drop from a 7:45/8:00 tilt. He throws it hard at 75.7 mph and produces somewhat of a sweeping breaker/power slurve shape; both of which are effective. To create more sidespin, he does drop his release half-a-foot in comparison to his fastball. He averaged nearly 20 inches of sweep and had 10+ inches of drop on every pitch while having 20+ inches of sweep on all but one. It’s a bat-missing pitch with incredibly unique traits.
Luke Gouldthorpe
Class of 2023 / RHP
Player Information
-
Graduating Class: 2023
-
Primary Position: RHPSecondary Position: OF
-
High School: Jefferson ForestState: VA
- Summer Team: DirtBags 17U Platinum
-
Height: 6-4Weight: 185lbs
- Bat/Throw: L/R
Fastball: Gets a ton of backspin from a generic release. Has feel for pronation and can get high spin efficiency from his slot to create ride and run. Hit 87.2, sat at 86.6 mph. Only 2,051 rpm on average but optimized it with good movement. Up to 21.2” of IVB, had 20” on average.
Slider: Plays like a sweeping CB. Has heavy sweep (17.2 inches of HB) and slight drop with a -7.1” IVB on average. He threw it at/around 8:15 but it played better at 8:30/8:45 where he replaced depth with more sweep and was able to get more sidespin out of the shape and create some gyro action. Throws it somewhat hard at 72 mph, up to 75.1 mph on the day.
Changeup: Able to push his axis clockwise about 30 minutes by dropping release, so he was creating sidespin and getting above average HB (15.9” on average, 18” max). Has an exact 10 mph drop-off from his FB and plays off it well movement-wise.
Sam Bell
Class of 2023 / RHP
Player Information
-
Graduating Class: 2023
-
Primary Position: RHPSecondary Position: 2B
-
High School: Jefferson ForestState: VA
- Summer Team: Dirtbags Virginia 17-U Platinum
-
Height: 5-11Weight: 175lbs
- Bat/Throw: R/R
Fastball: Hit 86 mph, sat at 84.5 mph. Throws it from an extreme vertical axis and pronates enough to create above average IVB even with a < 90% spin efficiency. There’s some gyro to the pitch as he can supinate a bit which leads to slight cut, but when he was able to keep his axis clockwise from 12:00, he had upwards of 20” IVB consistently. Has a somewhat low release and showed feel for elevating his heater. Had one FB, in the zone, with a -3.1 VAA, and had another near the middle portion of the plate with a -4.1 VAA. It’s a legit, flat pitch with bat-missing traits. Some consistency in his release could help him raise the 19.7” IVB into the 20s.
Slider: Combines a solid amount of gyro spin with some sweep to get seam-shifted wake (when the tilt/direction of the pitch changes in the last 15 feet) traits at times. He threw one SL at 8:45 with less movement than the rest that drops his averages down, otherwise 14 or more inches of sweep on all but two pitches and also had some depth (-5.3” average IVB). Gets above average spin (2,328 rpm max) and throws it hard enough at 72.1 mph.
Changeup: Vertical axis with mostly backspin. Throws it 30 minutes clockwise from FB but there’s not enough gyro spin to create some late break, and the seam orientation is very linear with not much changes throughout it’s plane. Throws it at 78.4 mph with same bauer units as his FB.