Seattle Senior Games: Pitching Data Dive
October 27, 2023
On September 24th, PBR Washington hosted its first showcase of the fall 2023 circuit: The Seattle Senior Games. Perennially, showcases helps introduce our staff to new need-to-know players in the state that we’d not yet seen before, as well as provided us with updated looks at players who’ve earned our attention in the past. This event was strictly for uncommitted 2024 graduates.
Previously, we have published our Quick Hits, Statistical Analysis, and Positional Data Dive. 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:
TRACKMAN
FASTBALL
VELOCITY (MAX)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Velocity (max) |
1 | Kasen Landry | WA | Kentwood | 2024 | RHP | 85.1 mph |
2 | Kyler Wasley | WA | Central Valley | 2024 | RHP | 84.5 mph |
3 | Branson Rozier | WA | Eisenhower | 2024 | RHP | 83.6 mph |
4 | Luke Sterkel | WA | Ellensburg | 2024 | 1B | 83.0 mph |
5 | David Herrin | WA | Lakeside | 2024 | RHP | 82.4 mph |
6 | Nate Merritt | WA | Prairie | 2024 | 1B | 82.0 mph |
7 | John Langen | WA | West Seattle | 2024 | 3B | 81.4 mph |
8 | Wes Lynch | WA | O'Dea | 2024 | OF | 81.4 mph |
9 | Andrew Recob | WA | Eastlake | 2024 | RHP | 81.2 mph |
10 | Gino Trippy JR | WA | Auburn Mountainview | 2024 | 3B | 81.1 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 | Kasen Landry | WA | Kentwood | 2024 | RHP | 2207 rpm |
2 | Luke Sterkel | WA | Ellensburg | 2024 | 1B | 2205 rpm |
3 | Gino Trippy JR | WA | Auburn Mountainview | 2024 | 3B | 2175 rpm |
4 | Kyler Wasley | WA | Central Valley | 2024 | RHP | 2143 rpm |
5 | Branson Rozier | WA | Eisenhower | 2024 | RHP | 2105 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 | Andrew Recob | WA | Eastlake | 2024 | RHP | 21.0 in |
2 | Lucas Clarke | WA | Newport | 2024 | LHP | 17.9 in |
3 | Payton Moritz | WA | South Kitsap | 2024 | RHP | 16.9 in |
4 | Gino Trippy JR | WA | Auburn Mountainview | 2024 | 3B | 16.7 in |
5 | Carter Calkin | WA | Bellevue Christian | 2024 | RHP | 16.6 in |
6 | Leyton Brunni | WA | Everett | 2024 | SS | 16.5 in |
7 | Jake Lockwood | WA | Shorecrest | 2024 | RHP | 16.3 in |
8 | Luke Sterkel | WA | Ellensburg | 2024 | 1B | 15.8 in |
9 | Branson Rozier | WA | Eisenhower | 2024 | RHP | 15.7 in |
10 | Samuel Hershberger | WA | Archbishop Murphy | 2024 | RHP | 15.7 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 | David Herrin | WA | Lakeside | 2024 | RHP | 13.7 |
2 | Tyler Anderson | WA | Sumner | 2024 | RHP | 11.7 |
3 | Luke Sterkel | WA | Ellensburg | 2024 | 1B | 11.1 |
4 | Leyton Brunni | WA | Everett | 2024 | SS | 10.8 |
5 | John Langen | WA | West Seattle | 2024 | 3B | 10.7 |
6 | Kyler Wasley | WA | Central Valley | 2024 | RHP | 10.1 |
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%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Gino Trippy JR | WA | Auburn Mountainview | 2024 | 3B | 71 % |
2 | Jake Lockwood | WA | Shorecrest | 2024 | RHP | 61 % |
3 | Carter Calkin | WA | Bellevue Christian | 2024 | RHP | 45 % |
4 | David Herrin | WA | Lakeside | 2024 | RHP | 34 % |
5 | Payton Moritz | WA | South Kitsap | 2024 | RHP | 34 % |
Average MLB pitchers throw 62% strikes, and better pitchers throw strikes 65% of the time, or roughly 2:1 strikes to balls.
CURVEBALL
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | Kasen Landry | WA | Kentwood | 2024 | RHP | 2327 rpm |
2 | Kyler Wasley | WA | Central Valley | 2024 | RHP | 2301 rpm |
3 | Gino Trippy JR | WA | Auburn Mountainview | 2024 | 3B | 2082 rpm |
4 | Jake Lockwood | WA | Shorecrest | 2024 | RHP | 2065 rpm |
5 | Nate Merritt | WA | Prairie | 2024 | 1B | 2054 rpm |
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
1 | Andrew Recob | WA | Eastlake | 2024 | RHP | 8.9 in |
2 | Jake Williams | WA | Bonney Lake High School | 2024 | RHP | 8.2 in |
3 | Carter Calkin | WA | Bellevue Christian | 2024 | RHP | -5.8 in |
4 | Samuel Hershberger | WA | Archbishop Murphy | 2024 | RHP | 5.8 in |
5 | Kyler Wasley | WA | Central Valley | 2024 | RHP | -5.5 in |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Nate Merritt | WA | Prairie | 2024 | 1B | 15.8 |
2 | Kasen Landry | WA | Kentwood | 2024 | RHP | -13.5 |
3 | Kyler Wasley | WA | Central Valley | 2024 | RHP | -12.5 |
4 | Andrew Recob | WA | Eastlake | 2024 | RHP | -11.8 |
5 | Lucas Clarke | WA | Newport | 2024 | LHP | 11.8 |
6 | David Herrin | WA | Lakeside | 2024 | RHP | -11.7 |
7 | Will Frith | WA | Vashon Island | 2024 | RHP | -11.5 |
8 | Branson Rozier | WA | Eisenhower | 2024 | RHP | -10.6 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Leyton Brunni | WA | Everett | 2024 | SS | 80 % |
2 | Kyler Wasley | WA | Central Valley | 2024 | RHP | 55 % |
3 | Nate Merritt | WA | Prairie | 2024 | 1B | 50 % |
^ | Branson Rozier | WA | Eisenhower | 2024 | RHP | 50 % |
4 | Jake Lockwood | WA | Shorecrest | 2024 | RHP | 47 % |
5 | Will Frith | WA | Vashon Island | 2024 | RHP | 45 % |
^ | Samuel Hershberger | WA | Archbishop Murphy | 2024 | RHP | 45 % |
SLIDER
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | Kasen Landry | WA | Kentwood | 2024 | RHP | 2327 |
2 | Gino Trippy JR | WA | Auburn Mountainview | 2024 | 3B | 2186 |
3 | Luke Sterkel | WA | Ellensburg | 2024 | 1B | 2117 |
4 | Tyler Anderson | WA | Sumner | 2024 | RHP | 2011 |
5 | Wes Lynch | WA | O'Dea | 2024 | OF | 1977 |
6 | David Herrin | WA | Lakeside | 2024 | RHP | 1911 |
7 | Samuel Hershberger | WA | Archbishop Murphy | 2024 | RHP | 1898 |
8 | John Langen | WA | West Seattle | 2024 | 3B | 1855 |
9 | Andrew Recob | WA | Eastlake | 2024 | RHP | 1807 |
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
1 | Gino Trippy JR | WA | Auburn Mountainview | 2024 | 3B | 13.4 in |
2 | John Langen | WA | West Seattle | 2024 | 3B | 4.9 in |
3 | Andrew Recob | WA | Eastlake | 2024 | RHP | 3.5 in |
4 | Samuel Hershberger | WA | Archbishop Murphy | 2024 | RHP | 3.3 in |
5 | Luke Sterkel | WA | Ellensburg | 2024 | 1B | 3.2 in |
6 | Wes Lynch | WA | O'Dea | 2024 | OF | 3.0 in |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | David Herrin | WA | Lakeside | 2024 | RHP | -14.6 |
2 | Kasen Landry | WA | Kentwood | 2024 | RHP | -13.5 |
3 | Andrew Recob | WA | Eastlake | 2024 | RHP | -11.9 |
4 | Gino Trippy JR | WA | Auburn Mountainview | 2024 | 3B | 11.5 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | John Langen | WA | West Seattle | 2024 | 3B | 55 % |
2 | Tyler Anderson | WA | Sumner | 2024 | RHP | 50 % |
3 | Samuel Hershberger | WA | Archbishop Murphy | 2024 | RHP | 42 % |
4 | Kasen Landry | WA | Kentwood | 2024 | RHP | 37 % |
5 | Andrew Recob | WA | Eastlake | 2024 | RHP | 33 % |
^ | Wes Lynch | WA | O'Dea | 2024 | OF | 33 % |
^ | Luke Sterkel | WA | Ellensburg | 2024 | 1B | 33 % |
CHANGEUP
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | John Langen | WA | West Seattle | 2024 | 3B | 14.7 |
2 | Payton Moritz | WA | South Kitsap | 2024 | RHP | 12.0 |
3 | Gino Trippy JR | WA | Auburn Mountainview | 2024 | 3B | 11.6 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Andrew Recob | WA | Eastlake | 2024 | RHP | 100 % |
^ | Gino Trippy JR | WA | Auburn Mountainview | 2024 | 3B | 100 % |
2 | Nate Merritt | WA | Prairie | 2024 | 1B | 50 % |
3 | David Herrin | WA | Lakeside | 2024 | RHP | 42 % |
+ CLICK HERE for a look at the complete statistics from the event.
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