Yellowhammer State Games: TrackMan Files
June 24, 2026
NORTHPORT, AL - The 2026 Yellowhammer State Games made its debut to River Run Park in Northport, AL, on June 16-17 for the third edition of the premier summer event on the Prep Baseball Alabama calendar. More than 210 of the state's top prospects from the 2027-2030 classes converged in Northport for two days of pro-style workouts and gameplay while competing alongside and against many of Alabama's top talents.
With Future Games, Junior Future Games, and other marquee summer events on the horizon, the Yellowhammer State Games once again served as one of the most important evaluation opportunities of the year for the Prep Baseball Alabama staff. The event featured high-level competition, loud statistical performances, and numerous prospects who further elevated their stock heading into the remainder of the summer.
The following TrackMan Files article highlights the top statistical performers from the event across each TrackMan category, providing a deeper look into the data and metrics produced throughout the workout.
MAX FASTBALL & AVERAGE SPIN RATE
Max Fastball Velocity: This metric calculates the speed of the pitch as it’s released from the pitcher’s hand.
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.
AVERAGE INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK
Induced Vertical Break: As far as deception and importance goes, fast induced vertical break (IVB) may be the most important. Induced vertical break is not what is sounds. IVB simply means the pitch is "breaking" upward from the average level a pitch falls from release to home plate. This is a stat that you want to stay away from being average at. Fortunately, this can be tweaked slightly depending on release height. To put it simply, the higher number = more "rise" the pitch has compared to average.
AVERAGE FASTBALL HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT
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.”
AVERAGE CURVEBALL SPIN RATE
Spin Rate: The metric calculates how fast the ball is spinning as it leaves the pitcher’s hand, reported in the number of times the pitched ball would spin per minute (“revolutions per minute” or “rpm”).
AVERAGE SLIDER SPIN RATE
Spin Rate: The metric calculates how fast the ball is spinning as it leaves the pitcher’s hand, reported in the number of times the pitched ball would spin per minute (“revolutions per minute” or “rpm”).
AVERAGE CHANGEUP HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT
Horizontal Break: This metric measures the distance, 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.
PEAK EXIT VELOCITY (HITTING)
Exit Velocity: This metric measures the speed of the ball, measured in miles per hour, as it comes off the bat at the moment of contact.
TOP AVERAGE EXIT VELOCITY (HITTING)
PEAK ESTIMATED BATTED DISTANCE (HITTING)
Distance: This metric measures the estimated “carry flat” distance, measured in feet, meaning the distance that the ball travels before it lands, or would have landed if it were not caught or obstructed.
UPCOMING EVENTS ⤵️
| SHOWCASE | DATE | LOCATION |
| Birmingham Summer ID | June 30, 2026 | Pelham High School |
| Birmingham Rising Stars ID | June 30, 2026 | Pelham High School |
| Tuscaloosa Summer ID | July 7, 2026 | Northridge High School |
| Tuscaloosa Rising Stars ID | July 7, 2026 | Northridge High School |
| Wiregrass Summer ID | July 14, 2026 | Enterprise High School |
| Wiregrass Rising Stars ID | July 14, 2026 | Enterprise High School |
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