Mesa Fall ID: Pitching Data Dive
October 28, 2025
On Sunday, October 26th, the Prep Baseball Arizona staff hosted the Mesa Fall ID at Chandler-Gilbert CC, featuring around 28 prospects from across the state.
Each participant received a Prep Baseball profile update that included a headshot, video, showcase statistics, and advanced data analysis. With player profiles viewed by over 900 college programs nationwide, the event provided meaningful exposure while also serving as an important evaluation opportunity ahead of the offseason.
Players went through a complete pro-style workout, which included laser-timed 60-yard dashes (with splits) tracked by VALD, TrackMan-verified hitting and pitching metrics, BLAST Motion swing analysis, positional evaluations with velocity readings, and more.
Our post-event coverage from the Mesa Fall ID continues with a look at the top overall TrackMan Pitching Data.
To register for the Yavapai Fall ID, click here.
To register for the Tempe Fall ID, click here.
FASTBALL
MAX VELOCITY
Max Fastball Velocity: This metric calculates the speed of the pitch as it’s released from the pitcher’s hand.
HIGHEST AVG. SPIN RATE
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.
HIGHEST AVG. IVB
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, and it’s also important to consider the pitch’s velocity as well as its release height when evaluating IVB measurements against each other.
HIGHEST AVG. 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.”
HIGHEST STRIKE ZONE RATE%
For some context, in 2023 MLB pitchers averaged an In Zone% of around 49 percent in live game settings measured across all pitch types, according to Statcast.