Whiff Percentage, fifth for Chase Percentage, and fifth for xWOBA. Their pitchers excel in generating swings and misses within the strike zone, as well as inducing hitters to chase pitches outside the zone. The Rangers round out the top five in xWOBA, showcasing their ability to limit hard contact and produce favorable outcomes against opposing hitters.
In terms of individual pitch types, the Rays stand out for their dominance. They lead the league in in-zone whiff percentage, indicating their pitchers’ ability to generate swings and misses on pitches thrown within the strike zone. The Yankees follow closely behind, showcasing their overall strength in inducing swings and misses. The Dodgers rank highly in fastball metrics, particularly with their four-seam fastballs, sliders, and curveballs. The Mets also excel in breaking ball performance, with their sliders and curveballs producing impressive results.
Overall, this analysis provides valuable insights into the quality of pitching talent within each organization’s farm system. The use of advanced metrics allows for a more accurate assessment of pitching performance beyond traditional statistics. Teams like the Rays, Yankees, and Dodgers demonstrate their prowess in developing and acquiring talented pitchers, while organizations like the Blue Jays and Mets showcase their strengths in specific pitch types and performance metrics.
As the 2023 season progresses, it will be interesting to see how these rankings evolve and if any organizations can make significant improvements in their pitching talent. The ability to develop and acquire quality pitchers is crucial for long-term success in Major League Baseball, and these rankings provide a glimpse into which organizations are excelling in this area.Title: Examining the Top Farm Systems for Pitching Talent Based on Advanced Metrics
Subtitle: Rays, Yankees, and Dodgers Lead the Way in Pitching Performance
Date: [Current Date]
In part one of this series, we delved into the rankings of all 30 major league farm systems based on advanced statcast hitting data. Now, we shift our focus to the pitching side of things to determine which organizations boast the best minor league pitching groups when considering a variety of advanced metrics.
Statcast data provides a deeper understanding of prospective major leaguers beyond performance and subjective analysis. By analyzing pitch-level data, we can gain insights into the nuances of each pitch and how it impacts a hitter’s performance. This allows for a more accurate assessment of a pitch’s quality and its potential effectiveness against major league hitting.
To determine the rankings, a combination of pitch-level data and pitch-by-pitch performance metrics were considered. The goal was to identify organizations with the highest quality of overall pitching talent and gain insights into their drafting and international free agency strategies.
The methodology involved calculating team-level metrics such as xwOBA (expected weighted on-base average) for each organization. These metrics were aggregated based on the number of pitches thrown by each pitcher in the organization during the 2023 season. xwOBA measures how hitters are expected to perform statistically against these pitches based on their batted ball data.
The overall Stuff+ number, a blended metric, was then calculated using each organization’s STF+ (based on an internal model), per pitch Run Value, xwOBA, and pitch quality metrics such as in-zone whiff% and chase%. This number was scaled on a wRC+ scale, where 100 is average and a standard deviation is 10 points. A higher Stuff+ number indicates a stronger pitching organization.
The study focused on players between the ages of 17 to 26 years old to assess developing pitching talent. Older pitchers who primarily contribute to rehabilitation stints or Triple-A bullpens were excluded to minimize their impact on the results. Additionally, players who spent their entire season at the complex level were removed to ensure data reliability.
According to the rankings, the top five organizations with the highest overall Stuff+ numbers are as follows:
1. Tampa Bay Rays
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. New York Yankees
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. New York Mets
Key Takeaways:
– The top-ranked organizations excel in whiff rate and opponents’ xwOBA.
– The Dodgers and Rays stand out for their strengths across all pitch types.
– The Yankees demonstrate broad-based performance across all metrics.
In terms of specific metrics, the top five organizations are as follows:
In-Zone Whiff Percentage:
1. Tampa Bay Rays
2. NewOrganizational Pitching Statcast Ranking Revealed: Tampa Bay Rays Take the Top Spot
In a recent study conducted by Baseball America, the Tampa Bay Rays have emerged as the organization with the best minor league pitching talent based on advanced metrics. The study analyzed pitch-level data and pitch-by-pitch performance metrics to determine the quality of overall pitching talent in each organization.
Using metrics such as xwOBA (expected weighted on-base average), the study calculated team-level metrics by aggregating the data of each pitcher in the organization. The xwOBA stat measures how hitters are expected to perform statistically against these pitches based on their batted ball data.
The overall Stuff+ number, a blended metric of STF+ (based on an internal model), per pitch Run Value, xwOBA, and pitch quality metrics such as in-zone whiff% and chase %, was used to rank the organizations. The resultant number was then scaled on a wRC+ scale, where 100 is average and a standard deviation is 10 points. A higher Stuff+ number indicates a better pitching talent.
The Tampa Bay Rays topped the rankings with an impressive Stuff+ number of 119. They also ranked first in in-zone whiff% and second in chase%. The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees followed closely behind in second and third place, respectively.
The study focused on players between the ages of 17 to 26 years old to assess developing pitching talent in each organization. Older pitchers who may have had rehabilitation stints or veterans who make up a significant portion of Triple-A pitching staffs were excluded to minimize their impact on the results.
It is worth noting that the study also removed players who spent their entire season at the complex level, as the data at that level is considered less reliable and could potentially cloud the final results.
The rankings provide valuable insights into the types of traits certain organizations target in the draft and international free agency. The top-ranked organizations have shown a strong emphasis on developing pitchers with high-quality stuff and the ability to generate swings and misses.
Overall, the study highlights the importance of advanced metrics in evaluating pitching talent beyond traditional performance and subjective analysis. The Tampa Bay Rays’ top ranking is a testament to their commitment to developing top-notch pitching talent in their farm system.
Image credit: (Photo by Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)