TLDR:
- Maryland baseball pitching coach Jimmy Jackson utilizes TrackMan technology to analyze pitching data and improve players’ performance.
- TrackMan provides insights into pitch movement, spin rate, and speed, helping coaches understand how pitches appear to batters.
Maryland’s pitching coach, Jimmy Jackson, embraces the data-driven nature of modern baseball and utilizes TrackMan technology to enhance the performance of the team’s pitchers. TrackMan, a Doppler radar system, provides detailed metrics on pitch movement, spin rate, and speed, offering valuable insights into how pitches may look to opposing batters. The system is used during bullpen sessions and intrasquad scrimmages to analyze why certain pitches may be less successful, allowing Jackson to make adjustments to enhance pitch movement and confuse batters.
By utilizing TrackMan data, Jackson can identify whether pitches exhibit “carrying” or “sinking” movement, adjusting players’ arm slots and grips accordingly. The technology also assists in analyzing player profiles and making data-informed changes to improve pitching efficiency. Jackson’s work with Maryland pitcher Kenny Lippman exemplifies how adjustments based on TrackMan data can lead to tangible improvements in pitch quality and movement.
Plans to integrate TrackMan technology into Maryland’s new baseball facility and stadium underscore the team’s commitment to leveraging data for competitive advantage. Jackson emphasizes the importance of using data effectively to enhance player performance, highlighting the potential benefits of sophisticated pitching analysis in modern baseball.