HitTrax Made Simple: Three Things to Watch

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HitTrax gives coaches a lot of numbers, and sometimes that can be confusing.

You don’t need to study every number. Start with these three:

1. Exit velocity

2. Launch angle

3. Point of contact

Together, they tell a simple story about the swing.

1. Exit velocity: How solid was the contact?

Exit velocity tells you how fast the ball came off the bat.

A higher number usually means the player hit the ball more solidly. A lower number may mean the player missed the sweet spot.

Average exit velocity can help you see how solid the player’s contact was during the whole round.

Just keep the test the same. Use the same bat, balls and type of pitch. A faster pitch can lead to a higher exit velocity.

Ask: Is the player making solid contact more often?

Do not worry about comparing a young player to a Major League hitter. Compare the player to their own past rounds.

2. Launch angle: Where did the ball go?

Launch angle tells you if the ball went down, straight or up.

• A negative number means the ball went toward the ground.

• A low positive number often means a line drive.

• A high number may mean a fly ball or popup.

  
  

Be careful with average launch angle, though...

One ball could be hit into the ground at -10 degrees. The next ball could be popped up at 40 degrees. The average would be 15 degrees.

That average may look good. But neither ball was hit the way the player wanted.

Look at the launch angle of each ball. Look for a pattern.

Ask: Are the player’s hardest hits line drives or strong balls in the air?

The goal is not to chase one perfect angle. The goal is to hit the ball hard at useful angles.

3. Point of contact: Where was the ball hit?

Point of contact shows where the ball met the bat near home plate.

Was contact made far out in front? Was it close to the plate? Was it deep in the hitting zone? This can help explain the other numbers.

A player who makes contact too far out front may roll the ball over. A player who makes contact too deep may hit weak balls the other way.

But there is not one perfect contact point for every pitch. An inside pitch is usually hit farther out front. An outside pitch is usually hit deeper.

Ask: Is the player making contact in a good place for that pitch?

Put the three numbers together

Look at the full swing:

1. How hard did the player hit the ball?

2. At what angle did the ball leave the bat?

3. Where did the player make contact?

That gives the coach a much better picture. 

Keep it simple. Look for solid contact, useful ball flight, and a good contact point.

Then use the numbers to help coach the next session.

Now, for the nerds…

Exit velocity matters because harder contact gives the ball a better chance to become a hit or extra-base hit. Optimize it by improving bat speed and making more contact near the bat’s sweet spot; track both top-end EV and how often the player gets close to it, since averages can be pulled down by mishits (Source: The Doomed Search for a Perfect Way To Interpret Exit Velocity Data). Launch angle matters because it determines whether that hard contact becomes a groundball, line drive, fly ball or popup. Optimize it by studying the launch angles of the hitter’s hardest balls, matching the bat path to the pitch, and avoiding the temptation to chase one perfect average (Source: Introduction to Driveline Hitting Assessments). Point of contact matters because it influences both EV and launch angle. Optimize it by helping the hitter find a repeatable contact window...generally farther out front on inside pitches and deeper on outside pitches...where the barrel can deliver both force and a productive ball flight (Source: Hitters Should Make Contact Out Front).

Source: FanGraphs