At Tread’s Annual Pro Weekend, the fourth such occasion in our company’s history, 124 Tread Athletes toed the rubber in front of representatives from 28 MLB organizations. Over the course of three days, our Free Agent Pitchers were given the opportunity to showcase the results of their hard work and unyielding dedication to their craft.
Tread, at its core, is a about striving for excellence. We are a community of dream chasers who are passionate about pushing boundaries and achieving peak performance, and nothing better exemplifies this commitment than our annual Pro Weekend.
For athletes with substantial Major League innings under their belts, this event marked a significant step toward returning to an MLB mound and competing against the world's very best.
For those with varying levels of Minor League experience, it served as an opportunity to secure new contracts and resume their journey towards the ultimate goal.
And for those in pursuit of their first professional opportunity, their performances this weekend were a showcase, demonstrating to everyone why they deserve a shot at the next level.
So, what makes Tread’s Pro Weekend so special?
It could be the sheer number of participating athletes who held the attention of everyone in attendance for three straight days.
It could be upper-90s heaters, disgusting breaking balls, and even a few gravity-defying knuckleballs (more on that later).
All that said – let’s relive a few of the most electric bullpens on the first day here at Tread HQ.
Day 1 (Friday)
🐝 BUZZING BULLPENS:
Dakota Chalmers
Dakota Chalmers turned heads and lit up radar guns on day 1 of our Pro Day event here at Tread with one of the most impressive arsenals to ever enter the facility. Chalmers displays an arsenal eerily similar to that of Tyler Glasnow’s arsenal.
Please do yourself a favor and watch him dot 98 MPH heaters, throw 93 MPH gyro sliders, and 85 MPH bangers – you will NOT regret it.
Drew Strotman
Drew Strotman had quite the day and really played with our emotions. Strotman started off his bullpen throwing 95-96 MPH sinkers – impressive right?
Then threw a couple mid 80s sweepers – also cool, huh?
THEN followed up with a 99.5 MPH bullet that turned everyone’s heads from the radar display board to the TrackMan to make sure it wasn’t a misread. And sure enough, it was not as he then averaged 98.3 MPH on his 4-seamer.
Aaron McGarity
This year we added in the option for our athletes participating in Pro Day to throw to hitters. And oh man, did Aaron McGarity show off…
The outing consisted of lots of whiffs and lots of K’s.
McGarity displays primarily an east to west profile with a changeup, smaller slider, and big sweeper, and then unlocks the top part of the zone with a cut 4-seamer from a low slot. And McGarity took perfect advantage of that on Friday.
🔥 95+ MPH THROWERS CLUB:
Day 1 was home to nine (9) pitchers who hit at least 95 MPH on the radar gun out of 28 pitchers total who threw.
🔌 BEST PITCHES:
🔥Top Fastball – Beau Burrow’s 4-Seam Fastball
PC: Leif Strom
Beau Burrows flashed our best fastball from day 1; he displayed a mid 90’s fastball with a true ride profile. From a 5’9” release height, his 19.5 IVB fastball should play excellently in the top third of the zone.
Average Metrics: 94.6 MPH 19.5” IVB 9.2” HB from 5’9” Release Height
🔨Top Breaking Ball – Drew Strotman's Slider
PC: Tyler Zombro
Drew Strotman showed off the best graded breaking ball from day 1. Off of his upper 90s fastball, he sports an 86 mph sweeper to round out his complete supinator arsenal.
Average Metrics: 85.7 MPH -.6” IVB -10.4” HB from a 5’4” Release Height
🔁 Top Offspeed – Jace Vines' Splitter
PC: Jace Vines
Jace Vines starts off our trend of great splitters on Pro Day weekend. With our best graded offspeed of day 1. Jace has a lower slot east-west profile that his depthy splitter complements greatly.
Average Metrics: 86.6 MPH -7.9” IVB 8.1” HB from a 4’10” Release Height
Day 2 (Saturday)
Earlier morning start for day 2 – nothing that a cup of coffee and absolute fuel couldn't solve, however.
🐝 BUZZING BULLPENS:
Carter Raffield
Clemson alum and Reds' draft pick Carter Raffield opened eyes in his time on the bump Saturday in averaging over 95 MPH on his fastball and executing his arsenal incredibly well. His two breaking balls variations stood out with a harder downer at 86 MPH and a massive curveball 83 MPH.
Julian Smith
LHP Julian Smith averaged 95 MPH on his heater making him the hardest throwing lefty on day 2 – just behind Anthony Banda (95.4 MPH avg) in the entire event and just ahead of Denson Hull (94.3 MPH avg) on day 2.
The 95 MPH heater with good carry paired with a legit 85 MPH slider with 5″ IVB and 5″ gloveside break from a high slot which resulted in some sick whiffs in his Pro Day live ABs. Take a look for yourself. Also ended the day on a 96 MPH swing and a miss – not too shabby!
Sam Kessler
Sam Kessler showed off quite the intriguing arsenal and movement plot that absolutely dominated hitters on day 2 of our Pro Day event.
He showed off an 83 MPH carry sweeper w/ 8″ of ride, a hard smaller/more traditional slider at 87 MPH and 0″ of IVB changeup at 89. You will just have to take a look for yourself at the movement plot and video.
🔥 95+ MPH THROWERS CLUB:
Double digit (11) pitchers crossed the 95+ MPH threshold on day 2 of the event.
🔌 BEST PITCHES:
🔥Top Fastball – Julian Smith’s 4-Seam Fastball
PC: Matt Marsili
With an electric live session, Julian showed off the best graded fastball from day 2. Julian came prepared with his two pitch mix of a gyro slider and a mid 90s ride fastball. Who doesn’t love ride from the left side?
Average Metrics: 95.0 MPH 18.2” IVB -9” HB from a 6’1” Release Height
🔨Top Breaking Ball – Karl Blum's Slider
With the biggest slider to appear on this list, Karl had the best graded sweeper from day 2. To round out his east-west arsenal, he sports an 80+ MPH slider with plenty of sweep. That thing takes OFF.
Average Metrics: 82.0 MPH 2.0” IVB -15.8” HB from a 5’5” Release Height
🔁 Top Offspeed – Christian Winston's Splitter
PC: Austin Roark
Our second lefty on the list, Christian had our best graded offspeed from day 2. A firm splitter on the 0 IVB line, his splitter helps round out his breaking ball heavy arsenal.
Average Metrics: 85.3 MPH 0.8” IVB -16.1” HB from a 5’5” Release Height
Day 3 (Sunday)
Entering day 3 – bet you thought we may have run out of arms. You would be wrong.
🐝 BUZZING BULLPENS:
Cooper Adams
Cooper Adams got on the mound on day 3 and showed up as a new pitcher, not the arm that was at Mount St Mary’s last spring.
He ran his fastball up to 96.8 MPH while averaging 95.1, higher than his previous best of 94.9. Along with that, he showcased a sinker, slider and a kick change, all new or much improved. He has totally reinvented himself post college and deserves a shot.
Jordan Powell
Jordan Powell started his day flicking in a 91 MPH fastball.
Then proceeded to throw NASTY low 80s knuckleballs that danced throughout the zone – it was an absolute joy to watch. It would be super intriguing to see how this plays in pro ball.
Mark Fischer
Our very own performance coach, Mark Fischer, put on a SHOW from down under on day 3.
Only 4 MLB pitchers had a sub 3 foot release height last year and velocities ranged from 82-85 MPH. However, Fischer averaged over 90 MPH from his sub 3 foot release height along with a 81 MPH sweeper and a -9.5 in IVB splitter. His fastball that hovered around the IVB line produced insanely shallow VAAs as well.
🔥 95+ MPH THROWERS CLUB:
5 more pitchers chucked 95+ MPH to round out our event on the final day.
🔌 BEST PITCHES:
🔥Top Fastball – Mark Fischer's 4-Seam Fastball
PC: Mark Fischer
Our own performance coach, Mark Fischer, impressed everyone with day 3’s best graded fastball. Mark’s heater hugs the zero line at low 90s velo from a sub 3 foot release height. For the data nerds out there, he can generate insane angles at the top of the zone – perhaps some of the best ever.
Average Metrics: 90.3 MPH -2.1” IVB 17.1” HB from a 2’7” Release Height
🔨Top Breaking Ball – Cooper Adams' Slider
PC: Sam Eades
To round out our event's showcased breakers, Cooper Adams displayed an impressive 82 MPH sweeper. This flying saucer helps top of his full arsenal and compliments his mid 90 MPH fastball.
Average Metrics: 81.7 MPH 1.2” IVB -14.2” HB from a 5’4” Release Height
🔁 Top Offspeed – Andrew Kramer's Splitter
PC: Hunter Townsend
Visually the most insane pitch from the whole weekend. Andrew threw a splitter averaging nearly -8” IVB while moving more than 9″ armside from an above 6 foot release height. It looked like a lefty hammer from the right side!
Average Metrics: 81.4 MPH -7.6” IVB 9.4” HB from a 6’1” Release Height
💀⚾️ Death Pitch Compilation
You thought you would get through this blog and have us NOT mention our guys' who threw the death pitch (curveball with armside or minimal gloveside movement)?
That's crazy.
Enjoy these 5 💀⚾️'s from our Pro Day event.
Members (in order as seen in video): Blaize Minick, Matt Seelinger, Luke Farrell, Kevin Herget, Jake Faria
🚀 📺 The Ciaran Show
Could not close out this blog with out giving a massive shoutout to one of our catchers…
Free agent Ciaran Devenney, previously of UConn baseball and the Frontier League, put on a SHOW this past Pro Day weekend. He spent the 3 days absolutely ripping covers off the ball and looking great behind the plate.
Also, just an A+ dude.
Enjoy this highlight reel of Mr. Devenney.
PS: Thank you to all of our catchers and hitters from this past Pro Day weekend – could not have done it without their services.
🫡Till Next Time
If you made it this far into the blog, we thank you and hope you enjoyed the recounting of our fourth annual Pro Day event – till next year! 🫡 🚀
