Last month, Major League Baseball and USA Baseball held the joint initiative, DREAM Series, in Tempe, Arizona. There, experienced coaches, current, and former players delivered high-level coaching to a diverse group of the nation’s elite amateur and high-school athletes. Featured at the event were former big leaguers like Marquis Grissom, Darren Oliver, and Howie Kendrick joining forces with the game’s top talent and USA Baseball alumni such as Dellin Betances (2005 18U), Hunter Greene (2014 15U, 2015 & 2016 18U), and Simeon Woods Richardson (2021 Professional) for a four-day developmental camp in the desert.

A crucial part of the development process is the data derived from athletic assessments and baseball-based analytics. Before taking the field, players participate in the Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) Performance Assessment: a series of comprehensive evaluations that utilize state-of-the-art technology to measure cognitive skills, speed of processing, athletic performance, and on-field talent. Evaluations such as the 30-yard sprint, broad jump, and counter-movement jump are several of the athletic-based tests completed by athletes in addition to on-field data captured by Rapsodo, a baseball flight monitor that provides real-time hitting and pitching data. After evaluations, all data collected from the assessments is disseminated to the 30 MLB Clubs in preparation for the MLB Draft and to USA Baseball for national team identification. All participants receive a personalized player report containing data and metrics from the evaluation, and training tools for improvement and sustained development.

This report summarizes essential data regarding a player’s physical aptitude, which is a key indicator of a player’s current and future performance on the diamond. Although some players use their personalized player report as a reference for setting goals, others dive deeper into the analytics to understand their performance better. They analyze flaws, capitalize on their strengths, and tailor their training plans accordingly. For Owen Kendrick, a class of 2027 left-handed pitcher and first baseman, the PDP Performance Assessment offers just that. This camp proved to become more than bullpens and batting practice for Kendrick, as he is just one of many players showing how to utilize PDP tests and data-driven technology such as Rapsodo in a player report as a tool to step up their game.

While data and reports are vital in a player’s development, Owen’s father, Howie, has perhaps been the biggest asset to him in his young career. Over the course of Howie’s 15-year MLB career, the sport of baseball has evolved in significant ways. Not only does it look and play differently, but it is quickly becoming increasingly accessible and reaching a wider and more diverse audience than ever. With that in mind, one thing has clearly emerged within the ever-changing landscape: the role of statistics and analytics has evolved significantly and will continue to do so.

USA Baseball caught up with Howie and Owen to learn more about the role of data and technology in baseball, how it has evolved, and the current state of amateur baseball.

Q: “Once you receive your personalized PDP report, where do you go from there?”

Owen: “After I get my assessment, I first look through all of it myself. Then, the next day when I'm in the gym with just me and my trainers, we all go through everything and look at the deficiencies. We see what I need to get better at, what I'm doing well, and how to get better.

Q: “What benefit have you seen from seeing that information, analyzing it, and then using it in training?”

Owen: “Just to see that I'm getting better. It's being able to physically see the changes that I've been making and then always having a new goal like running a certain time in the sprint test. It's just those kinds of things, whether it’s athletic or baseball-related, just setting goals and trying to achieve them.”

Q: “What test or metric helps you out the most?”

Owen: “Definitely using Rapsodo and the data that comes from it. It gives me all my exit velocities, how fast I’m throwing, and my spin rate. That's what I look at a lot during training, especially with my pitching coach during the offseason.

Q: “How does participating in development events like the DREAM Series prepare you for the upcoming season?”

Owen: “Being able to go into my high school season and take with me what guys like B[rian] Hunt, Lou [Collier], and all the coaches are telling me. Also, being able to take what I learned into the high school season has been a huge benefit; it feels like I have a head start on the upcoming season.”

As an MLB All-Star, 2019 National League Championship Series MVP and World Series champion, Howie brings unmatched insight into shaping the tools and work ethic required to develop and advance to the next level. Throughout his career, Howie has witnessed the rise of key tools and data central to the game. He, along with the other coaches at the DREAM Series, offers a unique perspective on the role of technology and data available to athletes today.

Q: “How did you receive information regarding statistics and numbers when you were Owen’s age?”

Howie: “It's different when I started playing versus today, obviously. What's funny is we didn't even have programs like MLB Develops or PDP back then. The only way I found out my stats was in the newspaper the next day. I'm from the Jacksonville area, and so the Florida Times-Union would always have high school sports in the newspaper. Through that you would go back and see win/loss records, the leaders in the city for average, doubles, and homers. That's how we got our numbers.”

Q: “What benefit do you see once Owen receives his PDP report and implements it into his training?”

Howie: “The numbers are everywhere, and that's what a lot of players go by. I told him [Owen], it's not as important as how you feel. If your mechanics are good, whether it's pitching or hitting, then the numbers will line up. This generation of kids, regardless of whether it's my son or other kids, they all fall in love with the numbers. Players will take those numbers and go by these certain markers that they want to hit. I think the game's kind of gone that way, all these guys look at their numbers to kind of validate what they're doing.”

Q: “What impresses you the most about this generation of baseball players?”

Howie: “The physical stature. When I was coming up, you didn't see kids who were as big early on as these guys are. I mean, we've got guys who are class of 2028, who are six foot three already, and I'm like, man, it’s amazing that these dudes are this big. At the same time, when you get around them, there's things that we did efficiently that they don't do as well, even though they're more physically gifted. But the things that they're doing and the way they go about it is more advanced than it was back then. I feel like they have more of an advantage with a technology base, understanding what their body's doing with biomechanics, and understanding how to use their body. You have professionals who work with the guys at the highest level, helping them attain the same things that those guys are doing. So, they kind of have a cheat sheet.”

Q: “What's it like just being able to be at an event like this with your sons?”

Howie: “You know, it’s special. Because being around the Scottsdale area, they don't get to be around a lot of people that look like them, and I did growing up [in Jacksonville]. But the other aspect of it, too, is to be able to get hands-on training and information from guys who did it at the highest level, who can come back and give you a little bit of a cheat sheet; I think that's really important. Being around these guys who are probably better than most of the guys you play with or face, it makes you up your game. You have to take your game to the next level. If you don't step up, you're going to get left behind, and I think that whole experience is special.”