2025 SABR Analytics Conference highlights
The 14th annual SABR Analytics Conference was held from March 14-16, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona, bringing together the top minds in the baseball analytics community to discuss, debate, and share insightful ways to analyze and examine the great game of baseball.
Click on a link below to watch a video replay of each session.
Featured Panels
Brian Kenny: Analytics Now
Brian Kenny of MLB Network delivered the opening remarks on Friday, March 14, 2025.
How MLB Teams Utilize Biomechanics Big Data
Presented by the American Baseball Biomechanics Society.
Panelists included Arnel Aguinaldo, Point Loma Nazarene University; Michael Sonne, Chicago Cubs; Megan Stewart, Milwaukee Brewers; Will Vandenberg, Los Angeles Dodgers. Moderator: Glenn Fleisig, Research Director, American Sports Medicine Institute.
Evolution of Baseball Analysts Panel
Panelists: Kyle Boddy, Driveline Baseball; Alex Caravan, Penn Interactive; Vivienne Pelletier, Arizona State University. Moderator: Will Carroll, Under the Knife.
Glenn Fleisig: The Tommy John Surgery Epidemic
On Saturday, March 15, 2025, Dr. Glenn Fleisig delivered a keynote talk on “T”
Afterward, he was presented with the 2025 SABR Analytics Conference Lifetime Achievement Award. Click here to learn more.
Balance of Analytics and Culture Panel
Panelists: Burke Badenhop, Arizona Diamondbacks; Michael Girsch, St. Louis Cardinals; Max Glick, Arizona Diamondbacks. Moderator: Brian Kenny, MLB Network.
Milwaukee Brewers Front Office 360 Panel
Panelists: Eric Babitz, Andrew Fox, Phil Hauser, Everett Johnson, Maggie Noffke, Daniel Oh, Megan Stewart, Dan Turkenkopf of the Milwaukee Brewers.
MLB Statcast Updates: Baseball Savant, ABS, and Game Notes
Panelists: Jason Bernard, Graham Goldbeck, Kevin Hanson, Do-Hyoung Park, and Mike Petriello from Major League Baseball.
Diamond Dollars Case Competition
Encore presentation by The Branson School: Remy DeJean, Christopher Mao, Zach Redlin, Spencer Weinberg, and Theo Zak. Learn more at sabr.org/analytics/case.
SABR Analytics Conference Award Presentations
On Saturday, March 15, 2025, Hannah Keyser, Richard Staff, Justin Klugh, and Patrick Dubuque were recognized as winners of the 2025 SABR Analytics Conference Research Awards in Phoenix, Arizona. Click here to learn more.
Nathan Backman and Dimitri Haan were recognized as the winners of the inaugural SABR Analytics Conference student presentation awards, presented by Cleat Street Capital. Click here to learn more.
Conner Pelletier, Jack Lambert, Anthony Becerra, and Sam Ehrlich were announced as the winners of the inaugural Dr. Mike Marshall Baseball Biomechanics Research Award, with an introduction by Deborah Marshall. Click here to learn more.
Research Presentations
RP1: Jason Willwerscheid, "Evaluating MLB Hitters’ Two-Strike Swings Using Statcast Bat-Tracking Metrics"
RP2: Kyle Bland, "Process +: Quality-Adjusted Hitter Metrics at the Per-Pitch Level"
RP3: Conner Pelletier and Jack Lambert, "The Interaction of Command and Biomechanics for Pitchers"
RP4: Jason R. Themanson, "Linking Neural Activity to Hitting Expertise: A Live-Pitch Analysis to Mental Processes in Baseball Players"
RP5: Nathan Backman, "Baseball Cinematography: Using Open Source CV Algorithms to Track and Quantify Pitcher Mechanics"
RP6: Ross Hoehn, "Predicting On-Field Baseball Performance with Reaction Time Testing"
RP7: Rob Mains, "MLB Ownership, Atlanta Braves, Inc., and Financial Analysis"
RP8: David Bailit and Jared Markowitz, "A Data-Driven Approach to Analyzing Pitch Decay: A New Way of Breaking Down Pitchers"
Student RP1: Ian Chang, "Route Acumen: Grading Routes on a Curve"
Student RP2: Lyev Pitram, "Using Eliteness Early: Influence of the Opener on Run Prevention"
Student RP3: Brett Cerenzio, "Evaluating Outfielder Route Efficiency and Route Paths by Level"
Student RP4: Cameron Jensen, "Relationship Between Impulse and Velocity in Baseball Pitching"
Student RP5: Atul Venkatesh, Ishan Kinikar, Levon Sarian, "Pitcher Dynamics xPLained: Creating a Model that Determines When to Pull a Starting Pitcher"
Student Sessions
Vinay Kumar: Introduction to Baseball Databases
Introduction to Baseball Databases
Vinay Kumar, SABR
Jonah Gardner and Zoe Surma: Working With Baseball-Reference Data
Working With Baseball-Reference Data
Jonah Gardner and Zoe Surma, Sports Reference
Nick Riccardi: Presenting Baseball Data in Tableau
Presenting Baseball Data in Tableau
Nick Riccardi, Syracuse University
Shanna Shi: Working with Baseball Savant and R
Working with Baseball Savant and R
Shanna Shi, Major League Baseball
David Hyland: The Relationship Between Batting Metrics and Runs Scored
Nick Wan: SLICED with SABR
SLICED with SABR
Nick Wan, Cincinnati Reds