Strength, speed, and anthropometric predictors of in-game batting performance in baseball.

A key focus of sports science research is the identification of quantitative assessments that can predict players' on-field performance and developmental potential. Despite efforts to establish predictive models, there are few validated measures that show reliable associations and large gaps in understanding. Here, we test a multidimensional battery of assessments developed through the USA Baseball, Prospect Development Pipeline that capture strength and functional movement abilities, and anthropometric characteristics, in a two-year cohort of collegiate baseball players from the Appalachian League. Swing propensity metrics for Zone Contact Percentage (ZCP: proportion pitches in strike zone swung at and hit) and Hard-Hit Percentage (HHP: proportion in-play balls with exit velocity ≥ 95 mph) were calculated on 189 players. Models testing hierarchical combinations of anthropometric and anthropometric plus assessment data were implemented using nested cross-validation with random forest and elastic net regression. Results indicate that anthropometric features account for 29% of variance in ZCP and 50-55% of HHP, while the addition of assessment contributed an additional 1-3% to ZCP and 5-12% to HHP, with top predictors coming from PDP strength and power assessments. These findings delineate contributions of andromorphic and physical abilities to in-game baseball performance using a validated assessment battery and advanced game statistics.

Visual Performance and Sports: A Scoping Review.

Vision is central to success in nearly all sports, and there is an emerging body of research investigating the links between visual abilities and athletic performance. This preregistered scoping review seeks to clarify the topics of study, methodologies used, populations under investigation, researchers, and disciplines driving this field. Systematic searches of English-language articles were conducted in PubMed and Web of Science, with additional literature identified through bibliographic searches. Six hundred sixty-seven articles published between 1976 and 2023 were identified with 547 empirical studies, 58 review articles, 20 commentaries, and 4 meta-analyses, among others. Among the empirical papers, 411 reported on visual assessments and 98 on vision training interventions. The most represented sports included baseball, soccer, basketball, and cricket, with over 150 articles reporting on professional, elite, or Olympic athletes. This scoping review describes the breadth of this emerging field, identifies its strengths and weaknesses, and provides recommendations for future improvement.