New Metric Open Command Enhances Evaluation of Young Pitchers

A new metric called Open Command has been introduced to enhance the evaluation of pitchers, particularly young ones. Developed by Doyoung-Tom Kim, a former analyst for the Philadelphia Phillies, this metric measures how accurately pitchers hit their intended targets by calculating the distance of their misses from a catcher's mitt.

Open Command contrasts with existing metrics like Location+, which primarily assesses whether pitches are thrown to advantageous locations. By utilizing advanced computer vision technology, Open Command adjusts for camera angles and identifies the glove as a target, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of a pitcher's command abilities.

This metric has shown promise in identifying young pitchers with strong command skills, even if their overall statistics may not reflect this. For instance, Jackson Jobe has a notable miss distance of 8.8 inches, placing him in the top tier of the league, despite not having an above-average Location+ score. The metric may provide valuable insights into the potential of pitchers who have not yet thrown a significant number of major-league pitches.