Beseball Average Pitching Velocity By Age Group

Pitching velocity frequently comes up when discussing baseball and the players‘ abilities. High-speed baseball throwing challenges batters and often improves a pitcher’s chances of victory. Knowing the pitch speeds by age can help us understand how an athlete develops over time in this sport.

Average pitch speeds are significantly correlated with experience, physical prowess, and growth when age groups are analyzed. This article will give you a general understanding of average pitch speed by age.

How Fast Should You Pitching Velocity by Age?

Many pitchers strive for high velocity, but college and MLB scouts pay considerable attention to a pitcher’s fastball velocity. Little League-age coaches emphasize a pitcher’s ability to throw a hard and fastball.

The strongest predictors of pitch velocity are age, height, shoulder-hip distance, and stride length. Additionally, because of their increased strength and conditioning, young athletes frequently experience pitch speed increases as they mature.

Additionally, hip and t-spine strength gives you an adequate trunk lean and stride speed. There is no practical amount of any of these mechanical traits, but regardless of age, with the appropriate mobility, these mechanics can perform.

Average Pitch Speed By Age Baseball

Baseball players in youth leagues often throw at slower speeds than their counterparts in high school, college, and the professional ranks. Let’s see them in detail:

Youth League Player:

Compared to the maximum perceived velocity of high school, college, and professional athletes, the average pitching velocity in youth leagues is substantially slower. Players who fall within this category are often between 9 and 12.

In juvenile leagues, younger players typically throw the ball at an average speed of 40 to 50 mph. Their perceived velocity rises as they advance in the Majors division, with fastballs reaching the maximum level of 50 to 60 miles per hour.

High School League Player:

My observations with a group of high school baseball players revealed a noticeable increase in the average pitch speed and the top speed attained.

First-year students between 14 and 15 typically throw balls at average speeds between 65 and 75 mph. As was previously indicated, their perceived velocity increases as they age and become stronger.

The average speed of sophomores between the ages of 15 and 16 is 70 to 80 mph. Some high school pitchers often throw balls up to 84 mph! But you must exercise caution since pitches faster than 80 to 85 mph may result in injury if not used per the pitching workouts.

College Leagues Players:

The maximum pitching speed you see by many college league players is between 85 and 95 mph. But remember that not all college athletes have the same maximal speed or perceived velocity. The average pitch speed for those from Division III may be between 77 and 82 mph.

It demonstrates a wide range of abilities, both in terms of top speed and average pitch speed, even at the collegiate level. These outstanding stats show how hard these teams train to raise their game.

Professional League Players:

MLB players have the fastest average pitch velocity in all of baseball. They are capable of throwing more quickly than 90 mph. They are highly skilled sportsmen with sophisticated abilities and physical conditioning.

It enables them to reach amazing average pitch speeds, so it’s no surprise this is the case. The MLB players’ average baseball pitch speed km/h is 92-93 mph, faster than any other league.

Read Also: what is mvr in baseball

Pitches Types: Average Throwing Speed by Age

It’s important to remember that these numbers only reflect average pitch speeds and can vary. All athletes, especially pitchers, can develop at different speeds and have specialized skills that affect how quickly they throw the ball. So, pitch size also makes a difference. Let’s take a look at them:

Fastball Pitching Speed:

Baseball players frequently use the fastball as a pitch. It delivers with the highest possible velocity to slow down the batter’s reflexes. The typical fastball velocity for various age groups is as follows:

Age	Speed
8 to 10	40 to 50 mph
11 to 12	50 to 60 mph
13 to 14	60-70 mph
15 to 16	70 to 80 mph
High school	75 to 85 mph
College/professional	85 to 95+ mph

The four-seam, two-seam, and cutter are examples of fastball variations.

Average Pitch Speed By Age Softball

Here is the list of Average Pitching Speeds by age:

Age	Speed
10	35 to 39 Mph
11	38 to 42 Mph
12	41 to 48 Mph
13	45 to 53 Mph
14	46 to 54 Mph
15	49 to 54 Mph
16	51 to 55 Mph
17	52 to 56 Mph
18	55 to 59 Mph
College	58 to 65 Mph

Curveball Pitching Speed:

Curveballs are breaking balls that go downhill and away from the batter. It is thrown with a confident grip and wrist movement to produce a spin that breaks the ball. Following are typical curveball speeds with age:

Age	Speed
11 to 12	45 to 55 mph
3 to 14	55 to 65 mph
15 to 16	65 to 75 mph
High school	70 to 80 mph
College/professional	75 to 85 mph

Slider Pitching Speed:

Another breaking pitch is the slider, which breaks later and is sharper than a curve. It is similar to a fastball in arm speed but with a different grip and wrist motion. By age, the average pitching speed for age for a slider is:

Age	Speed
13 to 14	55 to 65 mph
15 to 16	65 to 75 mph
High school	70 to 80 mph
College/professional	80-90 mph

Changeup Pitching Speed:

A changeup is an off-speed pitch that imitates a fastball but travels slower to trick the batter. It reduces velocity while keeping the arm speed constant, changing the grip and throwing action. The average pitch speed by age chart for changeup includes:

Age	Speed
11 to 12	40–50 mph
13 to 14	50–60 mph
15 to 16	60–70 mph
High school	65 to 75 mph
College/professional	75 to 85 mph