Cruising speed

[jsoftballcoach]

We played in a tournament recently (California for those wanting to know). Probably 20+ college coaches there watching. I sat with multiple college coaches and discussed pitching and the college game in general. One took their gun out and clocked 2 different 2023 pitchers because one of them stood out as "throwing harder."

Result?...60 to 64 top speeds. Our team rocked both of them at the plate BTW.

I'm not buying the "average is over 62 or 64 MPH" either. Just don't see it (confirmation bias).

I know of NAIA school commits throwing 62+ and D1 girls who are lucky to hit 58.

So many variables to decide where a kid goes to school.

The confidence of some people to say, the "average" is X is comical IMHO. Even worse for those that say you have to throw Y to be even considered by a D1 school. Data is data and the numbers are all over the map, and don't support the casual statements being tossed around.

Sorry for the rant. LOL!

I don’t want this to sound like a brag because I’m trying to prove a point, my DD over the summer had 83IP and 115Ks, and she cruises at about 61. Her team was one of the best 18u teams in the country.

You don’t have to be a flamethrower to be an effective pitcher. You don’t even need strikeouts, just outs. I know the perception is that your need to throw hard, but sometimes hard means straight and that’s not so good either. I do agree that college coaches are stuck on this as well.


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[DonnyS]

I don’t want this to sound like a brag because I’m trying to prove a point, my DD over the summer had 83IP and 115Ks, and she cruises at about 61. Her team was one of the best 18u teams in the country.

You don’t have to be a flamethrower to be an effective pitcher. You don’t even need strikeouts, just outs. I know the perception is that your need to throw hard, but sometimes hard means straight and that’s not so good either. I do agree that college coaches are stuck on this as well.


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No brag heard here. I love hearing real-world perspectives of current parents.

I love watching my DD strike out batters...especially "known" big hitters, and especially with off-speed pitches that have been set up perfectly. She has a lot of SO as well, but I think the pop outs due to her spin are almost or even more satisfying. YMMV.

I agree that some are stuck on velocity...and we get that game too. She's already "average" for college, but we know there is more there...and we are not in a rush.

 

[_MIA_]

.but giving a range of 58-72 MPH is not any sort of an "average."

I thought you meant pitcher’s velocities are all over the map not the answers people are giving.

 

[angispeds]

Not a pitcher parent but my real world example is a kiddo who looks the look tall and lanky. Top travel team. #1 pitcher on her nationally ranked high school team. Cruising speed 62-64. She doesn’t break 65 and is struggling to get looks from p5 schools. She has lots of other D1 interest and some from lower/building p5 programs. 65 seems to the magic number for significant highest level interest.


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[Tango]

Thought this was interesting a Power 5 top 10 program's ace or number 2 told my DD that she is hardly ever over 58. TV readings are always 62/63. I have never seen her pitch live and have no clue but through friends my DD knows her really well on a social level but has never seen her live either.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

Thought this was interesting a Power 5 top 10 program's ace or number 2 told my DD that she is hardly ever over 58. TV readings are always 62/63. I have never seen her pitch live and have no clue but through friends my DD knows her really well on a social level but has never seen her live either.

Two things that always exaggerate: ESPN radar guns and Dads of pitchers!

 

[LW23]

Not a pitcher parent but my real world example is a kiddo who looks the look tall and lanky. Top travel team. #1 pitcher on her nationally ranked high school team. Cruising speed 62-64. She doesn’t break 65 and is struggling to get looks from p5 schools. She has lots of other D1 interest and some from lower/building p5 programs. 65 seems to the magic number for significant highest level interest.


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Based on our experience over the last year this is correct. I can remember telling DD if you get to 60 then things will open up, and they did. Then we got the feedback we needed to get to 65. She would always say yeah now that I got there they will want 70. She like hundreds of other pitchers work their tails off, and I hope everyone of them find the right fit at the next level if that's what they decide to do.

 

[FB Fool]

Had a dad on our HS team with an app that you tap a button on the release and tap the button again once hits catchers mitt and it calculates mph based off the distance. App said girl was throwing 70+ and damn if he wasn't convinced of it. Last i heard "she had a lot of interest" and they are still waiting on a phone call. shes a super sweet girl though and is just happy to be part of the team, dad on the other hand.

 

[_MIA_]

Had a dad on our HS team with an app that you tap a button on the release and tap the button again once hits catchers mitt and it calculates mph based off the distance.

Lol..yeah the app is called a "stopwatch"..hope he didn't pay for it

 

[erniekru]

haha, sometimes we the denizens of DFP can make enjoying milk and cookies complicated! The original question was...

What would you say is the average cruising speed of a Power 5 pitcher?

Posting how D1 (not referenced in original question, asking about P5) pitchers can throw 58 demonstrates the lower (or lowest) part of the RANGE.. Not the AVERAGE..

Should we start discussing quartiles!?