Pitching speed vs age

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Apr 17, 2019
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I was watching the pgf all American games on espn, and according to them all the pitchers throw 60+, one going to Oklahoma was throwing 70+.

So that got me thinking, personally the fastest I’ve seen a girl throw was 61, that was a 12u girl and around here in high school most pitchers I’ve seen are 55-60. What should a girl be throwing by senior year?
 
Apr 20, 2015
961
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Watching that game you are watching the very best of the elite level so don't be caught up on speed.

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Jul 28, 2021
6
3
I was told at 2nd yr 14U, DD should be pitching at 55-60mph.
DD is a young 07 (2026 grad year). She started at 45mph last fall and is now pitching at 52mph. She isn't tall, so we'll do more strength training to help her get more speed.

Agree that don't get caught up on speed. Make sure the pitcher can hit her spots first before you add speed.
 
Apr 17, 2019
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I’m always skeptical about the speed espn puts up, seems like between 2020 and 2021 a lot of college pitchers suddenly jumped to 70+.

My DD was someone who was always average speed, till this last year she picked up 6-7mph so we’d always worked on spots a lot.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
I was watching the pgf all American games on espn, and according to them all the pitchers throw 60+, one going to Oklahoma was throwing 70+.

So that got me thinking, personally the fastest I’ve seen a girl throw was 61, that was a 12u girl and around here in high school most pitchers I’ve seen are 55-60. What should a girl be throwing by senior year?

It really varies.

In the younger ages (before HS) it is not pitching age/speed it is physical maturity/speed.

In HS it really depends on what you want to put into it and what you want to get out of it. Not everyone is heading to a power 5 school, there are huge differences in levels at college (and HS for that matter) and for many HS may be it.

If you want to be a Power 5 pitcher you need to be at least a physical specimen with something in the high 60's (pitching ability optional) or someone who can at least be in low-60's with high spin and movement. And yes, many Power 5 teams are full of 6'1" girls who can't pitch worth a damn but LOOK really impressive until they have to actually pitch. Of course, they also hit on the girl who can really bring it, has movement, and can handle the mental aspect as well.

Most good softball pitchers at most college levels can touch 60 but often don't. The really good ones can also move it and locate it.

If you want to do to a terrible softball school where softball doesn't matter in any division, you can throw low-50's fastballs and be a somewhat serviceable player. I have seen 44mph pitchers in D2 play for some tremendously bad teams. And I have seen pitchers in D3 who hit 65mph and would fit right into a great D1 program.
 
May 10, 2021
149
43
I was told at 2nd yr 14U, DD should be pitching at 55-60mph.
DD is a young 07 (2026 grad year). She started at 45mph last fall and is now pitching at 52mph. She isn't tall, so we'll do more strength training to help her get more speed.

Agree that don't get caught up on speed. Make sure the pitcher can hit her spots first before you add speed.
I agree. My DD is also going into 2nd 14U year and DEC birthday 2026 grad year. He throws low sometimes mid 50's.
More important to change speeds and hit spots IMO.....

I have seen many girls dominate games throwing mid 50's with location and speed change.
Sure would be nice to gas them at 65 though.....lol
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
I was watching the pgf all American games on espn, and according to them all the pitchers throw 60+, one going to Oklahoma was throwing 70+.
I'm pretty sure the speed guns at ESPN are generous.
I was at the PGFs for a few games. We watched the winners bracket games--saw the Dukes, the Nebraska team, Bandits, and a few others. I didn't see anyone throwing close 70 MPH. Most were in the low 60s. One kid was throwing around 58MPH with great movement.

I didn't see any riseballs. A few of the kids had a good drop.
 
Feb 15, 2017
920
63
I'm pretty sure the speed guns at ESPN are generous.
I was at the PGFs for a few games. We watched the winners bracket games--saw the Dukes, the Nebraska team, Bandits, and a few others. I didn't see anyone throwing close 70 MPH. Most were in the low 60s. One kid was throwing around 58MPH with great movement.

I didn't see any riseballs. A few of the kids had a good drop.
Saw the 18u championship and the 'screwballs' being thrown. Looked like step left throw right bullet spin fastballs.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk
 
Apr 17, 2019
194
28
I'm pretty sure the speed guns at ESPN are generous.
I was at the PGFs for a few games. We watched the winners bracket games--saw the Dukes, the Nebraska team, Bandits, and a few others. I didn't see anyone throwing close 70 MPH. Most were in the low 60s. One kid was throwing around 58MPH with great movement.

I didn't see any riseballs. A few of the kids had a good drop.

That’s what I think too, they had the soph vs junior game on too and those pitchers were all 65 plus.

I know with radar guns if your at an angle they read higher, so I wonder if their gun is not directly behind the catcher.
 
Apr 2, 2015
1,198
113
Woodstock, man
I know with radar guns if your at an angle they read higher,
That's not how it works.

Radar guns today are extremely accurate. In days of old they reported average speeds, speed at the glove, etc. Today they report accurately the speed just out of the hand.

If anyone tells you that speed doesn't matter, run. Only your current coach cares about you hitting spots. Your future coach cares about speed.
 

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