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High School Fastball Velocity

High school pitchers often ask the question:


How fast do I have to throw to be recruited by a college team?

   Division I recruits throw in the high 80s to low 90s

   College recruits who throw 92+ often get drafted


Velocity Examples:

RHPs on the UCLA 2012 roster threw an average of 91.5 mph, while RHPs on the Washington State roster threw only 85.5 mph in high school. Both teams play in the PAC-12 conference, which is one of the premiere leagues for college baseball. UCLA won the College World Series in 2013 with their dominant pitching.


RHP vs LHP velocity
In general, RHPs throw 3 to 5 mph faster than LHPs in high school. In the MLB, RHPs average about 1 mph faster than a LHPs.

Switch Pitcher
A switch pitcher with good mechanics usually throws 3-5 mph faster with their dominant hand (typically right-handed). Switch pitchers tend to throw in the low to mid 80s in high school.


Perfect Game USA posts information on the average velocity of several graduating classes.

Average fastball velocity in high school

   Class of 2013: 80  (best 98)
   Class of 2014: 80  (best 99)
   Class of 2015: 79  (best 96)
   Class of 2016: 76  (best 93)

source: Perfect Game USA (2014)


Year to year Velocity Progression - HS Baseball Web

The HS Baseball Web forum gives examples of HS fastball velocity,
including these observations

HS Fastball: 78

HS RHP: 80
HS LHP: 75

D1 RHP: 88
D1 LHP: 86

Drafted HS RHP: 90
Drafted HS LHP: 88

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Velocity of high school pitchers who signed to play college baseball ---


Pac-12 conference - 2012

RHP: 88.7 mph (85.5 - 91.5)


Pac-12 RHP average velocity by team: 

#1 UCLA ave = 91.5, #4 Arizona ave = 89.7, #6 Oregon ave = 86.7, #11 Stanford ave = 90.9, #27 Oregon St. ave = 91, #15 Arizona St. ave = 88.8, #55 U of Wash ave = 86, #59 Wash St. ave = 85.5, #99 USC ave = 89, #200 Utah ave = 87.8 

Remember: These are ave. velocities of RHPs when they were in HS, before they found their way onto a Pac-12 baseball roster.  (source)


West Coast Conference - 2012

LHP: 84  +/- 4 mph
RHP: 86.5  +/- 3.5 mph

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2013 West Uncommitted - Perfect Game
14 pitchers: 4 LHP; 10 RHP

LHP: 78 mph
RHP: 82 mph

These velocities are relatively low, but are close to the high school average velocity.
(source: Perfect Game)

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More Information about Velocity

THE FASTBALL & VELOCITY | Perfect Game USA



Pitching Speeds for what age and thinking to college

- lists the average HS velocity of pitchers recruited by D1 college teams

How fast do kids throw?


Switch Pitching 101: How to increase throwing velocity in six weeks


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