This baseball pitching velocity chart compares low and high reference ranges for ages 8 through 22+, from youth to professional levels. All velocities are in miles per hour (mph). Use the chart as a starting point for comparing numbers, not as a required target or a prediction of an individual pitcher's future velocity.
How to use this chart: These are the reference ranges reproduced from the original article, not current population percentiles or recruiting requirements. Compare the same pitch type, measurement method, and testing conditions. Record your own progress rather than treating an age-based range as a pass-or-fail test. For additional context, see our pitching velocity by age and pitch type guide.
Baseball Pitching Velocity Chart from age 8-22+
| Age | Level | Low Velocity | High Velocity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Youth | 36 | 42 |
| 9 | Youth | 37 | 50 |
| 10 | Youth | 41 | 55 |
| 11 | Youth | 43 | 59 |
| 12 | Youth | 47 | 61 |
| 13 | Youth | 55 | 66 |
| 14 | High School | 63 | 73 |
| 15 | High School | 65 | 74 |
| 16 | High School | 69 | 80 |
| 17 | High School | 71 | 85 |
| 18 | College | 75 | 92 |
| 19 | College | 79 | 93 |
| 20 | College | 82 | 94 |
| 21 | College | 84 | 95 |
| 22+ | Professional | 86 | 100 |
Estimating speed from video? Our pitching velocity calculator and worked example explain distance, timing, and why average flight speed is not the same as a release-speed reading. Keep that measurement distinction in mind when comparing a result with any chart.
The historical graphic below is retained from the original article. Do not use it as a timetable for an individual pitcher or as a current-season MLB benchmark; it does not establish that every pitcher peaks or declines at the same age.
Why do Some Pitchers Throw Harder Than Others?
The answer to why some athletes throw harder than others is actually quite simple. Successful high velocity pitchers have been shown to have more external rotation after front foot strike, a more forward trunk tilt, and are able to generate more power with their muscular, skeletal, and chemical make-up, through the stretch-shortening cycle, during external rotation. While this may be a tough concept for those just starting their velocity training to understand. It is no less essential for youth athletes to begin understanding the finer details of the pitching delivery and see the maximum benefits from their training program. While the ability to achieve these techniques may seem far off for you. Don't let that stop you from striving to perfect and perform at your maximum potential. With the 3x Pitching velocity training program we have everything laid out for you to have the success you are looking for in your velocity training process.
Understanding Pitching Velocity Training for Longevity
An age comparison does not establish whether an individual pitcher will improve, maintain, or lose velocity. Track repeated measurements under consistent conditions and evaluate training progress over time. No chart or program can promise uninterrupted gains as an athlete ages.
When it comes to velocity training, training hard, staying focused, using proper pitching delivery, and staying healthy are all critical components that will help prolong a player's career. Everything you need to continually improve your mechanics and maintain your pitching performance can be found laid out for you in the 3x pitching velocity development program. You can also take advantage of the free resources available on our website to help develop your knowledge of how you can start training to see an increase in your velocity training. I will attach the links to some of the articles that will provide the most benefits and focus solely on training for velocity.
Baseball Pitching Velocity Program
The 3X Pitching Velocity Program combines throwing drills, mobility, and strength-and-conditioning work. Review the current program options and included materials to decide whether they fit your training needs. For the separate 2X offering, see the 2X Velocity Program page.
A program purchase, a camp, and ongoing platform access are different choices. The program page below describes its own packages; the camp and Player Platform links in the next section lead to their current registration details. No particular velocity gain or recruiting outcome is guaranteed.
From a Comparison Chart to a Training Plan
For structured training, compare 3X Velocity Camps: a two-day in-person camp in Covington, Louisiana or an online camp for remote training. Review the current inclusions and registration details to choose your format.
Looking for ongoing app-based training rather than a camp? The Player Platform offers programs, video analysis, and progress tracking. Explore App-Based Training →
Articles Related to Velocity Training and Continued Athletic Development
Most Effective Ways to Enhance Pitching Velocity
Increase Your Pitching Speed with Olympic Lifts
What are the Best Pitching Drills for Youth?
How do You Fix Throwing Mechanics in Baseball?
References
Fleisig GS, Barrentine SW, Zheng N, Escamilla RF, Andrews JR. Kinematic and kinetic comparison of baseball pitching among various levels of development. J Biomech. 1999 Dec;32(12):1371-5. doi: 10.1016/s0021-9290(99)00127-x. PMID: 10569718.
When I was 12 I was throwing 75
No u didn’t u prob threw 45 scrub I throw 73 and I’m 12 now just turned 12
And your telling stories also.
i just turned 14 and i throw 79 and im 5,9
i just turned 14 and i throw 79 and i am 5,9
I just turned 79 and I throw 98mph
I’d like to see this. I highly doubt you can throw over 60
You keep telling that story.
I am just turned 12 and I throw 65
im 13 5,9 throwing about 80
WHAT Im still 10 and i still can’t top 50. yesterday i was doing bp and 56 was so super fast. (btw i play baseball)
I’m 12 and to us 56 is on the slower side I expect around 63-70 and as a pitcher I throw and hit I can throw 65 but it definitely hurts your arm keep practicing and you’ll get better
I’m 65 and trying to add velocity for pitching. I can only throw about 53 mph now but will use 6 lb medicine ball. I hope it helps
If you are performing the 3X Med Ball Throws we only recommend 2lbs.
I am 11 years old and I throw In between 50-56 MPH, how can I gain velo fast?
I would check out the topvelocity.net/patreon account where Brent Pourciau, personally, takes you through all the drills and will help you improve your velocity.
Hey I am doing a baseball research study for my physical therapy program and was wondering if you could point me in the direction of where this data was originally published so I can reference it. Thanks!
As a 73 yo pitcher in an over 50 league on full sized diamonds, I have lost the capability of throwing a fast ball 60ft6in without ‘spiking’ it. When I use a weighted ball there is no problem. When I play 1B, throws around the Diamond are fine, but on the mound… the fast ball goes directly down to about 45′. How should I approach fixing this?
Hey Im 27 years old, I used to throw 87mph. Now im trying to get back into it. What should be the best approach?
Should I start by measuring how fast im throwing now and then train.?
I just turned 15 and I mainly play shortstop but I also do a little pitching and I can throw up to 77mph. How fast do you think I will be able to throw by the time I am an adult ?
I throw 66 on mound and I’m 11. I want to throw 95+ by the time I’m 18. Do you think it is possible to gain 2-5 mph every year.
Yes, I think it is entirely possible. I actually was able to gain 9 ticks in one year. Just practice, and you should be good.
P.S., I recommend long toss
I’m 19 and I’m 6’6 214 lbs and I can throw up to 98
I’m 47 years old and throw 82 mph. I’m 6’2 200lbs.
My son is 11 he is only 65 lbs wet and he hits 44 to 48. The other pitchers on his team weight 25 to
35 lbs more than him and throw 50 to 65. Does the kid’s weight have anything todo with Velocity? I only see stuff on age not weight.
No. I’ve to many college style workouts trying to get better and they always say mass equals gas. I’m 17 and weight 160 and I’m the smallest on the team but I throw the fastest. (92) just incorporate bands in his practices and he was throw much harder. I increased 12 mph in a year doing bands. What ever you do don’t throw heavy balls I’ve seen many people mess up there arms with it. I hope this helps kinda
I am 17 and I am throwing 85-87
I’m 16 and throw 79 I want 84-87 my senior year and recommendations?
90-95 is a realistic goal for you. Aim for that
I am 13 and throwing 75 to 77 what do I need to do to get my fastball to 80 by the end of the year
I am 14 and 9 months old and throw 82 at a height of 5 foot 7 and 125lbs
I’m 16, a junior in high school, and throw 79 do you thinks it’s possible for me to hit 90 my senior year?
If so any recommendations for drills that could help?
I am 12 throwing 87 i am not sure if thats good or not.
I am 13 and throw low 70s. I train very hard, 5-6 days a week trying to get my mechanics better. I weightlift, do bands, lessons once or twice a week and I am very dedicated. Do you think I could hit 90+ my senior year.
I’m 13 and throw 74 but pull down 78-80 how can I improve me velo before I go to high school I am already being watched by many scouts but I don’t know how to impress them
My son is 13 and was radar gunned sitting at 71 and max at 73 mph pitching . Is that a good number and can he potentially reach 95s in high school ?
I’m 12 and I throw 96, is that good? Might need to do some more band work.
I’m 9 and my max is 55.
My son just topped at 87 today. He is a 17 year old senior. Keep in mind Velo isn’t everything. You still have to be sure you’re throwing strikes. Good Luck All! Pitching is a hard gig!
My son Is from the DR and throws 95 at 9 years old. Is that good and what can I do to have him hit 100s by the time he’s 10?
Do you have any videos of his pitch for me to analyze?
I miss pitching. Wish I didn’t dislocate my shoulder when I was 16 – after I dislocated it when throwing over 60mph my shoulder would slide out. I miss being on the mound, not a care in the world (not even the current count on the batter). Just rock and fire!
I know I threw hard, but I never officially had my throws clocked. The only interaction I had was a Guess Your Speed game that was setup at a youth baseball tournament. My friend dropped 15 dollars for me to warm up and see how fast I could throw because he knew I pitched and really wanted to see how hard I could. Every third pitch you guessed what your speed would be and you could win a prize if you guess right.
Each dollar gave you 3 throws. After 12 dollars spent and I was warmed up I felt like I was throwing pretty good, flirting with low 80mph. I thought it was fast for my age.
I started leaning into my throws more and I was hit 86mph and I felt like I was throwing hard.
Dollar 13: my third pitch I guessed 86mph, I threw 88mph.
Dollar 14: my third pitch I guess 89mph (I felt like I was throwing hard, about as hard as I could), I threw 91mph.
Dollar 15: my first pitch 92mph, my second pitch 94mph. I felt I couldn’t throw any harder, my third pitch I guess 94mph, I threw 95mph.
I had people offering to pay for more throws to see if I could hit 100, but I declined. It wasn’t worth hurting myself for a carnival type game. As to how accurate the speed gun was at that Guess Your Speed game, I’m not sure, but if it was accurate…dang, only being 16 and throwing 95mph.
If the info in this writing is true that most pitchers don’t hit their top velocity until they’re 26, I wonder how fast I may have been able to throw if I had another 10 years of pitching….
I dislocated my shoulder later that year and even after physical therapy and a rigorous workout routine, my should just slides right out when I throw hard. Perhaps surgery would have fixed it, but that was just a guess. Even if I had surgery there was no guarantee I’d be able to throw hard like I was so I opted to not have it and moved on in life. I miss it though, pitching. It is my only regret in life that a stupid choice caused my injury and it took me off the mound.
As I walk my dog through the nearby park and watch young kids playing baseball, they look to be maybe 12, I never see any kids pitching well. They have massive windups, but don’t put their body into it and just flail their arm forward and the baseball just lobs lazily through the air. No one seems to know how to teach kids how to pitch these days.
Oh well. Just reminiscing here mostly, reliving my childhood. My guess is no one will even read this and I won’t even be back to see if they have since I stumbled across some random write up about velocity/speed/pitching and last post even made was back in 2019.
I am 9 years old and threw 72 mph
Brent, at what age do you recommend a kid come do your two day camp?
Any age. What is important is do they want to commit at their current age to pitching at a high level. We will gear the programming for all ages.