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Tagged With "Velocity"

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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

3and2Fastball ·
Over the years I've seen plenty of pitchers throwing in the mid-70's in D3. They might have hit 80 something once or twice throwing in a Showcase. But in games they are cruising in the 70's. They aren't pitching, generally, for a powerhouse D3 that regularly attends the NCAA Regionals, but in lower level D3's? Yes. The key, as with anything in life really, is getting opportunities and then taking advantage of those opportunities when you get them. A recruit throwing in the 70's is going to...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

2022NYC ·
+1, I will be borrowing this line
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

JMMS ·
I'm seeing a lot of shifting in the college game now. I feel that locating your pitches is the most important thing to work on for young pitcher. Is it really impressive to watch a kid throw 93+ only look a the box score and see 45+ pitches after first 2 innings.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

old_school ·
My sons D3 played a very competitive schedule, they were ranked in the top 20 SOS according to the whatever criteria the NCAA uses. I am sure it is a pretty comprehensive comparison of the higher D3 level. I think 14 of our 40 games season were vs teams playing in the Regional somewhere. We see mostly low 80's, some higher, occasionally lower usually lefty junk ballers, a very few in the high 80's.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

3and2Fastball ·
The thing is, there are more & more high school kids every year who can do both (throw 93 and locate). I'm a huge fan of Greg Maddux. The pitchers who can really move the ball are fun to watch. The thing is, the lower velocity pitcher has way less margin for error. If he gets in a game where his secondary pitches aren't working, and his fastball ain't moving, he is gonna get flat out hammered. While it is true that great hitters can sit on any velocity and crush it, the higher velocity...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Nonamedad ·
I invite you to watch this Saturday on ESPN college baseball (it's exclusively SEC where I am) to check velocity numbers. 90+ is the exception not the rule and that's mostly closers. Many times a velocity won't be shown, my conspiracy mind tells me it's because the number is too low. You may need 88-90 to get recruited, but anyone with eyes and a TV can see you don't need those numbers to pitch in the SEC, which is hardly mid level D1. Watch the CWS, ESPN now shows many regional games, you...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

d-mac ·
I agree with you and I watch a lot of college baseball, specifically the SEC. As an Arkansas fan, our Friday night guy is 92-95, Saturday is a LHP that is mostly 88-90, and Sunday is a guy that has had arm issues who will be anywhere from 89-96. The closer is 94-96 and the top two relievers are 88-89 and 90-95. The only teams with arms like that as far as I know are Florida and Oregon State which are basically the top 3 teams in the country. Most teams have a dude on Friday night and a few...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Nonamedad ·
Went to the Big 12 tournament a few years back, WVA vs Baylor, WVA lefty never hit 80 and the Baylor righty never hit 88. Stadium gun in OKC bricktown.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

2019Dad ·
I agree that high velo is helpful, and I agree that college coaches feel confident . . . but if you look at the percentage of recruits who wash out, don't see the field, transfer, etc., I'd argue that that confidence is misplaced (I know you said "great college coaches" but I suspect that the not-so-great coaches have the same confidence). Very often a college coach will have seen a recruit play just a few times, perhaps a half-dozen. Their ability to assess and project is not nearly as good...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

3and2Fastball ·
For every 90's velocity kid who ends up being a bust, there's 3 more waiting in line to take his spot (or so it seems at least!)
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

2019Dad ·
Right on cue, Baseball America article today on this topic: www.baseballamerica.com/storie...ort-of-expectations/ "I think for a long time, in general, we as an industry have been very bad at how we evaluate high school pitching,” an American League crosschecker said. "We keep doing the same thing over and over again. These flamethrower guys get pushed up toward the top. If the guy is not throwing 100 (mph) he’s not as high on lists. But look at the guys who keep actually showing up in the...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

baseballhs ·
So if there are scouts in the stands and you are throwing hard but just missing, do you let up on speed a little bit to get more accuracy, or keep throwing hard? This has been a discussion in our house about the summer.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Rob T ·
Is the scout referring to Aaron Sanchez who goes 93-95 with his two seamer , and Taijuan Walker who averages 94 on his fastball and a 89-90 splitter? (Not to mention Walker's arm blowing up recently) Those guys were both first round draft picks out of high school who were 93+ in their senior years. It's not like they were mid 80's guys who grew into 90's guys.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Rob T ·
For the guys who are successful, the two are not mutually exclusive.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

baseballhs ·
In a perfect world you have both everyday.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

rynoattack ·
There are so many variables. Is the stadium gun accurate? Do these guns need periodic calibration to make sure they are accurate? As someone mentioned earlier, most guys throw mid to high 80's. Son's team has a Friday guy that was hitting 95-96 in the 7th inning, but they have an All American Closer who lives 80-82. When the closer is on, he is virtually unhittable. When his control is off, he gets hammered. From what I've seen, the 95-96 guy on son's team can use his velo to get an...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

baseballhs ·
I should clarify. Not scouts, coaches. I know they want both, but back to the question in this thread...would they rather fix barely missing the zone but throwing hard, or slow it down (which puts you back in the pack) and hitting all your spots?
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Goosegg ·
I think college coaches want outs. They also want velo, but college coaches arent generally playing the long game; they need immediate results (because they only get 11.7 chances; pro ball has over 70 new guys per team every year). Proball plays the long game. Most college PCs - especially guys whose careers ended in college - dont generally know how to develop pitchers. And college coaches generally are militantly anti-walk. (I still remember my son telling me his pro PC complemented him...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Nonamedad ·
LSU vs Auburn (they are pretty good btw) both Auburn guys were 91/92, I didn't see the LSU starter but the second LSU guy hit 90, but had a long inning, his next inning was 87/88, third guy was a lefty FB topped out at 83, nest guy was 88/89. LSU had given up and the pitchers were rarely used kids, 13 and 14 appearances, but still.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

CTbballDad ·
My 2019 RHP by my guess is sitting 83-85 (IMO based on last summer and his improvement) . He's had a very nice year and recently a couple of mid-level D1 were out to see him with their radar guns. Cool to see, but no feedback or reaching out afterwards, even though he gave up no runs during his outing. It's very discouraging that we're hearing crickets, even though I've always known he's had to make another jump in velo to be considered mid-D1. I think it's now confirmed for me. Going to a...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

adbono ·
You are delusional if you think you will be recruited (and offered a scholarship) by an SEC school unless you hit 88 - 90 as a junior in HS - or before. Exception would be lefty that has good secondary stuff. SEC schools are already done with 2019 recruiting and are looking at 2020 players now. Here is a real life example : Texas A&M has 16 active pitchers on the current roster. Half of them sit over 90. The other half sit 87 - 89. Almost all can throw 90 if they need too. Only exception...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Rob T ·
Your odds of getting drafted are a lot better than making an SEC roster if you go by the numbers.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

baseballhs ·
I don’t see this. I’ve seen a lot of guys throwing that might hit 90-91 playing on sec teams.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Backpick25 ·
My 2018 son, RHP, was 88-90 consistently his Sophomore year. Exactly ZERO schools were interested until he topped 93 the following spring. One of his LHP team mates was 84-87 his Sophomore spring and still to this day has not touched 88 was heavily recruited by SEC schools. What's it mean? There are a lot of RHP's, so you gotta find ways to stand out and seek your fit. LHP's get taken a bit earlier. Fast forward, son had a terrific HS pitching career on/in a mediocre program. It didn't cost...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

3and2Fastball ·
Just because you see SEC pitchers getting gunned in games throwing 85-86 doesn't mean that is the hardest they can throw. If you max out at 85-86, does that mean you can consistently cruise at your max velocity for multiple innings while moving the ball and throwing strikes? Good luck convincing SEC coaches of that.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Rob T ·
The numbers I speak of are the 1200 that get drafted vs. the maybe 120 that make an SEC roster. In other words, if you are good enough to play for the SEC there is a real good chance you have at least had conversations with a scout to determine draft-ability.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

adbono ·
By “rarely” you mean that he does touch 90. Don’t get me wrong, I think that there is too much emphasis on velocity and not enough on getting hitters out. But high velo is what gets you in the door. And as someone else so accurately said earlier in this thread “for the guys that are successful the 2 (velo & outs) are not mutually exclusive.”
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

adbono ·
100% correct
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

2019Dad ·
For recruiting purposes, I think there is a distinction between a number that a kid has touched in a game, and a number that is "verified." (The college coach has seen it with his own eyes, or PG or PBR or another independent party has recorded and published it). The former isn't terribly important for recruiting.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

2019Dad ·
Isn't that true of every conference? The number drafted in a year (1200) is always far greater than the number of players at the conference in a specific class.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

#1 Assistant Coach ·
Agreed. And if coach believes there is still "projection remaining" he can safely bank on the former. But if he believes player is at end of physical development, with little or no projection remaining, then most likely will not venture beyond the latter (the "verified").
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

57special ·
Well, of course it has to be a verifiable number, not some random guy at a local HS/youth game.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

2019Dad ·
Yeah, what I meant is, even if it's not some random guy . . . Example: son's HS team guns its varsity pitchers in all games. 2019 pitcher touches 90 in a winter game, recorded by the high school on its Stalker. That doesn't mean much -- during the quiet period, no college coaches there, not verified by a third party . . . just doesn't mean a lot because, um, let's just say there is rampant exaggeration of velo in HS baseball so reports like that are treated with skepticism (and rightly so)
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Nonamedad ·
Here we go again..... UCLA vs OSU both RHPs, clearly not either teams top guys. UCLA kid (clearly can pitch) top 86. OSU kid relief pitcher same about 85-86. Both kids on PG are listed at 91. Why the huge disconnect?
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

RJM ·
Early showcase season max velocity versus fatigued end of season cruising velocity. It also may be ironing out mechanics and getting better movement on the ball may have decreased velocity.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Teaching Elder ·
Guys humped it up for the guns at the events while really only sitting 84-86, maybe even a little lower. Don't believe people around here that you can't pitch D1 or "Won't get recruited" if you don't consistently hit 90. Either posters on this site don't know what they are talking about, or power 5 coaches don't know what they are doing. To be the number 1 stud at top power five schools you will likely be over 90. To be a decent pitcher at power 5 requires 84-86, good command and a good ...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

3and2Fastball ·
I don't really understand the disconnect. If you top out at 85-86 is will be exceedingly difficult to be recruited to a Power 5 team. Because you won't cruise in games at your top velocity. It doesn't matter what the gun says at games. At D1 bigtime games you are seeing guys who can throw 88-92 who cruise at lower speeds.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Nonamedad ·
Not trying to be a smart-ass.... ironing out mechanics and getting better movement may have decreased velocity... in English this tells me they were throwing as hard as they could and couldn't get anywhere near the strike zone so they had to slow down and actually pitch to throw strikes. And when they did get lucky enough to throw a strike with all their might the pitchwas so straight and flat it got tattooed. So they had to slow down again make the ball move to really get hitters out.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Teaching Elder ·
Well, listen to people on here and they will tell you that cruising 85-86 makes a guy a chump. Some might tell you that it would be exceedingly hard to get recruited to a Power 5 team cruising 85-86. My point is that I am not so sure the know it alls know all they would like to think they know. Don't get me wrong, throwing 90+ is great, especially with command and good off speed. I just have seen that it is not an absolute for pitching SEC baseball. Not by a long shot.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

adbono ·
I am at the D2 JuCo World Series in Enid, Oklahoma watching a game right now. The starting pitcher for NOC -Enid has been sitting 89-91 the entire game and has hit 93 at least a handful of times. He is a freshman and is NOC-Enid’s #3 starter. As a RHP that is pretty much what it takes to be a guy that matters in the SEC. There are plenty of really good hard throwing RHPs. They are all over the baseball landscape. The “know it alls” that you refer to are us guys that scout, recruit, and coach...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Nonamedad ·
But don't most of the kids that go the juco route have grade issues that preclude them from getting into 4 year schools? And most are trying to get drafted right away, so they don't want to go to a 4 year univ and wait to become draft eligible.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

adbono ·
Most of them? Absolutely not
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

JCG ·
Most? I don't think so. I'm not a know it all, but there are plenty with grade issues, but the kids who do well academically in Juco then qualify to get into 4 year schools. I've seen it happen plenty of times. Unfortunately, I've also seen kids whose academic troubles continue, so they can't play in Juco either. There are also many who want to be drafted, like you say, but many more who were overlooked during recruiting, whether because they were late bloomers or didn't get themselves in...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

2019Dad ·
There are anecdotes on both sides. I was at a Big West game this year and the RHP closer for one team was touching 95 and the RHP reliever for the other team touched 86 once. But let's not kid ourselves -- the first pitcher was a lot better! ;-)
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

RJM ·
The max number on the PG website is from when the pitcher aired out his fastball. It doesn’t matter if it was a strike or not. It doesn't matter if it was straight as an arrow and hit 450 feet. All the pitcher was trying to accomplish was max velocity in a showcase setting. It’s a number to show a scout/coach what kind of tools he can expect to work with. My son was moved from short to center in high school and his travel team by post soph summer. In individual showcase drills he did both...
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

RJM ·
Re: cruising 85/86 mph Ten years ago I was chatting with a Phillies scout at an A10 game. It was obvious he was there to see the 90+ closer. But he was there occassionally gunning every pitcher. I asked him the average cruising speed in the A10. Ten years ago it was mid 80’s in the A10. No way, no how is the typical P5 pitcher throwing mid 80’s. There are some P5s cruising mid 80’s. All the 90+ pitchers got their shot before these guys.
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Re: Minimum Velocity to pitch in college

Scotty83 ·
See this is where I find the recruiting stuff confusing with my son. I agree a lot of the players I've seen throw a higher top speed than crushing speed but my son doesn't. Last summer his highest velocity was 83. He got that at two showcases and in two games there was a gun at. One of the games they recorded every pitch. Pitch 1 was 83 and pitch 100 was 83. He hit 83 30 something times. His final pitch number 118 was 82. So he does sit at his top velo. Which worries me since velocity is so...
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Re: 2015 LHP D2/D3 Options

leftyshortstop ·
I want to be completely honest with the poster about the number and odds for the "crafty lefty" pitcher in top academic baseball. The very high academic school my son plays for has only one. That player only does late inning mop up work and gets hit very hard. For that matter, we have a 6'3" lefty who throws north of 85 who is a weekend starter and gets hit very hard if his breaking stuff isn't on. So here are the odds at our school. The coaching staff recruits nationally for only 6 "tips"...
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Re: 2015 LHP D2/D3 Options

AcademicsFirst ·
Thanks craftyshortstop.....great info from someone who is currently watching heir son play D3 baseball. He still has two more years left, so we'll see where his velo ends up but I'm assuming if he get into the low 80s, he may get some looks being a lefty and with his grades. if not...im sure he'll go to a good University, join a fraternity and have just as good a time. ....remembering that most of these HS and college players will never make a living playing baseball. Good luck to your so...
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Re: 2015 LHP D2/D3 Options

web's dad ·
AcademicsFirst, You're getting a lot of good advice here. A good reality check. Your son is not "projectible". He's a grinder. You seem to be doing all the right things to give your son the best chance to figure out where he belongs. Your son's academics will open doors for him. For the "grinders", at some point it becomes a matter of how hard he is willing to work. Web is a "grinder". He surpassed more physically gifted players because he was willing to out work them. Don't give up on...
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