College pitching velocity

Now you know that hitting 90 in HS or college is not all that common. 

 

The majority velo for mid D1 is mid 80's with room to grow.  You will find higher velo within the better D1 programs and conferences.

 

Keep in mind the very best get drafted.

 

Now you know that hitting 90 in HS or college is not all that common. 

 

You are correct, but the myth that almost all college pitchers, or even just D1 pitchers throw 90+ will never debunked, no matter how much proof there is to the contrary.

 

The majority velo for mid D1 is mid 80's with room to grow.  You will find higher velo within the better D1 programs and conferences.

 

Keep in mind the very best get drafted.

 

That’s much more the norm, and for the reason you noted. Some of the 90+ guys don’t sign, but most aren’t sticking around college for a whole boatload of reasons. And many of the ones who are 90+ are older.

Also keep in mind the really high velo guys (who were prospects in HS) who started in college (lower velo as frosh) are drafted in 3 years or don't attend 4 year programs.

The new draft slotting  probably has changed a lot of decisions by higher prospects made to go pro rather than college (not sure just speculating).

only b/c I have knowledge at there somewhat local.  Missouri has a Fresh. that's 90+ that was the highest drafted High Schooler not to sign.  I think he was a 2nd rounder with the Phils.  They just got a commit from a 2014 thats a legit 92-94 that projected to go high as well.  They lost the Tephesch kid after his Soph. season and is now fighting for a spot with the Rangers.  Point was already made, but they either not making it to D1's and/or they are prob. leaving after there Soph. year if they have really thrown well and are at the top of there game.  Mizzou while in the SEC is not considered a baseball power...........

 

Ryne Stanek with Arkansas is a case in point.  Will he stay or will he go $$$$$

They can't get drafted as soph unless they are age appropriate.

A question - how do you know what velo they are throwing in college games? Is there a way to look that up after the fact?

 

Just curious.

 

I'm seeing the velo posted in most of the t.v. games where the score and innings are posted. I don't know where you could find it after the fact.

 

By the way, then what are the average DII, DIII and NAIA pitchers REALLY hitting on the gun?

 

There's a sidearm lefty in my area that tops out in the high 70's. Apparently he is a DII prospect. A local DII head coach saw him pitch and said if he could throw in the low 80's that a lot of DI schools would be after him.

Just from watching a few gun readings early at my son's DII, here are approximates for a few pitchers.  Weekend starters - lefty, 82-84 - 2 rights, 87-89.  I think we have maybe 3 guys who are consistently in the 90's.  One is the closer, one is more the 8th inning guy and one doesn't pitch that much.  The rest are pretty much in the mid 80's range.  I could be off some because there are no gun readings that I have seen on a regular basis.

Pitchers outing are charted so that would be how you would know if you could get a hold of that info.

bballman,

Is that the zone they live in or the velo they hit?

If one doesn't pitch that much one technically isn't a pitcher.  There are lots of guys that have cannon arms, but they aren't pitchers.

 

       
       

Well, technically, they are on the roster as a pitcher only, so they are pitchers. I get what you're saying though.

Keep in mind that what differentiates players from divisions is not just velocity but their secondary stuff as well.  If all you can throw is a 4seam FB at 90 then you are not going to pitch much at all.

I've attended 50 or 60 D1 games and I always liked to sit behind the radar gun guys at least an inning or two.  Anecdotally, the 88 mph was almost a universal number I saw for right handed starters and 85-87 for left-handed starters.  Closers and late inning guys were the exceptions who threw in the 90's.  We had a closer who was between 92-96 when he was a freshmen and sophmore.  As a junior, he became a starter and he sat at about 89 mph.  Once in awhile he would touch 90 or 91 as a starter.  He became a 9th rounder of the Cardinals.

My son is relegated to Radar Gun duty this season due to his injury, so I've had plenty of conversations with him in regards to velocity.  His team played Nebraska this past weekend, and there wasn't a pitcher on the entire staff for the Huskers that touched 90 according to his readings.  Two pitchers hit 89 a couple times, but the average pitcher lived in the mid-80's with very good secondary pitches. 

 

As for my son's team...the Friday Night starter (RHP) will likely be drafted in the first three rounds this year, and he sits 91-93 and has been as high as 96.  The Saturday starter is a lefty that sits 86-88 and pushes 89, and the Sunday starter (RHP) sits 88-90 and pushes 92.  All three pitchers have excellent command of at least three pitches.  The command of the secondary pitches is what makes them successful at this level.

 

There is a sophomore RHP at SDSU that flirts with triple digits and is consistently in the mid to upper 90's...there's no doubt that plenty of scouts will be attending his games next year when he's eligible for the draft again.

Good posts here.The top tier teams obviously get the top tier talent and some have starters that live above 90. The next tier of mid-majors have pitchers described by CD and 24/7, with notable exceptions.

 

My son's college team had a lefty starter who was very successful living at 83-85, but he moved the ball, on the corner at the knees for 6 or 7 innings. He has the school career wins record, was drafted late senior year, but never developed more velocity. He played two years of low A pro ball, fairly successfully, but was not retained.

So why is it all the college coaches preach that they are only looking at players throwing 90 mph or higher?

Went through college recruiting with RHP son for two years. He considered and was contacted by many, many schools from NAIA to top 20 programs, leaving no stone unturned. I can't recall ever hearing a coach say that.

I am on my second RHP and I have heard several claim that. I know that these coaches aren't getting those pitchers, but that's what they want. 

It all depends on the circumstaces.  I think it happens when a player is seeking a program where the coaches prefer better skills.  Or that the coach uses that because he has no other way to say it without having his words misundertood.