High School Baseball

Sound like your on track.  What type of things are you doing in the off season to bring your velocity up?  I was told that you can expect 3 to 5 MPH per year due to natural growth.  Which should put on in that range.  Obviously this is influenced by a number of factors such as onset of puberty, body development, other sports, injuries, etc but its a number to use.

 

If your not doing much, you are going to want to look into a strength and conditioning program as well as explore long toss and possibly weighted ball programs.  There are pro's and con's to each as well as folks on either side of weather or not these help.   

 

You also may want to consider working with a good pitching coach to make sure your mechanics are good.  Ask around your area to find a good one.

 

Finally, while the off season is the number factor in development you also need to make sure you take time off of throwing to allow all the micro tears in your muscles to heal.  Most of the experts and doctors suggest 3 months off.  That does not mean your not working out but you should not be doing any major throwing during this time.

Yes,  work with a pitching scout for Colorado Rockies, and go to gym for weights 3 days a week. Those numbers could be low now because i was using Bushnell radar and adding 6. seems far off, anyway yea I do everything you mentioned, I just would like to have a general idea    

Just as a reference, my son sits about mid 80s, and he can hump it up a little faster when needed.  He is a senior, and he has signed with a D2 school.  He was told by local D1 schools that he needed about 3-4 more MPH on his fastball to be offered by them.  He worked his tail off, and he worked with a pitching instructor since he was in the 9th grade.  I know local pitchers who are around the same, but they have signed with D3 schools, and I know lefties who are around the same who signed with D1 schools.  

My son is sitting about 81 - 83 as a soph.  He is working to add about 6 to 7 to his FB by next year.  Its a stretch but he has been a 3 sport athlete up until now and has not spent a lot of time outside of the season working on his pitching.  He does work with a pitching coach in Jan, Feb and March but has not done any pitching specific off season workouts yet due to Football and Basketball.  He is giving both of those up next year to focus on baseball.    Both his pitching coach and the strength and conditioning coach for his travel organization thinking they should be able to get him there by the time his Jr. year travel season starts.

 

 

Joe, good luck to your son.  It's a heck of a ride, and the process is, as well.  So much goes into making the improvement in velocity.  Working with someone to make sure mechanics are sound is a small part, in my opinion, and working with the other sports on strength will help.  Heck, my son took ballroom dance lessons for 8 years, and his pitching coach told him it helped him with his balance through the pitching motion.  

 

I think your goal is very "realistic" and doable.  You may even be underestimating your potential.  And while it's particularly hard to know what your physical development might be (a lot depending on your genetics, genetic background regarding size and athleticism and whether you mature early or later), if you happen to reach average velocities for High School, you're likely to be in the mid 80's rather than the low 80's.  So, thought you haven't described you're physical make up or what physical attributes might run in your family line, I would suggest that having a higher goal would help you achieve more than you think you can at this point.  That you here asking such questions and already have good outside coaching (from the sound of it), suggests to me that you have the interest and drive to achieve more.  Being goal oriented and with a desire for college ball, YES. . . you have good chances for college ball.  Just what level of college ball will depend on how well you develop your skills.

 

If you raise the bar a little higher than what you really think you can do now, you very well may find that you can do much more than you thought you could.  :-)  

       
       
I think you are selling yourself short.  Why could you still not get upper 80's or even 90?  You are way too young to settle.  That having been said 82 - 84 for a lefty will definitely get you d2.  Dep wending on your other assets maybe evwn a low d1.

Thanks I'm 5' 8" 140 and I have a good circle change and curve to go with 4 seam and two seam. I'm just trying to be as realistic as possible. I'm again going into high school this fall and its quite a goo school. I would be more than happy with 2 years at a good judo then D2 or maybe even D1 if I am given the chance.

Don't set a velocity goal you want to reach in four years. Evaluate yourself every year. Push yourself with your goals. your objective should be to be the best you can be. As for selecting a college, don't focus on a certain level. When it's time to start showcasing (after soph or junior year) make a business plan. Think in terms of the best baseball, education and social experience possible.

 

You will grow and get stronger. You might be a completely different player from one year to the next (in regards to college potential) in high school. Good luck.

I worry that you say you are in a weight room 3 days a week, do you have any knowledgeable strength and conditioning trainers you can talk to about what you are doing in there? 

 

I have heard many times that kids think they are putting on muscle but they are actually hurting or stunting their growth.  Find a trainer that is knowledgeable about baseball and ask what exercises you are supposed to be doing and which ones you are NOT! 

 

Sadly, a lot of weight training seems to be geared towards football players.  Now, think of an average baseball player and an average football player....not the same kind of bodies, not the same kind of workouts.  Please be careful.

How tall do you think you will get by your senior year?  I've seen many kids, even my own, add 6" from 8th to 12th grade.  

I think 84 mph is realistic and reasonable without putting too much strain on your growing body.  I think high school kids hitting 90 mph is an injury in the making. 

How tall are your mother and father? Do you have any aunts or uncles who break the family mold on the tall side?