Im a freshman pitcher from Nevada and i am left handed and 6'1 180 and have hit 85mph. How fast will i have to be throwing by the time im a senior to go in the 1st-5th rounds?
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I see this is your first post. Welcome to the HSBBW. 
There is no definite answer to your question but for sake of discussion we can address velocity and the draft. Velocity is only one portion of the total package professional scouts look for in a pro prospect. Your current velocity is more than enough to be drafted in the top five rounds. On projecting velocity: I have heard some indicate that a pitcher’s velocity normally increases about 3 mph per year during his high school years. You indicate you “have hit” 85 mph but that probably not your average FB. Take your AVERAGE fastball velocity; add three miles per hour, per year, during the high school years. If this rule of thumb holds true with you, you can have a fairly good estimate of your velocity as a senior. Allow me to give a little advice. If you focus ONLY on velocity, you will fail to develop as a viable pro prospect. While velocity gets most of the attention, there is much more to being a great pitcher.
Best of luck,
Fungo
There is no definite answer to your question but for sake of discussion we can address velocity and the draft. Velocity is only one portion of the total package professional scouts look for in a pro prospect. Your current velocity is more than enough to be drafted in the top five rounds. On projecting velocity: I have heard some indicate that a pitcher’s velocity normally increases about 3 mph per year during his high school years. You indicate you “have hit” 85 mph but that probably not your average FB. Take your AVERAGE fastball velocity; add three miles per hour, per year, during the high school years. If this rule of thumb holds true with you, you can have a fairly good estimate of your velocity as a senior. Allow me to give a little advice. If you focus ONLY on velocity, you will fail to develop as a viable pro prospect. While velocity gets most of the attention, there is much more to being a great pitcher.Best of luck,
Fungo
There is a whole section dedicated to this question in Prospect www.prospectmovie.com
Thanks for all the advice! I relize there is much more than velo in becoming a prospect and i dont worry to much about my velocity i try mostly to work on my offspeed and command.
Also.. when do high school pitchers usually start to get noticed and contacted by scouts and Pros teams?
Lefthanders get interest soon after their 3rd birthday.
If you can throw the MLB minimum of 86 in high school and you're a lefthander, you'll get some bird dogs looking at you.
If you have size and are lefty (over 6'3"), you'll get lots of looks in high school. They usually start following kids in Cali, Fla and Texas after their sophomore year. In other areas of the country after their junior year.
If your dad and uncles are all 6'3" and taller and you're a lefthander at 6'0" as a sophomore in high school, you'll get plenty of looks.
Work on two things: velocity and velocity.
Forget command and all the other bs that they talk about. Velocity gets you noticed.
They'll teach you want they want you to learn in pro ball.
If you can throw the MLB minimum of 86 in high school and you're a lefthander, you'll get some bird dogs looking at you.
If you have size and are lefty (over 6'3"), you'll get lots of looks in high school. They usually start following kids in Cali, Fla and Texas after their sophomore year. In other areas of the country after their junior year.
If your dad and uncles are all 6'3" and taller and you're a lefthander at 6'0" as a sophomore in high school, you'll get plenty of looks.
Work on two things: velocity and velocity.
Forget command and all the other bs that they talk about. Velocity gets you noticed.
They'll teach you want they want you to learn in pro ball.
Southpaw - BeenthereIl is right, velocity is the bottom line. There is more to being a pitcher than velocity but size & velocity are the keys to being a prospect. I have seen a few pitchers so far this year who can't get out high school hitters on average teams yet are garnering quite a bit of draft scrutiny due to velocity.
You can have a great cb/change/command repertoire & good stats - this may get you some looks from colleges if you work hard at exposure. If you want interest from big-time schools and mlb lighting up the gun is what it's all about. They THINK they can teach you the rest of the art of pitching, with some kids they can and others they can't but they know they can't teach you 90.
You can have a great cb/change/command repertoire & good stats - this may get you some looks from colleges if you work hard at exposure. If you want interest from big-time schools and mlb lighting up the gun is what it's all about. They THINK they can teach you the rest of the art of pitching, with some kids they can and others they can't but they know they can't teach you 90.
Fungo, I hadn't read your post before I posted. I take as gospel nearly everything you say and have huge respect for your baseball IQ but no way does 85 get a lefty in the top 5 rounds unless everything else is off the charts outstanding. If this kid is near 85 now and makes normal progression he might get there but is already 180 lbs. Some of these projections I'm seeing on here re: velocity gain I think are a little far fetched. I see some freshman who are around 80 even here in the North but to tell them that they can expect to gain 3 mph each year is wrong. Lots of kids are "full" grown and have no projection left by time their 17 years old. They all need to work like crazy at all aspects of pitching and strength.
denisr400, how hard do you think i would/should be throing by the time im a senior?
There's no way to forecast that but you are already throwing very hard for a freshman. Do you top at 85 & cruise in the low 80's?
You may still grow alot or very little. You may top in the mid-low 80's and you may be one of the few lefties who bust into the 90's.
All you can do is run, long-toss, lift & work on mechanics and reach whatever is your peak velocity. Good luck to you.
You may still grow alot or very little. You may top in the mid-low 80's and you may be one of the few lefties who bust into the 90's.
All you can do is run, long-toss, lift & work on mechanics and reach whatever is your peak velocity. Good luck to you.
ill be sure to do all that thanks for all your help and support
im consistent 83
Southpaw9,
Given that information I'd put you at about 80 to 81 mph. For example my 13yo has hit 69 and can hit 67 consistently but his typical speed is still 64 to 65.
Given that information I'd put you at about 80 to 81 mph. For example my 13yo has hit 69 and can hit 67 consistently but his typical speed is still 64 to 65.
