What pitches should an average 14u pitcher have?

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May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
FWIW - My DD just finished a pretty good college career in the SEC. Got the job done with 3 pitches, Fastball, Rise, Change Up. Sometimes less is more.

even more impressive,
was that her Change became a good pitch for her pretty late in her SEC career.
Is that a fair assesment?
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
even more impressive,
was that her Change became a good pitch for her pretty late in her SEC career.
Is that a fair assesment?

Yes. Very fair. It is the curse of a kid that throws gas. In High School and at Chipola she got by without one. Was not until SC that she really worked on it. Was iffy at best her Junior year and much better as a Senior, but inconsistent. When it was on it was as good as any. If she had it to do over again she would have mastered it by college and probably developed a serviceable drop. The drop would have helped her immensely during those times when she got squeezed by SEC umpires.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
I realize that the skill level varies tremendously across the country, but 12u to 14u was a pretty significant jump in our area. There were pitchers at the 12u level that could get away with an above average fastball and little else. But when they arrived at 14u, that above average 12u fastball was nothing more than batting practice to 14u hitters. That is when changing speeds and locations really started being important.
 
May 15, 2016
926
18
That is when changing speeds and locations really started being important.

My daughter, who just moved up from a 12u town team to a TB 14u is really determined. In our first tournament this weekend, bracket tomorrow, she was not given the chance to pitch. After the two games today she asked to go out to practice once we got home. No longer satisfied with alternating inside, outside, and change, she wanted to work on high and low. While far from hitting the corners, when I could call a location, plenty of her pitches were in the general area I called. When I would call for an outside low, it didn't look like an outside high, or inside low. I am glad she is tenacious.
 
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Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
I realize that the skill level varies tremendously across the country, but 12u to 14u was a pretty significant jump in our area. There were pitchers at the 12u level that could get away with an above average fastball and little else. But when they arrived at 14u, that above average 12u fastball was nothing more than batting practice to 14u hitters. That is when changing speeds and locations really started being important.

By above average fastball in 14U are we talking low 60's with significant movement?
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
By above average fastball in 14U are we talking low 60's with significant movement?

Lol! Far from it... At 18u (playing a combination of A and B ball) we rarely see what you are describing. After playing over 50 games this summer, I would guess we faced 2 or 3 pitchers that match your description. And that's at 18u. When we played 14u ball, I don't remember seeing anyone remotely close to 60.
 
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ez_softball

Life at the diamond...
Apr 14, 2017
158
28
In our area, the very best 14U pitchers throw mid to high 50's and the average 14U pitcher is right around 50mph. At 16U you start to see more girls approach 60mph but if you were to look at average gas @ 16U it would be sub 55mph range... AFAIK there is ONE 16U girl in our area that hits 60 consistently and she's on a huge regional TB team.

To the OP question, 3 pitches and it doesn't matter which ones just that they look the same to the batter pre-release and do different things as they approach the batter. Daughter is moving into 16U this next spring and throws (5) pitches in practice but (3) mainly in games. Fastball, change and drop. She has a curve and rise but they're still a work in progress. She has thrown probably 20 curves in game and has had some success with it. At some point I could see the curve or the rise being added to her game arsenal but time will tell.
 
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