My daughter graduated in 2022, but these are the speeds that we saw as well. 55-58 is very common, with a handful hitting 60. We saw very few over 60.
D3 pitching speed
- Thread starter Tjmate
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- Jul 2, 2013
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As others have said, it will depend on your location as to what you'll see. DD is a freshman at an NAIA school and throws mid-50s and (as of right now) it looks like she will see a decent amount of circle time this spring.
I watched quite a few of her school's games last year (in person and streaming) and based on that, DD will probably see everything from low 50s to low 60s. Low 60s being the exception and mid 50s being the norm. They only faced one pitcher last year that truly impressed me with her velocity and she was the conference player of the year.
- Jan 1, 2023
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An ACC team was in town to play a local mid-Major. The 2nd ACC pitcher to come in to close out a close game was throwing between 60-62mph. She also threw an offspeed pitch at 56mph. Speeds were from the radar the ACC team was using.
My daughter's team faced her in Florida. She 1 Hit them with 16 Ks, no BB, and 65 strikes out of 76 pitches. She never went higher than 56 MPH on the Pocket Radar. The coach runs her into the ground.
I also firmly believe she'd get destroyed by any quality PGF team at the 16U level or above.
Checked their stats from last year and she pitched 260 out of 280 innings for the team. Pitched 16 innings in a DH with one going into extras. You weren't joking about running her into the ground. Maybe she'd throw harder if they'd give her a day off once in a while.
- Nov 18, 2013
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I think you’re wildly overestimating even the top 16U teams. Not many 15-16 yo’s can handle a top 23 yo college pitcher even if it is D3.
That's okay. You're entitled to your opinion. I watched my daughter's 16U National team face girls throwing 6-9 MPH harder than this girl, and they handled it. A girl throwing 56 at PGF gets hammered.
She's had a very successful D3 career, and no one can take that away from her. I wish her nothing but a successful life. But the girls playing in the 16U and 18U PGF power pools are mid-major or higher players, with a lot of P5 players sprinkled in.
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I haven't seen this girl but I have seen elite 16U and 18U teams get very frustrated against slow super spinny pitchers that can mix and spot while hammering fast pitchers with fewer tools.
Last weekend we watched what I'd would guess would be described as lower mid major D1 game. One pitcher topped out at 55 or 56, I can't remember. Great drop and a change that was underutilized. It was a 2-1 game, the pitcher that threw harder won. She didn't sit 61. I was surprised about the speed.
