top 12u pitchers ???

[gvm]

I just started reading this post, but jumped to the end to tell you my #1 pitcher, last summer, won the pitching velocity competition at the 12u USSSA World Series by hitting 60 mph. She is dominant, but she does throw 60 mph as a 12 year old. Do not discount reality by giving your biased opinion that a 12 year old cannot throw that fast.

how did that pitcher do in the world series? was she able to dominate there also? or were they able to catch up to it?

 

[EP Dad]

At PONY Nationals in North Carolina (which is really more like an eastern regional than a true National) the fastest 12u pitchers were throwing in the upper 50's and near 60. They still have to locate because the better 12U batters can hit a straight fastball. I'd say the best 12U pitchers were around 55-58mph with location and movement.

I'd agree with this based on what I've heard and seen.

 

[nanotech14]

I been watching this thread,and all I can say is here we go again. Every 12yo can throw 60,and every prisoner is innocent.

 

[crystlemc]

I been watching this thread,and all I can say is here we go again. Every 12yo can throw 60,and every prisoner is innocent.

Nobody said "every 12yo can throw 60". The question was about "elite" 12yo pitchers.

I would agree with CrazyDad. And quite truthfully, around where my dd plays, the pitchers on the better 2nd year 12u teams are all breaking at least 50. Most would be throwing 50-55 and a small handful are throwing 56+. The problem comes in because a lot of them think they have 6 pitches, when they really only have maybe 2 and very little, if any, movement. The ones that do have movement to go with their speed, dominate. Especially when they also vary their speed.

 

[EP Dad]

Nobody said "every 12yo can throw 60". The question was about "elite" 12yo pitchers.

Exactly. For example, my DD is 12U and she can only hit about ~48. Kind of counter to being a poster on this board to admit that.

 

[BB875]

how did that pitcher do in the world series? was she able to dominate there also? or were they able to catch up to it?

The very good hitters at the 12U level can hit 60 mph if you throw on the plate. Her advantage is she has good placement and is working on movement pitches. Her curve moves a little & she has a good CU. The kid works harder than most pitchers and it shows. BTW, our #2 pitcher clocked 56mph at the same competition & she works just as hard. I would say her movement pitches work better than our #1. Both girls are very effective at the 14U level (just moved up to 14U this fall, my team is all 13U kids with one 12 YO). Great kids that work hard!

 

[Jojo]

I would say 50-55 as well.
The ones that throw really hard upper 50's + usually struggle with control or can put down the middle of the plate and have nothing else.
It's the one that have good speed, control and change-up or one other pitch that do the best.

When my DD was 12, we placed 3rd at Nationals in Oklahoma city.
I think she was throwing 53. The pitchers that were on the 1st and 2nd place team were not throwing any harder than she was, they had control, and great defense and hitting.

And it is hard to judge speed especially at younger ages.
I had a 10u pitcher once that really was un-hittable. All everyone would say was how fast she threw and how afraid the batters were against her, and they usually just swung the bat 3 times to get out of there.

Well this kid only threw 47mph. She was just a long limbed and really drove out at the hitters. I guess to the hitters it seemed like she was throwing around 50mph, and being a touch wild helped her immensely.

 

[marriard]

i just had this conversation yesterday? i was asked if my dd threw her fastball a little slower then she would have an offspeed pitch? but when my dd throws her fastball slower? i call it a bad pitch... right now we work on throwing fast,fast ,fast. and no one can CATCH UP TO IT/ so why purposely slow down your release.

Because eventually these girls will catch up with her - and then what will she do? The batters also start to learn to recognize pitches. I see this all the time in the best 'power' pitchers when they move up an age division especially in travel ball/high level competition. The top of the order are really strong and the bottom of the order starts getting tougher and tougher. The easy outs become harder and harder to get.

So if you only throw a particular pitch at one speed and you can no longer throw it to certain batters because the batters can hit it then you now have a less effective pitch. I don't see the issue with the exact same mechanics just not at all out/100%. No need to change your motion, just don't kill yourself. It can be little as 2-3 miles difference to be effective. Also it helps with stamina across a long day or tournament. If you don't want to slow down at all, you can also change speeds with grip - one more finger on the ball slows it down - one less makes it faster. Squeeze harder with one finger over another and change the speed and some spin. Bend one finger instead of having it directly on the ball. Experiment and see what works best and is most comfortable - everyone seems to be slightly different here.

If you have a good drop you don't necessarily have to throw it for a strike - you can set it up with other pitches. The very best drop in 12U+ looks like it is in the strike zone and then drops out of it against batters who like to swing. Throwing the drop after a fouled off fastball is a great pitch. Even if the batter gets their bat on the ball, it is likely to be a ground ball that the fielders can handle. In 10U you find a lot of batters aren't capable of hitting a drop which is why many batters are not swinging (probably wouldn't matter what she threw them) - that wont be the case as she gets older.

 

[Coachmom]

Sorry but I've been coaching 12U softball for a long time. Been to several 12U National championships. I have never seen a 12U pitcher throwing anywhere near 60 mph. Maybe 55 tops.
If the midwest-eastcoast has all these dominant pitchers at 12u why don't they win more at ASA "A"nationals?
The top 5 teams from last years ASA Nationals are from my area and NONE of those pitchers are/were throwing 60 mph.

Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA)

My DD as a senior in high school throws 59-60. I catch for her. I think I have a pretty good idea of what a 60mph fastball looks like.
At 12U she was at 45-48mph just like the charts predict.
She developed at about the same pace as the charts posted as most "elite" pitchers do.

If there is 12 YO hitting 60 mph consistently please post a video of it. I would love to take a look at it. That would be one special kid.

 

[Coachmom]

Reality Check

Double posted?? Sorry