Average Pitching Speed at 13: What the Data Actually Show

There is no single speed a 13-year-old pitcher should reach. The clearest published U.S. reference is 54.3 mph for maximum pitch velocity, but that number came from 105 youth baseball players tested at summer camps in the early 1990s. It is a historical benchmark—not a current national average, a game average or a requirement for making a team.

The same research reports two very different age-13 results:

• U.S. sample: 54.3 mph mean maximum velocity, with a standard deviation of 4.9 mph
• International sample: 66.3 mph mean maximum velocity, with a standard deviation of 8.4 mph

For each test, players threw five maximal-effort pitches and researchers used the fastest reading. The international group included 128 age-13 players tested from 2007 to 2009 at clubs and tournaments in several baseball-producing countries. Across the full international sample, players had more baseball experience and a higher proportion were pitchers than in the U.S. comparison group. Those selection differences help explain why 66.3 mph should not be treated as the average for every 13-year-old (International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy).

What counts as average at 13?

If a broad U.S. reference is needed, about 54 mph is a defensible benchmark for a single maximum-effort pitch. It is not a cutoff between “slow” and “fast,” and it does not mean every 13-year-old should throw in the mid-50s.

Players of the same age differ in size, physical maturation, training history, pitching experience and competition level. The published samples also were not designed as a representative survey of every U.S. 13-year-old pitcher. A player throwing in the 40s is not automatically behind; a player throwing in the 60s is not automatically ready for more high-intent work.

Treat an age benchmark as context, not a development schedule. Do not set a fixed number of miles per hour that a pitcher must gain before turning 14.

Compare the same type of radar reading

“Pitching speed” can refer to different measurements:

1. Peak velocity: the fastest pitch in a test or outing
2. Typical session velocity: the speed repeated across a group of pitches
3. Game velocity: the speed a pitcher repeats while facing hitters and trying to locate the ball

The 54.3 mph research figure is a peak. Comparing it with the average from an entire game would be misleading.

For a repeatable check:

• Complete a gradual baseball warm-up before any high-intent throwing.
• Pitch from the distance used in games.
• Use the same radar device and position it consistently.
• Throw the same pitch—preferably a four-seam fastball—at a defined strike-zone target.
• Record every valid reading, not only the hardest pitch.
• Keep both the peak and the median, or middle, reading.

Test occasionally rather than turning every bullpen into a velocity trial. If the device, distance, pitch type or intent changes, the readings are less useful for tracking progress.

Use game-ready checkpoints too

Velocity matters, but a developing pitcher also needs a delivery and fastball that hold up against hitters. Look for observable signs:

• The pitcher can repeat the four-seam grip without squeezing the ball excessively.
• The stride moves generally toward the target.
• The pitcher finishes under control rather than falling sharply to either side.
• Fastballs reach the intended part of the strike zone often enough to compete.
• Command and coordination remain reasonably steady instead of suddenly deteriorating.
• There is no shoulder or elbow pain during or after throwing.

Build those qualities through consistent throwing mechanics, appropriately intense throwing and general athletic development. Do not force a longer stride or copy a mechanical position solely to chase a radar number.

Velocity does not replace workload management

Harder throwing places greater demands on the arm. In a laboratory study of 26 uninjured high-school pitchers ages 15–18, pitch velocity was positively associated with the internal elbow adduction moment measured during pitching. Because the players were older and the study measured biomechanics rather than injuries, it does not identify a safe or unsafe speed for a 13-year-old (American Journal of Sports Medicine).

Workload still needs to be managed regardless of velocity. For ages 13–14, MLB Pitch Smart currently lists a game maximum of 95 pitches, with these rest periods:

• 1–20 pitches: no required rest day
• 21–35: one day
• 36–50: two days
• 51–65: three days
• 66–95: four days

Pitch Smart also recommends at least four months away from throwing each year, including one continuous period of two to three months, and says players should not pitch on three consecutive days (MLB Pitch Smart). Follow the player’s league rules when they are stricter.

These limits are ceilings, not goals. End a session when mechanics, command or coordination deteriorate, and never ask a player to pitch through shoulder or elbow pain. Persistent or recurring pain warrants evaluation by a qualified medical professional.

The practical answer is about 54 mph for a tested maximum, with substantial variation among 13-year-olds and important limits in the available data. Use that figure to interpret a reading—not to pressure a player. Repeatable strikes, sound recovery and steady development are better day-to-day targets.