I don't know if there is a specific speed. I have seen 14/15 year olds throw very effectively with only a 65 mph. Conversely, I have seen kids throw in the low 80's and get racked all over the park. I feel that locating a fastball with a good change up can make most 14/15 year olds effective. It also helps to have some type of breaking ball or cutter. At this age or even earlier a lot of flame throwers run into trouble because they have not learned how to pitch. They have done well up to this point by simply blowing their fastball past the hitters. They must learn to pitch for the batted ball out rather then the K.
However, if you are trying to project a 14/15 year old's success in high school and beyond, from what I can remember, add 8 to 12 mph's to your present speed and that will give you a "Projected " velocity at 18. I may be wrong with these figures, please correct me, cause I too have a 15 year old and would like to know if I am correct.
Fast enough to get batters out, but not so fast they cannot control their pitches.
My suggestion is to look at www.perfectgame.org and pick one of the underclassman showcases to see what some of the pitchers who are 2012 & 2013 grads were clocked at for a better idea of this question.
How fast should 14/15 year old pitchers throw?
Posted - 01/12/2010 : 18:46:56
