Exit Velocity by Age Chart

Real data from thousands of players, not social media highlights. Understanding what's actually normal vs. what YouTube wants you to believe.

50K+ Swings Tracked

7 Years of Data

Real Not Hype

HitTrax Measured

Real Players Not Outliers

Tee Work Max Exit Velo

Our Methodology

The YouTube Reality Check

Exit velocity matters, but not as much as social media suggests. Your 12-year-old doesn't need to hit 80 mph to succeed. In fact, most don't—and that's perfectly normal. Here's what the data actually shows.

Exit Velocity by Age: Tee Work Maximums

Baseball Exit Velocity

Age Group	Average Range	Good Goal	Elite (Top 10%)	What It Means
8-10 Years	40-55 mph	50-60 mph	60+ mph	Focus on contact, not power
11-12 Years	50-65 mph	60-70 mph	70+ mph	Mechanics matter more than exit velo
13-14 Years	60-75 mph	70-80 mph	80+ mph	Big strength gains start here
15-16 Years (HS)	70-85 mph	80-90 mph	90+ mph	College prospects hit 85+ consistently
17-18 Years (HS)	75-90 mph	85-95 mph	95-100+ mph	D1 recruits average 92+
College	87-95 mph	92-100 mph	100-105+ mph	D1 programs average 95+
Pro/MLB	87-95 mph	92-102 mph	105+ mph	MLB average is ~89 mph

Fastpitch Softball Exit Velocity

Age Group	Average Range	Good Goal	Elite (Top 10%)	What It Means
10-12 Years	35-50 mph	45-55 mph	55+ mph	Contact quality over power
13-14 Years	45-60 mph	55-65 mph	65+ mph	Technique development phase
15-16 Years (HS)	55-70 mph	65-75 mph	75+ mph	College prospects hit 70+
17-18 Years (HS)	60-75 mph	70-80 mph	80-85+ mph	D1 recruits average 77+
College	65-80 mph	75-85 mph	85-90+ mph	D1 programs 82+

What These Numbers Actually Mean

Natural Progression

Players typically gain 3-5 mph per year through their teens. The biggest jumps happen between 14-16 as strength develops.

Key Insight: A 13-year-old hitting 65 mph is doing great—they don't need to hit 80.

Contact > Power

A 70 mph line drive is far more valuable than a 90 mph popup. Exit velocity without good contact is meaningless.

Key Insight: Consistent 80% of max EV beats occasional 100%.

The Social Media Problem

YouTube shows the outliers—the 12-year-old hitting 85 mph. That's not normal or necessary for success.

Key Insight: 90% of successful high school players never hit those viral numbers.

Game Success

MLB's hardest hitters average 95 mph, but the batting champ might average 88 mph. Approach matters more.

Key Insight: Exit velo is one tool, not the whole toolbox.

Development Priorities by Age

Ages 8-12: Foundation Phase

Proper swing mechanics - Build it right from the start
Consistent contact - Hit the ball square
Pitch recognition - Know what to swing at
Exit velocity - Track it, but don't obsess

If your 10-year-old hits 50 mph consistently, they're doing great!

Ages 13-15: Development Phase

Approach at the plate - Smart hitting decisions
Swing plane efficiency - Stay in the zone longer
Strength training - Age-appropriate programs
Exit velocity gains - Should naturally increase

Focus on hitting line drives, not home runs. Power comes with maturity.

Ages 16+: Refinement Phase

Situational hitting - Game intelligence
Consistent hard contact - Quality over peak velocity
Advanced metrics - Launch angle + exit velo
Peak exit velocity - Now it matters more for recruitment

College coaches care more about your average EV than your max.

How to Measure Exit Velocity Properly

Do This:

Use game-speed pitching when possible
Take multiple readings (10+ swings)
Track average, not just max
Measure at consistent times (warmed up)
Use proper equipment (Pocket Radar, HitTrax)

Don't Do This:

Only measure off a tee
Cherry-pick your best swing
Compare to social media highlights
Sacrifice mechanics for velocity
Measure when cold or tired

Common Questions

Not at all! 55 mph is perfectly normal for a 12-year-old. Focus on consistent contact and proper mechanics. Exit velocity will naturally increase with age and strength. The kids hitting 80+ at 12 are extreme outliers, not the standard.

A properly fitted bat can add 3-5 mph vs. a poor fit. The best bat is one the player can control and square up consistently. A lighter bat swung faster often produces better exit velocity than a heavier bat swung slowly.

D1 programs typically want to see 90+ mph for position players, but D3 and JUCO programs recruit plenty of players in the 80-85 mph range. More importantly, they want to see consistent hard contact and good swing decisions. Your approach matters as much as your power.

Our Data Collection Method

Our exit velocity data comes from over 50,000 swings tracked over 7 years using HitTrax and Rapsodo systems. Unlike showcase data that only captures elite players, our numbers include the full spectrum of youth and high school players.

Important: These are tee work maximums, which represent a player's peak exit velocity potential. Game-speed exit velocities are typically 5-10 mph lower than these tee maximums. We present tee data as it's the most commonly referenced metric in recruiting and player development.

Focus on Development, Not Numbers

Exit velocity is just one metric. Find the right bat for your swing and let the numbers follow.

Find Your Bat Size Best Bats by Age