Bat Speed by Age
Also known as: good bat speed, average bat speed, bat speed by age, bat speed benchmarks, average bat speed by age, bat speed chart, high school bat speed, bat speed for my age, swing speed by age
Blast Motion, a bat-sensor maker, publishes practice-swing ranges of about 30–45 mph for 8- to 10-year-olds and 40–52 for 11- to 12-year-olds. For older players its ranges are about 46–62 mph at 13–14, 55–65 at 15–16 and 60–70 at 17–18. Treat them as rough guides from one sensor in tee and toss work. In MLB, Statcast's average swing was about 72 mph when bat tracking launched in 2024.
Bat speed is how fast the barrel is moving at contact. It rises with age, size and strength, and it is one of the biggest drivers of exit velocity. Every source measures it a little differently. Blast Motion's sensor mounts on the knob and reports barrel speed. Statcast tracks big-league swings in games and measures speed at the sweet spot, about six inches from the end of the bat.
Blast's published baseball ranges come from tee and controlled-toss swings. They are about 30–45 mph for 8U–10U, 40–52 for 11U–12U and 46–62 for 13–14. For older players they are 55–65 for 15–16 (JV), 60–70 for 17–18 (varsity), 65–75 for college and 66–78 for pro. Blast notes that its practice readings run slightly higher than in-game Statcast numbers. It also notes that the ranges overlap because players develop at different rates.
When Statcast launched bat tracking in 2024, the average big-league swing was about 72 mph. Player averages ranged from about 62 to 81 mph. Statcast counts any swing of 75 mph or more as a fast swing. For a young player, compare today's numbers with their own past numbers on the same device first. Bat speed grows with strength, mobility and good sequencing. Swinging a bat that is too heavy lowers it.
Tips by skill level
Use the same sensor and the same drill each time, and track your average, not just your best swing.
Watch bat speed and time to contact together. Bat speed that comes with a longer, later swing may not help in games.
Example
A 13-year-old reads 49 mph on his bat sensor and worries because a friend posted 58. His coach points out that both fall inside the published range for their age and that the friend is a foot taller. They set a goal of adding a few mph over the season through strength work and on-time swings.
Why it matters
Bat speed is one of the clearest measures of hitting power. Knowing how it is measured keeps a player from comparing numbers that do not match.
Common mistakes
- Comparing a practice sensor reading with an MLB game number
- Comparing readings from different sensor brands
- Swinging a heavier bat to look strong and losing bat speed
- Chasing max bat speed while contact quality falls apart
Frequently asked questions
What is a good bat speed for high school?
Blast Motion's published practice-swing ranges are about 55–65 mph for 15–16-year-olds (JV) and 60–70 mph for 17–18 (varsity). They come from its own sensor in tee and toss work. Compare them only with readings taken the same way.
What is a good bat speed for a 12 year old?
Blast Motion's practice-swing range for 11U–12U is about 40–52 mph. Ranges overlap between ages because kids develop at different rates. Track your own trend on one device.
What is the average bat speed in MLB?
When Statcast launched bat tracking in 2024, the average big-league swing was about 72 mph, measured at the sweet spot during games. It counts a swing of 75 mph or more as a fast swing.
Sources
Related terms
- Bat SpeedBat speed is how fast the barrel is moving at contact, in mph. It contributes to exit velocity alongside bat path and where on the barrel you make contact.
- Exit Velocity by AgeThere is no official exit-velocity standard by age, and charts online disagree widely for any given age. Compare a reading only with ones taken under matching conditions: drill, device and bat type. As a top-level reference, MLB's Statcast counts a ball hit 95 mph or harder as hard-hit.
- Exit Velocity (EV)Exit velocity is how fast the ball comes off the bat, in mph. It is a ceiling metric — the harder you hit it, the farther it can go.
- Time to ContactTime to contact is the split-second a swing takes from trigger to ball. It sets how late a hitter can afford to start swinging against a given velocity.
- Bat Size by AgeEaston's age chart, a common starting point, suggests 24–26 inch bats for ages 5–7, 26–28 for 8–9, 28–29 for age 10 and 30–31 for 11–12. For older players it suggests 31–32 inches at 13–14, 32–33 at 15–16 and 34 at 17 and up. Then fine-tune by fit: pick a bat the player can swing fast and control, with the certification stamp your league requires.
- Swing LengthSwing length is how far the barrel travels from the start of the swing to contact. A shorter path generally needs less time, at some cost to peak bat speed.
Related guides & benchmarks
Work on the cause
Video shows how you move, not the ball itself. Film one swing to find the movement behind this result — free to start.
See a sample Baseball report first