See what a pitch really feels like at the plate. Convert speed between pitching distances, check reaction time and set a pitching machine.
A pitch from a shorter distance gives the hitter less time. Pick a mode to see how much less.
Swing time is how long the bat takes to reach the ball once the hitter commits. About 0.15 seconds is typical.
Measure from the point where the ball leaves the machine to the front of the plate.
How far in front of the rubber the ball leaves the hand. About 5 feet is typical for amateur pitchers. Used for the release-adjusted numbers only.
Flight time is estimated with an average speed about 4.5% below release speed, to allow for air drag. These are estimates, not lab measurements.
A radar gun reading does not tell the whole story. A 50 mph pitch from 46 feet is a lot harder to hit than a 50 mph pitch from 60 feet. This calculator turns speed and distance into one fair number, so you can compare pitchers, leagues and even sports. It has three modes.
Try the three examples first. They show how much a short distance changes the feel of a pitch.
A pitch speed equivalent is the speed a pitch would need at one distance to give the hitter the same amount of time as a different pitch at another distance. The idea is simple. A hitter does not react to miles per hour. The hitter reacts to time. Less distance means less time, so a slow pitch from a short distance can "feel" like a faster pitch from far away.
This is also why leagues move the pitching distance back as players age. The longer distance gives hitters the time they need as pitchers throw harder.
The basic formula is:
Equivalent Speed = Speed × New Distance ÷ Old Distance
Take a 50 mph pitch from 46 feet. To find what it feels like from 60 feet 6 inches, multiply 50 by 60.5 and divide by 46. The answer is 65.8 mph. A hitter facing a 50 mph pitch at 46 feet has about the same time as one facing a 65.8 mph pitch at the full distance.
| Pitch | Thrown from | Feels like at 60 ft 6 in |
|---|---|---|
| 40 mph | 46 ft | 52.6 mph |
| 50 mph | 46 ft | 65.8 mph |
| 55 mph | 50 ft | 66.5 mph |
| 60 mph | 43 ft (softball) | 84.4 mph |
| 65 mph | 54 ft | 72.8 mph |
The simple formula uses the full distance from the rubber to the plate. But the ball does not leave the hand at the rubber. A pitcher strides toward the plate and lets go about 5 feet in front of it, or more. Big league pitchers often release near 6 feet. So the ball only flies about 55 feet, not 60 feet 6 inches.
The calculator also shows a release-adjusted number. It subtracts the release point from both distances before scaling. For our 50 mph pitch at 46 feet, the release-adjusted feel is about 67.7 mph, a bit higher than the simple 65.8. The shorter the distance, the more the release point matters.
This is the idea behind "perceived velocity." A pitcher with long extension releases the ball closer, so the same radar speed feels faster. By this math, adding one foot of extension to a 95 mph pitch is worth about 1.7 mph of feel.
Each organization sets its own distances. These are the common ones:
| Level | Pitching distance |
|---|---|
| Little League Majors | 46 ft |
| Little League Intermediate (50/70) | 50 ft |
| Some 11U and 12U travel leagues | 54 ft (varies) |
| Junior and Senior League, high school, college, MLB | 60 ft 6 in |
| Fastpitch softball, high school and college | 43 ft |
Check your own league's rulebook, since local rules and age groups vary. To find your child's division, use the Little League age calculator.
This is one of the most searched questions in the sport. A 60 mph pitch from 43 feet gives the hitter the same time as an 84 mph baseball pitch from 60 feet 6 inches. A 65 mph fastpitch pitch feels like more than 91 mph. That is why a softball hitter who sees 60 mph every day is not facing a "slow" pitch.
Softball adds more. The pitch is released low and rises, and the ball is larger. Treat the equivalent as a timing guide, not a full picture. For our softball ERA numbers, see what a good ERA is in softball.
At 60 feet 6 inches, flight times are very short. Using a 6-foot release and a small drag allowance, these are rough numbers:
| Pitch speed | Flight time |
|---|---|
| 70 mph | about 0.56 s |
| 80 mph | about 0.49 s |
| 90 mph | about 0.43 s |
| 95 mph | about 0.41 s |
| 100 mph | about 0.39 s |
Those are the times the whole flight takes. A hitter does not have all of it.
The swing itself takes about 0.15 seconds. The hitter also needs time to see the pitch and make up his mind. So the real decision window is the flight time minus the swing time. For a 95 mph fastball, that leaves about a quarter of a second. For a 50 mph pitch from 46 feet, it leaves about 0.44 seconds. The Reaction Time mode shows this window next to a 95 mph benchmark, so you can see the gap.
Equivalents let you compare pitchers who throw from different distances. Suppose a 12U travel pitcher throws 65 mph from 54 feet, and a Little League Majors pitcher throws 55 mph from 46 feet. The travel pitcher feels like 72.8 mph at the full distance. The Majors pitcher feels like 72.3 mph. On timing alone, the two are almost the same, even though the radar guns read 10 mph apart. That is a fair way to track progress across a move.
When a player moves from 46 feet to 60 feet 6 inches, the hitter gets about 31 percent more time against the same radar speed. A pitcher who throws 55 mph from 46 feet feels like 72 mph at the full distance. If he throws 55 mph after the move, the pitch now feels like 55 mph, and hitters will have a much easier time. To keep the same challenge, he must grow from 55 to about 72 mph. Use the Speed Equivalent mode before a move to set realistic velocity goals, and do not be surprised if early results at the new distance look worse. It is the same pitcher, now seen from farther away, and it takes a season of strength and mechanics work to catch up.
Coaches use pitch speed equivalents most often for batting practice. A machine in a cage is usually much closer than 60 feet. Setting it to the speed you want hitters to see will feel too fast. To match a pitch feel, scale the speed down by the machine's distance.
Say you want your hitters to see the feel of an 80 mph pitch, and your machine sits 40 feet from the plate. The simple answer is 80 × 40 ÷ 60.5, or 52.9 mph. Because the machine releases at the wheels and a pitcher releases 5 feet closer, the release-adjusted answer is higher, about 57.7 mph. The Machine Setting mode shows both and a cheat sheet for common speeds.
Start lower, build up slowly, and always use proper protective screens and helmets. Never ask young hitters to face a feel they are not ready for.
Coaches get the most value from this in three ways. First, they set batting practice so hitters see a speed that matches the next level, without guessing. Second, they track a pitcher's velocity growth in a way that holds up when the distance changes. Third, they explain to parents why a hitter who struggles against a 12-year-old throwing 60 mph from 54 feet is not "just slow." The feel of that pitch is closer to 67 mph. Use the numbers as a conversation starter, and let the player's comfort, not the radar gun, guide the next step.
Radar guns and tracking systems report speed at or near release. After that, air drag slows the ball by roughly 8 to 10 percent by the time it reaches the plate. Different devices and positions read slightly differently, so compare numbers from the same source. The calculator takes your reading as a release speed.
Timing is only part of hitting. The calculator does not account for pitch movement, spin, pitch type, location, deception or a pitcher's mix. A 70 mph curveball with good break can be harder to hit than a straight 75 mph fastball. Hitters also see more than the speed: the pitcher's arm angle and the batter's eye matter too. Use the result to compare timing, and combine it with your own judgment.
Young pitchers need rest as well as speed. Check daily limits with the pitch count calculator, see our guide to a good ERA in Little League, or explore every calculator on the tools page.
How do you convert pitch speed from one distance to another?
Multiply the speed by the new distance and divide by the old distance. For 50 mph at 46 feet, 50 × 60.5 ÷ 46 = 65.8 mph.
What is a 60 mph softball pitch in baseball speed?
About 84 mph, based on a 43-foot softball distance and 60 feet 6 inches for baseball.
How long does a 90 mph fastball take to reach the plate?
About 0.43 to 0.44 seconds from release. The ball leaves the hand roughly 5 to 6 feet in front of the rubber.
What speed should I set a pitching machine to?
Pick the feel you want at 60 feet 6 inches and scale by distance. For an 80 mph feel from 40 feet, use about 53 mph.
Does it account for curveballs and spin?
No. It compares timing only. Movement and location change the difficulty too.
Why does a pitch from a shorter distance feel faster?
The hitter has less time to see it and decide, even though the radar speed is the same.