Pitch Speed Converter
Enter a speed and where it was thrown from. Get the MLB equivalent: the speed that gives a hitter the same time from 60 ft 6 in.
The formula
Equivalent speed = speed x (new distance / old distance). Same time to the plate means same reaction time, so a pitch from a shorter distance has to be scaled up to match it from 60 ft 6 in.
- 70 mph from 46 ft (Little League Majors) = 70 x 60.5 / 46 = 92.1 mph MLB equivalent
- 70 mph from 50 ft (Intermediate 50/70) = 84.7 mph
- 65 mph from 43 ft (high school or college softball) = 91.5 mph
Little League to MLB Pitch Speed Chart
Read across from the radar gun reading. Each cell is the speed, in mph, that gives the hitter the same time from 60 ft 6 in.
| Radar gunmph | From 46 ftLL Majors, LLWS | From 50 ft50/70, Bronco | From 54 ftPONY 14U |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 52.6 | 48.4 | 44.8 |
| 45 | 59.2 | 54.5 | 50.4 |
| 50 | 65.8 | 60.5 | 56.0 |
| 55 | 72.3 | 66.5 | 61.6 |
| 60 | 78.9 | 72.6 | 67.2 |
| 65 | 85.5 | 78.7 | 72.8 |
| 70 | 92.1 | 84.7 | 78.4 |
| 75 | 98.6 | 90.8 | 84.0 |
| 80 | 105.2 | 96.8 | 89.6 |
Example: a 75 mph fastball in the Little League World Series (46 ft) gives the hitter the same time as a 98.6 mph fastball from a big league mound.
Softball to Baseball Pitch Speed Chart
Fastpitch is thrown from a flat circle much closer to the plate, so a softball speed converts to a much higher baseball number at 60 ft 6 in.
| Radar gunmph | From 35 ft10U | From 40 ft12U | From 43 ft14U to college |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 69.1 | 60.5 | 56.3 |
| 45 | 77.8 | 68.1 | 63.3 |
| 50 | 86.4 | 75.6 | 70.3 |
| 55 | 95.1 | 83.2 | 77.4 |
| 60 | 103.7 | 90.8 | 84.4 |
| 65 | 112.4 | 98.3 | 91.5 |
| 70 | 121.0 | 105.9 | 98.5 |
Timing is only part of it: a rising or dropping underhand pitch looks nothing like an overhand fastball. Softball to baseball calculator
Average Fastball by Age, and What It Equals in MLB Terms
Average four-seam fastball by age from Rapsodo's pitch-tracking guide. The last column applies the formula for the 9-12 ages that pitch from 46 feet in Little League Majors.
| Age | Avg fastball (RHP / LHP) | RHP avg from 46 ft, MLB equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 54 / 54 mph | 71.0 mph |
| 11 | 61 / 60 mph | 80.2 mph |
| 12 | 63 / 62 mph | 82.9 mph |
| 13 | 67 / 67 mph | n/a |
| 14 | 72 / 71 mph | n/a |
| 15 | 76 / 75 mph | n/a |
| 16 | 79 / 78 mph | n/a |
| 17 | 81 / 80 mph | n/a |
| 18 | 84 / 82 mph | n/a |
| College | 85 / 83 mph | n/a |
| Pro | 89 / 88 mph | n/a |
Rapsodo built these from pitches its units tracked, so they describe kids who train with a pitch tracker, not every kid who plays. Read them as typical for a player who is working at it. From 13 on the distance depends on the league (50, 54 or 60 ft 6 in), so put the speed and distance into the calculator above. Showcase and research numbers by age are in average pitching speed by age.
Pitching Distance by League
Measured from the pitching rubber to the back point of home plate. Each row links to the rule it comes from in the sources below.
| League / level | Ages | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Little League Majors and below | 12 and under | 46 ft |
| Little League Intermediate (50/70) | 11-13 | 50 ft |
| Little League Junior League | 12-14 | 60 ft 6 in (54 ft local option) |
| Little League Senior League | 13-16 | 60 ft 6 in |
| PONY Mustang | 10U | 46 ft |
| PONY Bronco | 12U | 50 ft |
| PONY Pony | 14U | 54 ft |
| PONY Colt | 16U | 60 ft 6 in |
| High school, college, MLB | 60 ft 6 in | |
| Fastpitch softball 10U | 10 and under | 35 ft |
| Fastpitch softball 12U | 12 and under | 40 ft |
| Fastpitch 14U-18U, high school | 13-18 | 43 ft |
| Little League Softball Minors / Majors / Junior-Senior | 35 / 40 / 43 ft |
Playing Cal Ripken, Babe Ruth, USSSA or a local league with its own field? Check your league's rules for the distance and type it into the "Other distance" box above.
What the Equivalent Speed Does and Does Not Tell You
- It is about timing. The equivalent speed is the pitch that gives a hitter the same time to decide and swing. It does not mean a 12-year-old's fastball carries like a big leaguer's or is as hard to square up.
- Real flight distance is a little shorter. Pitchers release the ball a few feet in front of the rubber. MLB's Statcast measures that as Extension and folds it into Perceived Velocity: by MLB's own example, a long Extension can make a 93 mph fastball look like 96. This calculator uses rubber-to-plate distance for both pitches, which is how the broadcast conversions work.
- Use it to compare, not to rank. It is good for telling a parent what a 10U gun reading means, setting a pitching machine for game-speed timing, or tracking one pitcher across a move from 46 to 50 to 60 ft 6 in.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast is 70 mph from 50 feet in MLB terms?
About 84.7 mph. 70 x 60.5 / 50 = 84.7. From the 46-foot Little League mound the same 70 mph equals about 92.1 mph.
What is an 80 mph Little League pitch in MLB terms?
About 105.2 mph from 60 ft 6 in.
How do I calculate pitch speed by distance?
Multiply the speed by the new distance and divide by the old one. To find how long the ball takes, divide the distance in feet by the speed in feet per second (mph x 1.467). 70 mph from 46 ft is 46 / 102.7 = about 0.45 seconds.
Why do softball pitchers throw slower than baseball pitchers?
The pitch is thrown underhand from a flat circle 35 to 43 feet away instead of overhand from a mound 46 to 60 ft 6 in away, so the gun reading is lower while the hitter's time can be just as short.
Does this work in km/h?
Yes. Switch the unit next to the speed box. The distance ratio is the same in any unit.
Measure the Speed Yourself
Radar guns coaches and parents use to get the number to put in the calculator.
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Other Calculators
BP Distance Calculator
Where to stand so batting practice matches game timing
Softball Pitch Speed Calculator
Convert between 35, 40 and 43 ft
Exit Velocity Calculator
Exit velo from bat speed and pitch speed
Bat Size Calculator
Bat length and weight for your player
Baseball Age Calculator
League age and division for the season
Lineup Generator
Fair lineups with position rotation
Sources
- Little League field specifications (pitching distances by division)
- PONY Baseball and Softball age group pages (Mustang, Bronco, Pony, Colt)
- MLB glossary: field dimensions (60 feet, 6 inches)
- MLB glossary: Extension and Perceived Velocity
- USSSA Fastpitch pitching distances by age (10U 35 ft, 12U 40 ft, 14U+ 43 ft)
- OHSAA: NFHS moves high school fastpitch to 43 feet (2010-11)
- Rapsodo: Baseball Pitching Averages by Age guide
Checked November 2026 by the Dugout Edge editorial team. This page contains affiliate links.