Baseball recruiting is driven by measurables more than almost any other team sport. A pitcher's fastball velocity, a position player's 60-yard dash time, a catcher's pop time — these numbers are the first filter coaches use to evaluate recruits. They aren't the only filter, but an athlete whose measurables don't reach the threshold for a given division level won't get past the first screen, regardless of how good their high school stats look.
The advantage for baseball families is that these benchmarks are concrete and testable. Your athlete can measure their fastball velocity at a showcase, time their 60-yard dash at a prospect camp, and know — objectively — whether their numbers match what coaches at their target division are recruiting. This article gives you those benchmarks by position and division level.
What college baseball coaches measure and evaluate
Before diving into position-specific numbers, understand the categories coaches use to evaluate every baseball recruit.
Measurables (the first filter). Velocity, speed, arm strength, exit velocity, pop time. These are objective, testable, and comparable across every recruit in the country. Coaches use measurables to sort through the thousands of athletes who contact them each year. If the numbers aren't in range, the evaluation ends there.
Skills and baseball IQ. Pitching command and pitch mix, defensive range and footwork, plate discipline, baserunning decisions. These are evaluated through game film and live observation. An athlete with borderline measurables but exceptional baseball instincts can still be recruitable — but the measurables need to be close enough for a coach to invest the evaluation time.
Projectability. Coaches recruit athletes they believe will improve over four years. A junior who throws 85 mph with a clean delivery and a frame that suggests he'll add velocity is more interesting than a senior at 87 who's physically mature and unlikely to gain more. Body type, delivery mechanics, swing mechanics, and training habits all factor into projections.
Academic profile. Baseball is an equivalency sport with partial scholarships (11.7 at D1), which means academic merit aid matters for the total financial package. A strong academic profile also affects admissions at selective D1 programs. For the full scholarship math, see our baseball athletic scholarships guide.
For how these evaluation categories compare to another measurable-driven sport, see our track and field recruiting standards guide — the closest parallel to baseball's numbers-first evaluation.
Pitcher recruiting standards by division
Pitching is the most heavily measured position in baseball. Velocity is the headline number, but coaches evaluate a complete pitching profile.
| Measurable | Top D1 (Power 4) | Mid-major D1 | D2 | D3 |
|---|
| Fastball velocity (RHP) | 90–95+ mph | 86–91 mph | 83–88 mph | 80–85 mph |
| Fastball velocity (LHP) | 87–93+ mph | 83–88 mph | 80–85 mph | 78–83 mph |
| Breaking ball | Command of 2+ secondary pitches | 1–2 reliable secondary pitches | 1 reliable secondary pitch | Developing secondary pitch |
| Command | Consistently hits spots; can work both sides of the plate | Above-average command; limits walks | Average command; competitive strike % | Throws strikes consistently |
Left-handed pitchers get a discount. The thresholds above reflect this — lefties are recruited at 2–4 mph lower than right-handers at every level because left-handed pitching is scarce. A lefty at 84 mph draws more interest than a righty at 86 from many programs.
Velocity is the door opener, not the whole picture. A pitcher at 88 mph with a plus slider and strong command is more recruitable at the mid-major D1 level than a pitcher at 91 who walks five batters per nine innings. But the pitcher at 91 gets more initial attention — and more opportunities to prove the rest of the package. That's the reality of how measurables-first evaluation works.
Position player recruiting standards by division
Position players are evaluated on a combination of hitting, speed, arm strength, and defensive ability. The table below covers the measurables coaches use as a first filter.
| Measurable | Top D1 (Power 4) | Mid-major D1 | D2 | D3 |
|---|
| 60-yard dash | 6.4–6.7 sec | 6.7–7.0 sec | 7.0–7.2 sec | 7.0–7.4 sec |
| Exit velocity (off tee) | 90–100+ mph | 85–92 mph | 82–88 mph | 78–85 mph |
| IF arm velocity | 85–90+ mph | 80–87 mph | 78–83 mph | 75–80 mph |
| OF arm velocity | 88–95+ mph | 83–90 mph | 80–86 mph | 78–83 mph |
Exit velocity is the most important hitting metric. College coaches have increasingly moved toward exit velocity as a primary hitting evaluation tool because it measures raw power independent of field dimensions, pitch quality, or defensive positioning. A high school player who hits .450 against weak pitching is less informative to a coach than an exit velocity reading off a tee or in batting practice. Exit velocity measured at a showcase event with a verified radar gun carries real weight.
The 60-yard dash is a baseline speed evaluation. It's measured at almost every showcase and prospect camp. Speed affects positional value (a fast shortstop is more recruitable than a slow one with equal hitting), baserunning contributions, and defensive range. For outfielders, speed is particularly important — a sub-6.8 60 time combined with strong exit velocity is a profile that draws D1 interest.
Arm velocity varies by position. Outfield arms are expected to be stronger than infield arms. A shortstop with an 83 mph arm is solid for mid-major D1; an outfielder at 83 is on the lower end. Middle infielders (shortstop and second base) are evaluated on arm accuracy and quick release as much as raw velocity.
Catcher-specific standards
Catchers are evaluated differently from every other position. The measurables that matter are unique to the position.
| Measurable | Top D1 (Power 4) | Mid-major D1 | D2 | D3 |
|---|
| Pop time (2B) | 1.85–1.95 sec | 1.95–2.05 sec | 2.00–2.10 sec | 2.05–2.15 sec |
| Arm velocity | 80–87+ mph | 76–82 mph | 73–78 mph | 70–76 mph |
| Exit velocity | 85–95+ mph | 82–88 mph | 78–85 mph | 75–82 mph |
Pop time is the signature catcher metric. It measures the time from when the pitch hits the catcher's glove to when the ball arrives at second base — combining receiving, exchange, footwork, and arm strength into a single number. A sub-2.0 pop time draws serious D1 attention. Anything above 2.1 shifts the conversation toward D2 or D3.
Beyond measurables, catchers are evaluated on:
- Receiving and framing — can the catcher present borderline pitches as strikes? This is increasingly valued at every level.
- Blocking — does the catcher keep balls in front consistently? This is evaluated through game film.
- Game management — does the catcher control the pace, manage the pitching staff, and make smart decisions on stolen base attempts? College coaches talk to high school and travel ball coaches specifically about this.
Catchers who hit are the most valuable recruits in baseball. A catcher with a 1.95 pop time and 90 mph exit velocity is recruitable at every D1 program in the country. A catcher with a 2.05 pop time and 82 mph exit velocity is a strong D2 prospect.
How to test and document your baseball measurables
Coaches want verified measurables from recognized settings — not self-reported numbers from a backyard radar gun. Here's how to get credible data.
Attend a recognized showcase. PBR (Prep Baseball Report), Perfect Game, and Headfirst showcases all measure and document athlete measurables with calibrated equipment. The results are published in searchable databases that coaches actively reference. A PBR showcase measurables report carries more weight than any number you self-report. For a detailed breakdown of how these showcases compare, see our PBR baseball showcases guide.
Attend college-run prospect camps. Many D1 and D2 programs run camps where athletes are evaluated and measured by the coaching staff directly. The measurables from these camps are measured by the coaches who will be making recruiting decisions — there's no more credible source.
Use Trackman or Rapsodo data when available. If your athlete's training facility or travel ball program uses pitch-tracking technology, include the data in outreach to coaches. Spin rate, pitch movement profiles, and exit velocity data from these systems are increasingly part of the recruiting conversation at the D1 level.
Document everything in a shareable format. Create a one-page measurables sheet that includes every verified number: velocity (average and peak), exit velocity, 60-yard dash, pop time (for catchers), and the event and date where each was measured. Attach this to every recruiting email alongside your Hudl film link.
Update measurables regularly. Sophomore-year numbers are a starting point. Junior-year numbers are what coaches recruit on. If your athlete's velocity jumps 3 mph between sophomore and junior summer, that progression is a powerful recruiting signal. Include the trajectory, not just the current mark.
When you're ready to email coaches with your measurables, our guide on how to email a baseball college coach covers the sport-specific template and what coaches expect to see.
The bottom line
Baseball recruiting standards are concrete, testable, and worth knowing before your family invests time and money in the recruiting process. A pitcher at 84 mph is not being recruited by Power Four programs regardless of how many camps he attends or how polished his recruiting email is. That same pitcher is in range for mid-major D1 programs (especially as a lefty), competitive for D2, and highly recruitable at D3. Knowing where the numbers fall prevents wasted effort and focuses your target list on programs where the fit is real.
Measure everything at a recognized showcase or college camp. Include verified measurables in every coach communication. Show progression over time. And build your target list around programs where your athlete's numbers are genuinely competitive — not where you wish they were.
For the full recruiting timeline that tells you when these evaluations matter most, see the baseball recruiting timeline. For the scholarship picture — including why the 11.7 D1 equivalency limit makes the financial math more complicated than families expect — the baseball athletic scholarships guide covers it. When you're ready to identify specific programs to target, our D1 baseball programs guide breaks down the landscape by conference tier and region. And for the complete overview of the entire path — from self-assessment through showcases to signing — our guide on how to play college baseball maps the full journey for families just getting started.