Softball recruiting is driven by measurables in the same way baseball recruiting is — velocity, speed, arm strength, and exit velocity create the first filter coaches use to sort through prospects. But softball has position-specific evaluation criteria that differ meaningfully from baseball, and treating the two sports' standards as interchangeable leads families to misjudge where their athlete fits. A softball pitcher's velocity thresholds are different. Pop time expectations for catchers are different. The positional premium on speed and slap hitting creates evaluation categories that don't exist in the men's game.
The advantage for softball families is the same advantage baseball families have: these benchmarks are concrete and testable. Your athlete can attend a PGF or USSSA showcase, measure their velocity and exit velocity with verified equipment, and know — objectively — whether the numbers match what coaches at each division level recruit. This article gives you those benchmarks by position and division.
What college softball coaches measure and evaluate
Before examining position-specific numbers, understand the evaluation framework coaches apply to every softball recruit.
Measurables (the first filter). Pitching velocity, exit velocity, 60-yard home-to-first time, arm strength, and pop time for catchers. These are objective, testable, and comparable across every recruit in the country. Coaches use measurables to sort through hundreds of athlete profiles. If the numbers aren't in range, the conversation doesn't start.
Skills and softball IQ. Pitching command and pitch mix, defensive positioning and footwork, plate discipline, baserunning aggressiveness, situational awareness. These are evaluated through game film and live observation at showcases and travel ball tournaments. Measurables open the door; softball IQ determines whether a coach offers.
Projectability. Coaches recruit athletes they believe will improve over four years. A junior pitcher with clean mechanics and a frame that suggests she'll add velocity is more interesting than a senior who's physically mature with the same numbers. Growth plates, training history, and mechanical efficiency all factor into projections.
Academic profile. Softball is an equivalency sport (12 scholarships at D1) with partial awards, which means academic merit aid matters for the total financial package. A strong GPA and test scores directly affect both the admissions decision at selective schools and the financial package a coach can build. For the full scholarship math, see our softball athletic scholarships guide.
Pitcher recruiting standards by division
Pitching drives softball recruiting more than any other position. Programs build their competitiveness around pitching, and the measurables create clear division-level thresholds.
| Measurable | Top D1 (Power 4) | Mid-major D1 | D2 | D3 |
|---|
| Fastball velocity | 65–70+ mph | 60–66 mph | 57–63 mph | 54–60 mph |
| Change-up | 8–12 mph off fastball, consistent command | 8–10 mph off, reliable | 6–10 mph off, developing | Developing secondary |
| Movement pitches | 2–3 reliable movement pitches with command | 1–2 movement pitches with command | 1 reliable movement pitch | Developing movement |
| Command | Hits spots consistently, works both sides | Above-average command, competitive zone % | Throws strikes, limits walks | Consistent strikes |
| Spin rate / movement quality | Elite spin, late movement | Good spin, visible movement | Functional movement | Developing |
Velocity is the door opener, but movement is the separator. A pitcher at 62 mph with a dominant rise ball and change-up is more recruitable at the mid-major D1 level than a pitcher at 65 who only throws fastballs. But the pitcher at 65 gets more initial attention — and more camp invitations — because velocity is the first filter coaches apply.
Left-handed pitchers are scarce. Unlike baseball where lefties get a 2–4 mph discount, softball has very few left-handed pitchers at any level. A lefty with solid velocity and developing movement will receive disproportionate recruiting attention because programs need left-handed options for matchup purposes.
The 43-foot distance changes the evaluation. Softball's pitching distance (43 feet vs. baseball's 60.5 feet) means a 65 mph softball pitch gives hitters roughly the same reaction time as a 95 mph baseball fastball. Don't compare softball and baseball velocities directly — the effective speed is comparable at much lower raw numbers.
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 |
|---|
| Home-to-first time (R) | 2.7–2.9 sec | 2.9–3.1 sec | 3.0–3.2 sec | 3.1–3.3 sec |
| Home-to-first time (L/slap) | 2.5–2.7 sec | 2.7–2.9 sec | 2.8–3.0 sec | 2.9–3.1 sec |
| Exit velocity (off tee) | 70–80+ mph | 63–72 mph | 58–65 mph | 55–62 mph |
| IF arm velocity | 60–65+ mph | 55–62 mph | 52–58 mph | 48–55 mph |
| OF arm velocity | 63–70+ mph | 58–65 mph | 55–60 mph | 52–58 mph |
Speed has a positional premium in softball. The shorter base paths (60 feet vs. baseball's 90 feet) and the emphasis on small-ball offensive strategy mean speed is valued at every position — but especially for middle infielders, outfielders, and slap hitters. A fast shortstop with solid defensive range is recruitable at a higher division than her hitting numbers alone would suggest.
Exit velocity is the primary power metric. College coaches have moved toward exit velocity as the primary offensive evaluation tool because it measures bat speed and contact quality independent of field dimensions and pitch quality. An exit velocity reading from a recognized showcase (PGF, USSSA, or college-run camp) carries real weight.
Left-handed slap hitting creates a unique evaluation path. Left-handed hitters who can slap-hit for placement and also show power when swinging away have dual-threat value that no other position provides. A slap hitter with a 2.6 home-to-first time and the ability to hit for extra bases is among the most coveted offensive profiles in college softball. If your athlete can slap, include the home-to-first time prominently in recruiting outreach.
Catcher-specific standards
Softball catchers are evaluated on a unique set of metrics that combine defensive skills with game management.
| Measurable | Top D1 (Power 4) | Mid-major D1 | D2 | D3 |
|---|
| Pop time (2B) | 1.65–1.80 sec | 1.80–1.95 sec | 1.90–2.05 sec | 2.00–2.10 sec |
| Arm velocity (throwing) | 62–68+ mph | 58–64 mph | 55–60 mph | 52–58 mph |
| Exit velocity | 65–75+ mph | 60–68 mph | 55–62 mph | 52–58 mph |
Pop time is the signature catcher metric. Measured from when the pitch hits the glove to when the ball arrives at second base, pop time combines receiving, exchange speed, footwork, and arm strength. A sub-1.80 pop time draws serious D1 attention. The shorter base paths in softball (60 feet from home to second vs. baseball's 127 feet) mean the margins are tighter — a few hundredths of a second matter more.
Beyond measurables, catchers are evaluated on:
- Framing and receiving — presenting borderline pitches as strikes is increasingly valued at every level
- Blocking — consistency keeping balls in front, especially on movement pitches in the dirt
- Game management — calling pitches, controlling the running game, managing the pitcher's confidence and rhythm
- Communication — catchers who run the defense vocally are more valuable than quiet catchers with better arms
Catchers who hit carry enormous recruiting value. A catcher with a 1.80 pop time and 70 mph exit velocity is recruitable at every D1 program in the country. A catcher with a 1.95 pop time and 62 mph exit velocity is a strong D2 prospect who may also attract mid-major D1 interest if her game management and hitting are strong.
How to test and document your softball measurables
Coaches want verified measurables from recognized settings — not self-reported numbers from a backyard radar gun.
Attend a recognized showcase or tournament. PGF (Premier Girls Fastpitch), USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association), and USA Softball events measure and record athlete measurables with calibrated equipment. These results are tracked in searchable databases that coaches reference. A PGF showcase measurables profile carries real credibility.
Attend college-run prospect camps. Many D1 and D2 programs run camps where athletes are timed, measured, and evaluated by the coaching staff directly. The data from these events is captured by the coaches making recruiting decisions — there's no more direct evaluation path.
Use technology data when available. If your athlete's training facility uses tools like Blast Motion (bat sensor), HitTrax (batting cage analytics), or Rapsodo (pitching analytics), include the data in outreach. Spin rate, pitch movement data, and launch angle metrics are increasingly part of the recruiting conversation at the D1 level.
Document everything in a shareable format. Create a one-page measurables sheet: velocity (pitchers), exit velocity, home-to-first time, pop time (catchers), arm velocity, and the event/date where each was measured. Attach this to every recruiting email alongside your film link.
Update measurables across seasons. Sophomore numbers are a baseline. Junior numbers are what coaches recruit on. If your athlete's pitching velocity jumps 4 mph between sophomore and junior summer, that progression is a powerful recruiting signal — include the trajectory, not just the current mark.
Using your numbers to build a realistic target list
The tables above aren't aspirational — they're calibration tools. Compare your athlete's verified measurables against the ranges for each division and build a target list around programs where the fit is genuine.
If marks are competitive with the middle of a division's range, it's a fit program. These are the programs where your athlete will be recruited and developed — not reaching for a roster spot and not overqualified.
If marks are competitive with the top of a division's range, it's a safety. Your athlete likely starts early and competes for all-conference recognition.
If marks are below the bottom of a division's range, it's a reach. Reaches are fine for 20% of your target list, but building a list exclusively of reaches is a recipe for silence from coaches.
Build across 2–3 divisions. A pitcher at 60 mph should target mid-major D1 programs (fit range), D2 programs (safety/fit range), and a handful of top D1 programs (reach). That distribution ensures meaningful recruiting conversations at every level. For the framework on building this list, see our guide on how to build a college recruiting target list.
The bottom line
Softball recruiting standards are concrete, testable, and worth knowing before investing time and money in the process. A pitcher at 58 mph is not being recruited by SEC programs regardless of how many showcases she attends. That same pitcher is competitive for mid-major D1, highly recruitable at D2, and an impact player at D3. Knowing where the numbers fall directs every recruiting decision that follows — which programs to target, which showcases to attend, and which division's financial packages to compare.
Measure everything at a recognized showcase or college camp. Include verified data in every coach communication. Show progression over time. And build a target list around programs where the numbers are genuinely competitive.
For the full recruiting timeline that tells you when these evaluations matter most, see the softball recruiting timeline. For the scholarship picture — including how 12 D1 equivalency scholarships split across a full roster — the softball athletic scholarships guide covers the math. For the general framework on building a target list across any sport, our guide on how to build a college recruiting target list walks through the process. And for how divisions compare beyond just athletics, the D1 vs. D2 vs. D3 breakdown covers the full picture.