Expert: Brian Flaspohler - 7/19/2005

Question
We often know what the speed of the ball is as it crosses the plate (ie pitch speed), but what is the speed of a hit ball?  The discussion is:  When a pitcher gets hit by a batted ball, how fast is that ball (on average) going?  (we want to know who is the loser - a hit batter or a hit pitcher).  

Answer
Allyson,

A hit ball can be going all kinds of different speeds.  From a little roller barely making it to the pitcher to a rocket of a line drive.

Since a major league pitcher is rarely hit by a slow ball, probably the average speed of a liner when it hits them is around 100 mph-120 mph.  That's about as hard as a power hitter can hit a baseball.

Hope this helps!

Brian