100 MLB Pitchers 90MPH or Below Seasons

The 90 and under crowd

The purpose of this isn’t to respond to questioners about softer tossing pitchers at the highest level of the game – although this would be a good place to refer them too. There are MANY more pitchers who had seasons where their average velocities were at or below the 90 mark.  Some of you may be thinking, why does any of this matter, they didn’t throw these speeds when there were drafted or signed, so why should I care about how slow they throw if they didn’t initially.  To this is my response, 1. You maybe shouldn’t care until / if the culture of the game changes how they scout and evaluate pitchers.  For most, you’ll still need to throw hard to get opportunities in affiliated organizations, unless you have impeccable command at a slightly below average velocity and a rock solid success rate.  2.  For some of these pitchers, their velocities were higher, for others they’ve shown to be consistent in nature through their careers, including when they were drafted or signed.  The main point being, I don’t care about what they threw in the past or when they threw it. These are Major League pitchers, pitching in Major League baseball games, at these velocities over the course of a full season, or seasons.  This isn’t a blog on draft velocities.  This is a blog on Major League pitchers and their average velocities over the course of their respective season.  These numbers play at the highest level of the game.  So if these numbers play at the highest level of the game, success rate of pitchers who are DOMINATING at these speeds in amateur level should receive more stringent evaluations of their projection.  To say, “they don’t throw hard enough”, is pure ignorance of the game with the ones currently, “not throwing hard enough” at the highest level.  Sure the success rate of the pitchers on the list may vary, but the fact is, success is what matters at the highest level – and if the velocity is relevant (I.E. mid / upper 80’s) for an amateur pitcher who is EXTREMELY successful, more consideration should be taken into account, potentially allowing them to work toward their velocity goals within a system, while succeeding along the way. Their mentality has already proven to be a separator. 

Are you a pitcher?

Another point of emphasis I’d like to convey, I’m not saying the highest level of the game should be flooded with these lower than average velocities.  I’m saying the highest level of the game should have the best “pitchers” – and that velocity shouldn’t exclude pitchers who are dominant in nature at respective and relevant velocities. I’m not saying all Major League pitchers are bad, I’m saying if there were more “pitchers”, there would be a broader spectrum of success.  All Major League pitchers are obviously there for a reason, due a variety of elements that has to do with talent and potential investments, but not all of them perform as well as they could, as consistently as they could.  Pitching does still exists at high velocities, and I encourage that as well.

You aren’t “good” enough or “project” well enough to play at the next level.

The sad part is, as an example, when the culture pushes / asks a superior successful 85-87mph senior RHP in college who is getting no attention, and to abandon his stellar success rate, by getting out of his comfort zone trying to add more velocity just to get past the gate, then we have a problem…  WHY?  JUST WHY?  Why when we have the same proven velocity at the highest level by some pretty outstanding pitchers. That isn’t a risk. There is no risk when you are signing a mentality that understands success rates and the importance of pitching, location, execution, and command.  That pitcher will only get better, be smart enough to make adjustments, and continue to learn at a higher level by facing better hitters.  This can be very frustrating for pitchers that are on a velocity cusp.  In the end, these decisions all trickle down from the top and the direction of how organizations want to proceed with how they scout players.  It’s not the scouting, scouts know what good pitching is and can project success, its what is wanted from the authority, the top.  Many amateur and pro scouts go against gut instincts sometimes because of what the wants and needs are of organizations.

What would the game look like?

A lot of people have asked what baseball would look like if everyone pitched at a high rate of command and great success across all levels of the game.  My response sounds something like, less injuries, close games, more consistently dominant performances, and hitters ironically needing to learn how to actually hit.  We live in a time where have many preaching that MISTAKES are OK when you have more velocity (what’s more velocity? more is relative to every level of play. 95 mph mistakes still get hit at the highest level), while hitters train relentlessly to hit pitches that are MISTAKES.  Here’s an idea, Lets be OK with mistakes even though hitters train to hit them… That is not an intelligent way to start a relationship with a pitcher as a pitching coach, and we have coaches conveying this to pitchers as a strategy.  In my mind, that coach has instantly lost credibility.  It’s not smart competing, its competing just to compete.  Disregard of pitch execution is not intelligent pitching.  Mistakes happen, pitching to be complacent with them because you “throw hard”, shouldn’t happen.  Awareness, adjustments, and intent to make better pitches should be most mindful.  What are some things that change if there are more actual pitchers? Hitters will need to learn how to actually hit quality pitches more consistently, which will be hard if a pitcher is executing patterns.  The hitter will always be at a larger disadvantage when facing a higher degree of pitch quality (i.e. location) and execution within a pattern.

Enjoy the list and all comments are welcome.  Some pretty great names below, and memorable careers.