Fastball velocities have increased at every level of baseball in the last decade, and New England high school baseball is no exception.
In 2021, we started the Velo Watch List Series in an effort to show that a 90-mph fastball is often the metric that separates D1 prospects from D2/D3 commits. In 2021, we counted 31 New England high school prospects who recorded a 90-mph fastball. That number has grown every year since. This year, we counted 67 New England prospects with 90-plus mph fastballs. That's a 116% increase in five years.
The 90-mph metric is no longer an automatic ticket to D1 baseball. Of the 38 pitchers in the Class of 2026 who have recorded 90-mph heaters, 31 are D1 commits, one is a D2 commit, two are D3 commits, and four remain uncommitted.
Below, we offer a look back at the Velo Watch List Series from previous years. This year, we split the Velo Watch List into four parts -- continuing today with eight left-handed pitchers in the Class of 2026.
