Exit Velocity is a hitting metric that measures the speed of a batted ball directly after being hit.
Average Exit Velocity ranges depending on the playing level. The average MLB exit velocity of all batted balls is roughly 89 MPH, with elite hitters averaging around 92 mph.
To evaluate the best power hitters in the game we can look at their max exit velocity to evaluate how hard they are physically able to hit a baseball. Some of the best hitters in the league can display max exit velocities of over 110+ mph.
Generating a high Exit Velocity is a fundamental goal of all hitters, as the harder you hit a ball the higher probability of it being a hit.
Measurement
You can measure EV directly in a variety of ways. Ball tracking systems like Hawkeye, Trackman, Hittrax, and Rapsodo are all effective technologies that measure EV.
The combination of strength, swing mechanics, and how well we impact a ball, can ultimately determine how much force is generated and transferred from the bat to the ball, which is the driving factor for producing a high Exit Velocity.
Applications
Having a strong knowledge of Exit Velocity can be useful in many areas including player development, scouting, and player evaluation. You can refer to your Exit Velocity numbers over time to track your progress in a training program and determine if your results are desirable based on whether your exit velocity is increasing or decreasing.
Understanding Exit Velocity, specifically the ranges, and averages across playing levels, is a crucial component of effective scouting and player evaluation. For example, if we are scouting two college hitters, let’s say Player A is hitting .400 with an average exit velocity of 80mph and max EV of 92 mph. Player B is hitting .295 with an average exit velocity of 88 mph and a max EV of 104.
You may be inclined to believe that Player A is the better hitter based on his batting average, however, a trained scout is going to pay close attention to Player B because he is consistently hitting the ball at Major League exit velocities.
You can use Exit Velocity to evaluate not only hitters but also pitchers, with a metric known as “EV Against”. Since the best hitters tend to consistently produce the hardest-hit balls, then the best pitchers must be adept at limiting consistent hard contact. Therefore, a pitcher with a low “EV Against” in relation to their peers at their playing level can be a strong indicator of limiting hard contact.
You can find Exit Velocity numbers of your favorite MLB players through Statcast online leaderboards, which rank every player’s average and max EV for the current season.
Summary
Hitting the ball hard should be a primary focus of all hitters when stepping up to the plate. Exit Velocity can give objective data as to how hard balls are hit, and measuring this can help you evaluate a player’s overall potential for power.
Related Links
https://www.insiderbaseball.com/blog/2020/03/barrels_exit_velocity.html
https://www.mlb.com/glossary/statcast/exit-velocity
https://www.infieldfundamentals.com/understanding-exit-velocity/
https://rapsodo.com/what-is-exit-velocity-and-how-to-increase-it/
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