60 yard dash- How quickly can you run 60 yards? This is the universal metric to measure speed in baseball. It is very common in most showcase or pro workout events. The top runners will run 6.3 seconds and below. A great benchmark, especially for younger high school players, is below 7.00 seconds on the 60 yard dash. Depending on what position you play, the 60 yard dash may carry a higher value. For example, CF is a premiere position in baseball. Usually coaches will put their best outfielder in CF, because they need to cover the most ground. So it is clear as to why speed is very important for center field. On the other hand, the 60 is less important for catchers. Now this isn’t a free pass to run a 8.5 60 yard dash. Scouts are definitely interested in the 60 yard dash for catchers, but the 60 yard dash definitely carries more weight for the center fielders.
Outfield Velocity- How fast do you throw the baseball while playing the outfield? This is a universal metric to measure outfield arm strength. Typically this measurement is taken with players set up in right field where they will be hit ground balls and/or fly balls. After fielding the ball, the player will make throws to third base. Scouts will look at the velocity of the baseball, but also the carry of the baseball, how long it takes the player to transfer the ball from glove to hand, the player’s ability to throw the ball on a line or throw the ball on a long hop, among other specifics coaches may prefer in an outfielder.
Exit Velocity- How hard do you hit the baseball? This is the universal metric for how hard you can hit the ball. This metric measures how hard the ball is coming off of the bat. Many times this metric gets confused with actual bat speed. Bat speed is just how fast the bat is moving. Bat speed will be lower than the exit velocity in a given swing. Exit velocity gives you great information on you as a hitter, but it does not give you the full story. Let me explain. So you went to a showcase as a 15U player. You have an exit velocity of 82. That is awesome! While this is definitely above average for your age group, does this mean that you are going to hit a ton of home runs every weekend? Absolutely not! You need to stay on a line. The point being, you need to understand yourself as a hitter. What are your strengths? According to how hard I consistently hit the ball, what type of hitter do I profile as?
What are the metrics for an outfielder that affect the QScore?
How do I improve my QScore as an outfielder?
Updated over 11 months ago