Arm strength is crucial for infielders at every level. In this article, we explore the average arm strength from high school to professional infielders.
85 mph and above is what most professional and high-level collegiate infielders are capable of throwing across the infield. High school infielders that can throw 80 mph and above are considered to have strong arms.
As players progress throughout their careers, improving arm strength is critical. Runners are faster so infielders are expected to make more difficult plays. Especially for third basemen and shortstops, good arm strength is necessary to compete at higher levels.
Arm Strength by Position and Level
Third Base
- Professional: 90 mph +
- Collegiate: 85 mph +
- High School: 80 mph +
Third basemen are required to have strong and versatile arms, meaning they have arm strength at various arm slots. This could be a ground ball deep down the line and the third baseman has to plant their back foot and make a strong throw, or it could be running in on a bunt and throwing off balance. Third basemen often deal with hard-hit ground balls and have little reaction time to set up proper footwork. A strong arm can help make up for these situations as the third baseman can rely on their arm strength if they don’t have the ideal momentum going to first base.
Shortstop
- Professional: 90 mph +
- Collegiate: 85 mph +
- High School: 80 mph +
Much like third basemen, shortstops need to have strong and versatile arms too, and perhaps even more so than third basemen. Ground balls hit deep in the hole, up the middle, or turning double plays are all situations shortstops will need to rely on their arm strength. A shortstop can have all the range in the world, but if he gets ground balls that are too deep to make a strong throw to first, he will have limitations at that position. Even on routine plays, if a hitter is fast and running a sub-4-second home-to-first time, a shortstop will need a strong arm to consistently get these hitters out.
Second Base
Professional: 85 mph +
Collegiate: 80 mph +
High School: 75 mph +
Second basemen are often times converted shortstops who didn’t have the arm strength to stay at shortstop at the next level. This is probably an unfair generalization to elite second basemen. Second base is arguably the most underrated position in terms of difficulty. Routine plays typically don’t require as much arm strength due to the shorter distance to first base, however, a second baseman with great arm strength can be a difference maker. As mentioned earlier, an infielder’s range is only good up to the point they can still make a strong throw to first base. Elite second basemen with good arm strength can extend their range that much further, especially on ground balls up the middle while taking base hits away from hitters.
First Base
Professional: 85 mph +
Collegiate: 80 mph +
High School: 75 mph +
Arm strength is generally the least focused on of the 5 tools when it comes to evaluating a first baseman’s potential at the next level. First base is usually a hitting dominant position, but that’s not to say good arm strength should be looked past. First basemen occasionally have to make throws to second base and third base, but they also serve as a cutoff man on throws from right field for a play at the plate. Any power-hitting first baseman that is also strong defensively is a huge luxury for any team, and will definitely help the player find their way into the lineup more often.
It’s Not Just About The Radar Gun
At every showcase, there are always infielders that take multiple crow hops and forever to get rid of the ball, but they light up a radar gun. Does this translate to a game? Not really. Raw arm strength is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to having a strong arm as an infielder. Above-average runners get to first base around 4 seconds after the ball is put in play. It takes around 2 seconds on average for the ground ball to reach the infielder. After fielding the ball, an infielder is left with only around 2 seconds to throw the ball to first base before the runner is safe. An infielder may have a very strong arm and throw 95 mph across the infield, but if it takes them 2.5 seconds to throw it, the runner will be safe every time.
The next piece of the puzzle is accuracy. A strong throw is only any good if it’s accurate and on target. Inaccuracy will find any infielder forced to move positions or be faced with decreased playing time, even if they throw 95 mph. Elite infielders need to be accurate and quick while still making strong throws. It’s a combination of all these that make infielders great and allows them to keep advancing in their careers.
Train to be Well-Rounded
Hitting numbers on a radar gun is an easy way to measure arm strength and track progress. It’s also a great way to get the attention of scouts, but it is, however, only going to get a player so far. In another article, we dive even deeper into the 5 tools that scouts look at when evaluating players. Arm strength in the form of MPHs on a radar gun may get a player some second looks from a scout, but keep in mind scouts are quickly moving on to evaluating throwing mechanics, accuracy, quickness, etc.
It can be fun to check how hard one is throwing with a radar gun, but it can quickly become a distraction from the skills that may be more critical for in-game performance. Becoming well-rounded and properly developing arm strength that translates directly to the game is the key.
