local
The heat is on: The average MLB fastball velocity is up for the 6th straight year to 94.7 mph
By Ronald Blum, Associated Press at KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC)
· July 12, 2026
· 4 min read
Chad Tracy notices how much baseball has changed in the 13 years since he took his last big league at-bat.“You watch a Triple-A game, most everybody that’s coming out of the bullpen left-handed or right-handed is throwing 95-plus,” the Boston Red Sox manager said. “Back in the day, it was you'd g...
Key takeaway “You watch a Triple-A game, most everybody that’s coming out of the bullpen left-handed or right-handed is throwing 95-plus,” the Boston Red Sox manager said.
Why this matters in The Piney Point
The rising velocity of MLB fastballs has implications for local baseball fans in Piney Point Village , who may be watching the next generation of pitchers develop in the Houston area. As the average velocity continues to increase, it's likely that local youth baseball programs and training facilities will adapt their coaching and instruction to emphasize the biomechanics of pitching, as mentioned by Athletics pitcher Hogan Harris. This could lead to a new wave of talented young pitchers emerging from the Houston area, potentially even from Piney Point Village itself. With the increased emphasis on velocity, local fans may also see changes in the way pitchers are developed and utilized by the Houston Astros, who may prioritize recruiting and developing pitchers with high velocity potential. As the trend continues, it will be interesting to see how local baseball programs and the Astros organization respond to the evolving landscape of pitching in MLB.
About this story
Original reporting by KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) . The Piney Point surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: July 12, 2026 ·
Source: KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) ·
Reading time: 4 min
Get more The Piney Point stories like this
Free weekly briefing covering local and other local news. Curated by our editorial team. No spam.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy . Unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Chad Tracy notices how much baseball has changed in the 13 years since he took his last big league at-bat.“You watch a Triple-A game, most everybody that’s coming out of the bullpen left-handed or right-handed is throwing 95-plus,” the Boston Red Sox manager said. “Back in the day, it was you'd g...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 12, 2026 by KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) and curated for The Piney Point readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Ronald Blum, Associated Press at KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC). To learn more about how The Piney Point selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Piney Point, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
← Back to all news
More local →
Today’s briefing
Subscribe to newsletter