Field-Based Physical and Temporal Correlates of Pitch Velocity in Adolescent Baseball Pitchers (No acronym)

Relationship Between Explosive Strength, Shoulder Flexibility, Sprint Performance, Wind-Up Temporal Characteristics, and Pitch Velocity in Adolescent Baseball Pitchers: A Completed Observational Repeated-Measures Study

This completed observational repeated-measures study examined the relationship between field-based physical and temporal measures and pitch velocity in adolescent baseball pitchers. Six adolescent pitchers were assessed repeatedly over five weeks. The assessment battery included rotational medicine-ball throw distance, countermovement jump height, 30 m sprint time, shoulder flexibility, temporal characteristics of two operational wind-up phases, and pitch velocity measured with a sports radar. No experimental intervention or modification of the athletes' usual training was implemented.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sports; Techniques; Biomechanical Parameters; Young
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Field-Based Performance Assessment Battery

Detailed Description

Pitch velocity is a relevant performance indicator in baseball pitching, particularly during adolescent development, when physical capacities, technical refinement, and sport-specific skill acquisition occur simultaneously. This completed observational study was designed to explore whether field-based measures of explosive strength, shoulder flexibility, sprint performance, and wind-up temporal organization were associated with pitch velocity in adolescent baseball pitchers.

The study used a quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive-correlational, longitudinal repeated-measures design. Six adolescent baseball pitchers were assessed once per week over approximately five weeks, yielding repeated observations nested within each athlete. The study did not involve an assigned intervention, randomization, treatment allocation, or modification of the athletes' usual training process.

The field-based assessment battery included rotational medicine-ball throw distance as an indicator of upper-body rotational explosive performance, countermovement jump height as an indicator of lower-body explosive performance, 30 m flying sprint time as an indicator of sprint performance, shoulder flexibility assessed through a behind-the-back shoulder mobility test, temporal analysis of two operational phases of the pitching wind-up using video, and pitch velocity measured with a sports radar. Wind-up phase 1 was operationally defined as the interval from maximal knee elevation to bilateral foot contact, whereas wind-up phase 2 was defined as the interval from bilateral foot contact to frontal orientation toward the target.

The main analytical purpose was to describe the magnitude and direction of the associations between the field-based measures and pitch velocity while accounting for the repeated-measures structure of the data. Analyses were planned using descriptive statistics and association models appropriate for repeated observations within participants, including mixed-effects models or exploratory correlation procedures when required by the sample size.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 6

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Colombia
  • Antioquia
    • Guarne, Antioquia, Colombia, 054080
      • Tecnológico de Antioquia

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consisted of male adolescent baseball pitchers aged 13 to 14 years from an organized youth baseball training process in Antioquia, Colombia. Participants were healthy athletes involved in regular baseball practice and were assessed using field-based physical, biomechanical, and performance measures related to pitch velocity.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male adolescent baseball players aged 13 to 14 years.
• Regular pitchers or players who performed regular pitching duties within an organized baseball training process.
• Regular participation in baseball training during the assessment period.
• Ability to complete field-based jumping, sprinting, shoulder flexibility, pitching, and video-based wind-up assessments.
• Parent or legal guardian consent and participant assent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Active musculoskeletal injury, relevant pain, or medical restriction limiting participation in jumping, sprinting, or pitching assessments.
• Ongoing physical rehabilitation at the time of assessment.
• Medical contraindication for performing physical efforts consistent with regular baseball practice.
• Insufficient attendance to complete the minimum repeated-measures record required for analysis.
• Withdrawal of parent/legal guardian consent or participant assent.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

Adolescent Baseball Pitchers; Adolescent baseball pitchers who completed repeated field-based assessments of explosive strength, sprint performance, shoulder flexibility, wind-up temporal characteristics, and pitch velocity over approximately five weeks. No intervention or training modification was assigned by the investigators.

Other: Field-Based Performance Assessment Battery; Participants completed a field-based assessment battery including rotational medicine-ball throw, countermovement jump, 30 m flying sprint, shoulder flexibility assessment, video-based wind-up temporal analysis, and radar-based pitch velocity measurement. These procedures were used only for observational assessment and did not constitute an assigned intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pitch Velocity	Pitch velocity was measured in miles per hour using a sports radar during baseball pitches performed with the athlete's usual pitching technique. The best valid attempt was recorded for each assessment session.	At each weekly assessment over 5 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Rotational Medicine-Ball Throw Distance	Distance achieved in a rotational medicine-ball throw, used as a field-based indicator of upper-body rotational explosive performance.	At each weekly assessment over 5 weeks
Countermovement Jump Height	Jump height measured during a countermovement jump, used as a field-based indicator of lower-body explosive performance.	At each weekly assessment over 5 weeks
30 m Flying Sprint Time	Time recorded during a 30 m flying sprint test, used as a field-based indicator of sprint performance.	At each weekly assessment over 5 weeks
Shoulder Flexibility	Shoulder flexibility assessed through a behind-the-back shoulder mobility test, recording the distance or overlap between the middle fingers.	At each weekly assessment over 5 weeks
Wind-Up Phase 1 Duration	Duration of the first operational wind-up phase, defined as the time from maximal knee elevation to bilateral foot contact, assessed using video analysis.	At each weekly assessment over 5 weeks
Wind-Up Phase 2 Duration	Duration of the second operational wind-up phase, defined as the time from bilateral foot contact to frontal orientation toward the target, assessed using video analysis.	At each weekly assessment over 5 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Federal University of Vicosa
• Investigators: Study Director: SAMUEL JOSE GAVIRIA ALZATE, PhD, Tecnológico de Antioquia

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Hernández Sampieri R, Mendoza Torres CP. Metodología de la investigación: las rutas cuantitativa, cualitativa y mixta. Ciudad de México: McGraw-Hill Education; 2018.
• Naclerio Ayllón F, Santos Leyva J, Pantoja García D. Relación entre los parámetros de fuerza, potencia y velocidad, en jugadores de softball. Kronos. 2004;3(6):13-20.
• Cañizares Arteaga R, Peña Malibran JD, Jiménez García R. Estudio del comportamiento de algunas características biomecánicas durante el lanzamiento, en lanzadores de béisbol del equipo de Sancti Spíritus. OLIMPIA. 2020;17:581-592.
• Pérez Martínez I, Martínez García M, Quintana Díaz A. Interrelación entre variables relacionadas con la velocidad del lanzamiento en el béisbol. PODIUM: Revista de Ciencia y Tecnología en la Cultura Física. 2021;16(3):743-756.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 21, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 15, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): September 15, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 24, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 24, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): April 30, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 30, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 24, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: adolescent athletes; biomechanics; baseball; pitching velocity
• Other Study ID Numbers: BASEBALL-PITCH-ANT-OBS-2026

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data will not be shared because the study involved minors and a small sport-specific sample, which may increase the risk of indirect identification. Results will be reported only in aggregate form.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No