Peak Lower-Extremity Power Unadjusted for Body Mass Predicts Fastball Velocity in Collegiate Baseball Pitchers.

Abstract

King, BW, Snow, TK, and Millard-Stafford, M. Peak lower-extremity power unadjusted for body mass predicts fastball velocity in collegiate baseball pitchers. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-The relationship between lower-extremity power production and fastball velocity in collegiate pitchers remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between lower-extremity power and throwing velocity in 33 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I baseball pitchers. Lower-extremity power was quantified using countermovement jump (CMJ) testing on force plates and the Wingate anaerobic cycling test. In-game fastball velocities were collected using TrackMan technology. Pearson correlations and linear regressions were used to evaluate the association between lower-body power and fastball velocity. The strongest predictor of peak fastball velocity was body mass ( r = 0.58, p = 0.0004), followed by lean mass ( r = 0.52, p = 0.002). Peak power (W) produced on the Wingate and CMJ tests were each statistically significant predictors of peak velocity ( r = 0.44, p = 0.011; r = 0.43, p = 0.014, respectively), but CMJ power relative to body mass ( r = 0.19), jump height ( r = 0.07), and Sparta Scores ( r = -0.06) were not ( p > 0.05). Linear regression indicated Wingate and CMJ absolute peak power tests each independently explained 19% of the variance in fastball velocity but added little to the model when combined with body mass (∼34 vs. 32% of total variance). Because total body mass and lower-body power are important predictors of pitching velocity, absolute power output is a more relevant predictor of baseball pitching velocity than lower-body power variables influenced by body mass (e.g., jump height and Sparta Score).