Baseball Pitch Count Rule OK’d By IHSAA Executive Committee
October 7, 2016 at 4:08 p.m.
Baseball Pitch Count Rule OK’d By IHSAA Executive Committee
By Jason Wille-
No pitcher may throw more than 120 pitches in a varsity level game/calendar day or 90 pitches in a sub-varsity level game/calendar day. Anyone who throws at least 36 pitches in a varsity contest or 26 in a sub-varsity contest must receive one day of required rest. Additionally, any pitcher who throws more than 60 pitches over two days will be required one day of rest.
If a pitcher reaches the maximum number of pitches in a pitch count level (see table below), during an at-bat, the pitcher may complete the at-bat without moving to the next pitch count level. Any replacement pitcher will have a maximum of 16 warm-up throws.
Schools also will be mandated to use a pitch count chart, provided by the IHSAA, for each pitcher on the team and submit updated pitching statistics to their school administrators following each game. The use of an ineligible pitcher in a game shall result in the forfeiture of that game.
The new pitch count policy is a result of a new rule announced by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in July requiring states to develop their own policies after it was determined that a pitching restriction rule should be based on the number of pitches thrown instead of the previous method of innings pitched.
IHSAA Assistant Commissioner Phil Gardner and a committee of 10 baseball coaches from around the state met this summer to script Indiana’s policy which now becomes effective immediately. It will be formally ratified by the IHSAA Board of Directors at its May 1, 2017 meeting.
Previously, IHSAA rules limited a pitcher to no more than 10 innings in any three consecutive calendar days.
Additional recommendations in the rule include: every school should use a mobile app to count pitches; the school of a pitcher who has reached a maximum pitch count should carefully consider an appropriate fielding position for that pitcher after considering the fielding position’s throwing requirements; to allow for growth and arm strength, every school should develop a pitching philosophy that includes the instruction of proper throwing mechanics, broadening the number of players who become pitchers on the team, and develop a "work up" plan so that a pitcher is not throwing the maximum allowable pitches from the first day of competition; every school should provide an additional day of rest for those pitchers that throw more than 70 pitches, and every school’s coaching staff should learn the behaviors of their pitchers and recognize each pitcher’s "fatigue threshold.”
Pitching Limits
Varsity Level
Pitches Required Rest
1-35 0 days
36-60 1 day
61-80 2 days
81-100 3 days
5 101-120+ 4 days
Sub-Varsity Pitch
Count Level
Pitches Required Rest
1-25 0 days
26-35 1 day
36-60 2 days
61-80 3 days
81-90+ 4 days
No pitcher may throw more than 120 pitches in a varsity level game/calendar day or 90 pitches in a sub-varsity level game/calendar day. Anyone who throws at least 36 pitches in a varsity contest or 26 in a sub-varsity contest must receive one day of required rest. Additionally, any pitcher who throws more than 60 pitches over two days will be required one day of rest.
If a pitcher reaches the maximum number of pitches in a pitch count level (see table below), during an at-bat, the pitcher may complete the at-bat without moving to the next pitch count level. Any replacement pitcher will have a maximum of 16 warm-up throws.
Schools also will be mandated to use a pitch count chart, provided by the IHSAA, for each pitcher on the team and submit updated pitching statistics to their school administrators following each game. The use of an ineligible pitcher in a game shall result in the forfeiture of that game.
The new pitch count policy is a result of a new rule announced by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in July requiring states to develop their own policies after it was determined that a pitching restriction rule should be based on the number of pitches thrown instead of the previous method of innings pitched.
IHSAA Assistant Commissioner Phil Gardner and a committee of 10 baseball coaches from around the state met this summer to script Indiana’s policy which now becomes effective immediately. It will be formally ratified by the IHSAA Board of Directors at its May 1, 2017 meeting.
Previously, IHSAA rules limited a pitcher to no more than 10 innings in any three consecutive calendar days.
Additional recommendations in the rule include: every school should use a mobile app to count pitches; the school of a pitcher who has reached a maximum pitch count should carefully consider an appropriate fielding position for that pitcher after considering the fielding position’s throwing requirements; to allow for growth and arm strength, every school should develop a pitching philosophy that includes the instruction of proper throwing mechanics, broadening the number of players who become pitchers on the team, and develop a "work up" plan so that a pitcher is not throwing the maximum allowable pitches from the first day of competition; every school should provide an additional day of rest for those pitchers that throw more than 70 pitches, and every school’s coaching staff should learn the behaviors of their pitchers and recognize each pitcher’s "fatigue threshold.”
Pitching Limits
Varsity Level
Pitches Required Rest
1-35 0 days
36-60 1 day
61-80 2 days
81-100 3 days
5 101-120+ 4 days
Sub-Varsity Pitch
Count Level
Pitches Required Rest
1-25 0 days
26-35 1 day
36-60 2 days
61-80 3 days
81-90+ 4 days
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