Check today's pitch count
Enter an age and pitch count to see the daily max and required rest.
Based on the Pitch Smart pitch count limits and required rest recommendations. Days of rest are counted as full calendar days without pitching. Educational tool, not medical advice.
Pitch Smart pitch count limits and required rest
Pitch Smart is the youth pitching guideline program from MLB and USA Baseball. Its guidelines say it is important for each league to set workload limits to limit the likelihood of pitching with fatigue, and that research has shown pitch counts are the most accurate and effective way to do that. Find the age row, then find the column that contains the pitch count to see the required rest before pitching again.
| Age | Daily max (pitches in game) | 0 days rest | 1 day rest | 2 days rest | 3 days rest | 4 days rest | 5 days rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7-8 | 50 | 1-20 | 21-35 | 36-50 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 9-10 | 75 | 1-20 | 21-35 | 36-50 | 51-65 | 66-75 | N/A |
| 11-12 | 85 | 1-20 | 21-35 | 36-50 | 51-65 | 66-85 | N/A |
| 13-14 | 95 | 1-20 | 21-35 | 36-50 | 51-65 | 66-95 | N/A |
| 15-16 | 95 | 1-30 | 31-45 | 46-60 | 61-75 | 76-95 | N/A |
| 17-18 | 105 | 1-30 | 31-45 | 46-60 | 61-80 | 81-105 | N/A |
| 19-22 | 120 | 1-30 | 31-45 | 46-60 | 61-80 | 81-105 | 106+ |
Ages 7 and 8 top out at 50 pitches, so the 3 and 4 day columns do not apply. The 5 day tier for ages 19 to 22 (106 or more pitches) appears on the Pitch Smart ages 19 to 22 page.
Example: a 12-year-old who throws 48 pitches on Saturday falls in the 36 to 50 range, so 2 days of rest are required. Sunday and Monday are rest days, and Tuesday is the earliest he can pitch in a game again.
Other Pitch Smart recommendations by age
The pitch count table is only part of the guidelines. Each Pitch Smart age page also lists yearly limits and habits. These apply to every age group:
- No pitcher should appear in a game as a pitcher on three consecutive days, regardless of pitch counts.
- Players should not pitch in multiple games on the same day.
- Avoid playing catcher while not pitching.
- Avoid playing for multiple teams at the same time, and follow the guidelines across leagues, tournaments and showcases.
- Warm up properly, set and follow pitch count limits and rest periods, and monitor for other signs of fatigue.
| Age group | Innings per year | Time off each year | Also recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 and under | No more than 60 combined innings in any 12 month period | At least 4 months off from throwing, with at least 2 to 3 of those months continuous | Focus on athleticism, fitness, fun and learning the game. Fastballs and changeups only. Play other sports. Pitchers once removed from the mound may not return as pitchers. |
| 9-12 | No more than 80 combined innings in any 12 month period | At least 4 months off from throwing, with at least 2 to 3 of those months continuous | Focus on athleticism, fitness, fun and learning the game. Fastballs and changeups only. Play other sports. Pitchers once removed from the mound may not return as pitchers. |
| 13-14 | No more than 100 combined innings in any 12 month period | At least 4 months off from throwing, with at least 2 to 3 of those months continuous | Breaking pitches can begin after a consistent fastball and changeup. Play other sports. A pitcher who moves to another position can return to pitch once in the rest of the game. |
| 15-18 | No more than 100 combined innings in any 12 month period | At least 4 months off from competitive pitching, including at least 2 to 3 continuous months off from all overhead throwing | A pitcher who moves to another position can return to pitch once in the rest of the game. |
| 19-22 | Keep track across the year. Pitch Smart notes the safe yearly limit varies from pitcher to pitcher. | At least 3 months off from competitive pitching, including at least 4 continuous weeks off from all overhead throwing | Overuse injuries come from both short-term and long-term overuse. |
Limits are ceilings, not targets
A daily max is the most a pitcher should throw on his best day, not a number to chase every outing. The pitchers who handle a full season well are usually the ones who built their arm in the months before it. Treat Pitch Smart as the guardrail and put your energy into the things that raise capacity:
- Build the base before the season. A gradual throwing ramp in the offseason and preseason means game pitch counts land on a prepared arm. The pitching workload calculator shows whether a week is a steady build or a spike.
- Count everything, not just games. Bullpens, long toss and practice throws are not in the pitch count table, but the arm feels them. Showcases and tryouts are where many young pitchers suddenly throw far more than usual.
- Use readiness, not just the calendar. Rest days tell you the minimum. If the arm is still heavy, sleep was short or soreness lingers, the next outing can wait or be shorter.
- Protect the off months. The yearly time off is when tissue recovers and strength work can progress. It sets up the next year's gains.
Arm pain is different from normal fatigue. If a pitcher has pain while throwing, stop and see a qualified clinician.
Check your league's rules
Pitch Smart is a set of recommendations, and organizations write their own rules. Pitch Smart itself says each league, travel team, showcase or tournament should set rules to ensure players follow the guidelines, and that parents and athletes are ultimately responsible for following them across all the teams a player is on during the year.
- Little League: publishes its own regular season pitching rules, with daily limits by league age, calendar days of rest, and a rule that a player who catches four or more innings in a game cannot pitch that day.
- High school: under NFHS rules, each state association writes its own pitch-count-based restriction policy. Check your state association's current policy.
- Travel ball, showcases and college: check the event or conference rules, and track total pitches across every team.
When rules differ, follow the stricter one. For more context, read the safe pitching guidelines overview.
Frequently asked questions
How many pitches can a 12-year-old throw in a game?
Pitch Smart sets a daily max of 85 pitches for ages 11 and 12 (75 for ages 9 and 10). At 66 or more pitches, 4 days of rest are recommended before pitching again.
How many days of rest after 50 pitches?
Two days at every age group in the Pitch Smart table. For ages 7 to 14 the 2-day tier is 36 to 50 pitches, and for ages 15 to 22 it is 46 to 60 pitches.
How many days of rest after 70 pitches?
It depends on age. In the Pitch Smart table, 70 pitches means 4 days of rest for ages 9 to 14 (the 66-pitch-and-up tier) and 3 days of rest for ages 15 to 22 (61 to 75 pitches at 15 to 16, 61 to 80 pitches at 17 to 22). Ages 7 and 8 should not reach 70, because their daily max is 50.
Can a pitcher pitch three days in a row?
No. Pitch Smart says no pitcher should appear in a game as a pitcher on three consecutive days, regardless of pitch counts. Little League has the same rule.
Do bullpens and practice throws count toward the pitch count?
The Pitch Smart table is written for pitches in games. Bullpens, long toss and practice throws are not in that table, but they are still arm workload, so track them separately and keep your weekly total in line with what you have built up to.
Does my league have to follow Pitch Smart?
Pitch Smart is a set of recommendations. Leagues and associations set their own rules. Little League publishes its own pitch count regulation, and each state high school association has its own pitch count policy under NFHS rules. When rules differ, follow the stricter one.
Rest days, built into the plan
Log the game, and Pitch AI plans around it
When you log a game outing with its pitch count, Pitch AI applies the Pitch Smart rest days for your age (ages 9 to 22) and holds high-intent throwing until they have passed. It also tracks your week-to-week throwing workload and adjusts the rest of your program around readiness.
Sources and further reading
- MLB and USA Baseball, Pitch Smart: Guidelines for youth and adolescent pitchers (pitch count limits and required rest)
- Pitch Smart, Ages 8 and under
- Pitch Smart, Ages 9-12
- Pitch Smart, Ages 13-14
- Pitch Smart, Ages 15-18
- Pitch Smart, Ages 19-22
- Little League, Regular season pitching rules
- NFHS, Pitching restriction policies in baseball to be based on pitches, 2016