FREE SHIPPING ON SELECTED BRANDS & NO SALES TAX
FREE SHIPPING & NO SALES TAX
Take $100 Off Orders Over $2000! | CODE
$100 OFF CODE
WELCOME
The pitcher's mound sits 60 ft 6 in from the back point of home plate at the MLB, NCAA and NFHS high school level, with a mound height of 10 in and an 18 ft diameter circle. Little League Majors (ages 9-12) use a 46 ft distance and a 6 in mound, while fastpitch softball uses a flat 16 ft diameter circle instead of a raised mound, pitched from 43 ft (adult/high school) down to 35 ft for 10U. The exact numbers change by level, so use the tables below to match your league's rulebook before you build or buy.
"Pitcher's mound dimensions" is really shorthand for three separate measurements: distance from home plate, mound height, and mound diameter. The table below lines them up for baseball.
| Level | Pitching Distance | Mound Height | Mound Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLB / NCAA / NFHS High School | 60 ft 6 in | 10 in | 18 ft |
| Little League Majors (9-12) | 46 ft | 6 in | 10 ft |
| Little League Intermediate (50/70) & many 13-14U leagues | 50 ft | 8 in | Varies by league |
| Pony / 54-ft leagues | 54 ft | 8 in | Varies by league |
At the MLB/NCAA/NFHS level, the pitching rubber (pitcher's plate) itself measures 24 in long by 6 in wide. Diameters for the Intermediate and Pony distances aren't standardized the way the 18 ft and 10 ft circles are, so check with your specific league before pouring concrete or ordering clay.
The headline number most people search for is how far the pitcher's mound is from home plate, and the answer depends entirely on the level of play. At MLB, NCAA and NFHS high school fields, the pitching rubber is set 60 ft 6 in from the back point (apex) of home plate. The center of the 18 ft mound circle is actually 59 ft from that same point, because the rubber is positioned 18 in behind the center of the circle — a detail that matters when you're laying out the mound rather than just placing the rubber.
For youth baseball, the little league mound distance is shorter: 46 ft for Little League Majors (ages 9-12). As players move up, Intermediate (50/70) and many 13-14U leagues move the rubber back to 50 ft, and Pony or other 54-ft leagues push it to 54 ft. Softball doesn't use a mound at all — pitchers work from a flat circle, and distances there are covered in the softball section below.
Mound height is measured as the elevation of the pitching plate above the level of home plate. At the MLB, NCAA and NFHS level, that height is 10 in. Little League Majors mounds are lower, at 6 in, while Intermediate (50/70) and Pony-distance mounds are built to 8 in. Softball fields have no mound height at all, since fastpitch and slowpitch both pitch from a flat, level circle.
| Level | Mound Height |
|---|---|
| MLB / NCAA / NFHS High School | 10 in |
| Little League Intermediate (50/70) & Pony (54 ft) | 8 in |
| Little League Majors (46 ft) | 6 in |
| Softball (all fastpitch/slowpitch distances) | Flat, no mound |
This is also why portable pitching mounds are commonly sold in 4 in, 6 in, 8 in and 10 in heights — those four heights cover the range of mound elevations used from entry-level youth ball up through high school and college.
The pitcher's mound shape at the MLB/NCAA/NFHS level is a circle 18 ft in diameter, not a simple hump. On top of that circle sits a flat table, or plateau, measuring 5 ft wide by 34 in deep. The pitching rubber sits within that plateau, with the flat area extending 6 in in front of the rubber and 22 in behind it.
In front of the plateau, the mound slopes down toward home plate. The slope begins 6 in in front of the rubber and drops at a rate of 1 in per 1 ft over a 6 ft run, taking the surface from the 10 in mound height down to 4 in. This gradual, consistent slope is what lets a pitcher stride and land safely as they deliver the ball.
Softball fields skip the raised mound entirely and use a flat pitching circle 16 ft in diameter (an 8 ft radius) centered on the pitcher's plate. The pitcher's plate itself measures 24 in by 6 in, the same footprint as a baseball rubber, but it sits flush with the ground.
| Level | Pitching Distance | Circle Diameter |
|---|---|---|
| NCAA / High School / Adult Women (fastpitch) | 43 ft | 16 ft |
| 12U and younger youth (fastpitch) | 40 ft | 16 ft |
| 10U (fastpitch) | 35 ft | 16 ft |
| Adult Slowpitch (ASA/USA Softball) | 50 ft | 16 ft |
Because the circle diameter stays the same (16 ft) across fastpitch and slowpitch levels, the main variable to plan for is pitching distance, which shortens as age level drops.
Youth baseball is set up as a progression of distances and heights as players get older and stronger. Little League Majors, for players roughly 9-12 years old, uses a 46 ft distance with a 6 in mound and a 10 ft diameter circle. As leagues transition players toward the full high school distance, Intermediate (50/70) play and many 13-14U leagues move to 50 ft with an 8 in mound, and Pony or other 54-ft leagues use 54 ft, also with an 8 in mound. Each step up in distance is paired with a taller mound, easing players toward the 60 ft 6 in, 10 in mound they'll see in high school, college and professional baseball.
Before building or ordering a mound, think about the full footprint, not just the pitching distance. An MLB/NCAA/NFHS mound occupies an 18 ft diameter circle, while a Little League Majors mound only needs a 10 ft diameter circle — nearly half the space. Softball needs no elevated structure at all, just a level 16 ft diameter circle, which makes it easier to fit on shared or multi-use fields. Also account for the fact that the rubber sits 18 in in front of the mound's true center on full-size fields, so the circle extends further behind the rubber (toward the plateau's 22 in rear edge) than in front of it. If you're using a portable mound, match its height (4 in, 6 in, 8 in or 10 in) to the level you're building for so the slope and plateau feel correct to pitchers moving between practice and game surfaces.
Dimensions referenced in this guide reflect rules maintained by Major League Baseball (MLB), the NCAA, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), Little League International, and USA Softball/ASA for fastpitch and slowpitch specifications. Always confirm current measurements with your specific league or governing body before construction, since local leagues sometimes adopt their own variations for distances like Intermediate (50/70) and Pony play.
Ready to build or upgrade your mound? Browse pitching mounds and field defense equipment for full-size and game-level mounds, check out portable game and practice mounds for adjustable-height options across youth to high school levels, find a compliant pitching mound rubber to match your rulebook, and outfit your cage or bullpen with a reliable pitching machine for repeatable practice reps.
At MLB, NCAA and NFHS high school level, it's 60 ft 6 in from the back point of home plate. Little League Majors use 46 ft, Intermediate (50/70) and many 13-14U leagues use 50 ft, and Pony/54-ft leagues use 54 ft.
MLB, NCAA and NFHS mounds are 10 in high. Little League Intermediate and Pony-distance mounds are 8 in, and Little League Majors mounds are 6 in. Softball has no raised mound.
Little League Majors (ages 9-12) pitch from 46 ft, with a 6 in mound height and a 10 ft diameter mound circle.
It's an 18 ft diameter circle (at the MLB/NCAA/NFHS level) with a flat 5 ft by 34 in plateau on top holding the rubber, and a sloped front section dropping 1 in per 1 ft for 6 ft toward home plate.
It varies by level: 43 ft for NCAA, high school and adult women's fastpitch, 40 ft for 12U and younger, 35 ft for 10U, and 50 ft for adult slowpitch.
Both baseball and softball pitching rubbers measure 24 in long by 6 in wide.
The softball pitching circle is 16 ft in diameter (an 8 ft radius) around the pitcher's plate, and it's flat rather than raised.
