The science of playing baseball in the Mile High City

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(DENVER) — It’s almost time for baseball season to begin in Colorado. But as the season begins, you may be wondering how the gameplay is affected by Colorado’s higher altitude.

Coors Field in Denver sits at 5280 feet in elevation, which is exactly one mile high. According to Baseballprospectus.com, Denver has long been viewed as a batter’s paradise and a pitcher’s nightmare. That’s because the air density in Denver is approximately 80% thinner than that at sea level, and Colorado typically sits at an average humidity of 30%. Here is how that higher altitude, thinner air density, and lack of humidity affect the game.

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Altitude on Pitched Baseballs: According to Alan M. Nathan at the Physics department at the University of Illinois, pitched baseballs will be a little bit quicker in Coors than at a lower altitude location like Fenway. Nathan said, “…since a baseball loses 10% of its speed in Fenway, the average speed is about 95% of its peak speed. At Coors, the baseball loses only 8% of its speed, so that the average speed is about 96% of its peak speed or about 1 mph faster. This effect is quite small, and batters can easily adjust to it.” For example, he said, “an overhand curveball will drop about four inches less at Coors [and] an overhand fastball will drop about four inches more at Coors…. Generally speaking, less break or movement favors the batter,” Nathan said.

Altitude of Batted Baseballs: The thinner air density also results in reduced drag on the ball. This will result in longer fly balls. There is a force called the Magnus force, which is also at play, according to Nathan, that reduces the distance, but when all is said and done, the reduced drag wins out over the reduced Magnus force so that fly balls typically travel about 5% farther at Coors than at Fenway. A 380-foot drive at Fenway will travel nearly 400 feet at Coors, enough to make the difference between a warning path flyout and a home run.

The effect of dry air: Beginning in 2022, the Colorado Rockies began to store their baseballs in a humidor at a constant 50% relative humidity and 70 degrees Fahrenheit as opposed to the more typical 30% humidity in Denver. During the period from 2002-2010, the Coors ratio decreased to 2.39, a reduction of 25%, while the away game ratio stayed constant at 1.86. There was an immediate and significant reduction in the number of home runs, which aided in fair play in Denver. You can read more about the effect of the humidor here.

The Rockies’ home opener at Coors Field in Denver is scheduled for Friday, April 3, 2026, against the Philadelphia Phillies.

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The science of playing baseball in the Mile High City

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