The outstanding thing about the 11 seasons we have of Statcast data is that we can measure speed in myriad ways. Pitch velocity goes back to 2008, but we now have more than 10 seasons’ worth of baserunning times, exit velocities and arm strength measurements from non-pitchers.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the speediest plays in tracking history. The Statcast speed Hall of Fame, if you will.
Fastest position player throw: 105.7 mph, Brenton Doyle, Sept. 2, 2023
Doyle’s arm has been special since he reached the Majors in 2023 — and presumably long before that, too. He was in the 99th percentile in arm strength in both 2023 and ‘24, and he’s 97th percentile this year. The throw that got him in the record books wasn’t actually an assist, which we tend to give extra attention to because of the direct impact on the game, but it certainly was warranted and key. With a two-run lead in the ninth and a runner on third, Doyle uncorked a 105.7 mph throw to the plate, holding the runner and turning a potential sac fly into a mere flyout.
Fastest assist: 105.5 mph, Aaron Hicks, April 20, 2016
This throw stood as the fastest-tracked of any kind by a position player — assist or not — from early in the second season of Statcast in 2016 until the Doyle throw noted above. With the bases loaded and one out, Hicks pulled off the double play, catching a fly ball from Yonder Alonso and then throwing home to get Danny Valencia trying to score. Like with Doyle’s, this is one that just looks fast.
Fastest assist by an infielder: 99.8 mph, Elly De La Cruz, July 20, 2023
It should come as no surprise that De La Cruz has this record. He has four of the five fastest-tracked assists by infielders under Statcast — because of course he does. This record-setter wasn’t a classic throw from short to first, but rather a relay throw. Left fielder Will Benson fielded a double, threw to De La Cruz, and De La Cruz unloaded to catcher Luke Maile to get the runner trying to score from first. Another throw you can feel the speed of just watching the highlight.
Hardest-hit ball: 122.9 mph, Oneil Cruz, May 5, 2025
Since Statcast’s inception, Giancarlo Stanton had been in a class of his own with respect to exit velocity, without a doubt hitting the ball harder than anyone else measured. Then along came Cruz. Now, when we talk about those extremes, it’s that duo. In 2022, Cruz hit a ball 122.4 mph, taking the crown for hardest-hit batted ball from Stanton. Then on May 25 this season, he broke his own record, crushing a 122.9 mph home run.
Most 120+ mph batted balls: 16, Giancarlo Stanton
We will briefly stray from fastest individual plays to acknowledge Stanton for having the most fast plays in the exit velocity department. His 16 batted balls of at least 120 mph are by far the most. Cruz is the only other player to even have multiple (six).
Fastest home-to-home time: 13.85 seconds, Byron Buxton, Aug. 18, 2017
The inside-the-park home run is one of the most exciting plays in baseball, no matter who is running. Add a known speedster to the equation, and it becomes even more electric. Buxton set this record in 2017 and still remains the only player to circle the bases in under 14 seconds. He has No. 2 on the list, too, at 14.05 seconds in ‘16.
Fastest home-to-third: 10.39 seconds, Billy Hamilton, May 26, 2018
Hamilton was the original Statcast speed darling. This 2018 triple set a record at 10.39 seconds that hasn’t been touched since. He had two sub-10.5-second home-to-third times in his career under Statcast. All other players combined over these past 11 seasons have one — by Kevin Kiermaier.
Fastest over-the-wall home run trot: 15.88 seconds, Adam Rosales, June 25, 2017
Speeding around the bases when you have to — for a triple or an inside-the-parker — is one thing. Doing so when the ball goes over the wall and you have all the time in the world is another thing entirely. Rosales was the undisputed champion of the fast home run trot during his career. He has each of the top three spots on the list, with the fastest being 15.88 seconds on a lead-extending, ninth-inning home run at now-Rate Field in 2017.
Fastest pitch: 105.8 mph, Aroldis Chapman, Sept. 24, 2010
For the rest of these categories, we have data starting in 2008. Chapman has led this category for a long time. His fastest pitch was 105.8 mph in 2010. There have been 12 pitches tracked at 105.0 mph or faster since ‘08. Chapman has thrown all but three of those — with Jordan Hicks having two and Ben Joyce the other. More on each of those pitchers below.
Fastest pitch as a starter: 103.2 mph, Jordan Hicks as opener, July 12, 2022, and 103.1 mph, Justin Verlander as traditional starter, Oct. 13, 2011, American League Championship Series Game 5
Hicks has been known for his aforementioned velocity since his career began. He has been both a starter and a reliever at different times, but this particular 103.2 mph pitch came in a start where the intent was not a deep outing. Officially, it’s the fastest pitch by a starter. But since this wasn’t a game in which he was in the traditional starter’s role, we’ll note another pitch as well. Justin Verlander was frequently atop velocity leaderboards for starters in the early years of pitch tracking. Until 2022, Verlander’s 103.1 mph to Adrian Beltre was the only 103-plus mph pitch tracked by a starter. Now it’s one of three, along with two from Hicks, both in that July 12 game.
Fastest strikeout pitch: 105.5 mph, Ben Joyce, Sept. 3, 2024
There’s a reason his nickname in college at Tennessee was the Volunteer Fireman. The one 105 mph pitch from Joyce we mentioned earlier? Yeah, it was a strikeout. Chapman had a 104.4 mph strikeout on Aug. 7, 2016, that had been the fastest for a while. Then on Aug. 3, 2024, Joyce set the record at 104.7 mph. Four days later, and eight years to the day from the 104.4 mph strikeout, Chapman tied Joyce’s record with a 104.7 mph strikeout of his own. A month after his initial record-setter, Joyce set the standard even higher with a 105.5 mph strikeout, which has not been touched since.
Fastest strikeout pitch by a starter: 102.6 mph, Tarik Skubal, May 5, 2025
To start with, please note the date. We got two Statcast Hall of Fame plays on the same day, not long apart — this strikeout and Cruz’s 122.9 mph home run. This strikeout was the finishing touch on a next-level masterpiece from Skubal. He threw a shutout with 13 strikeouts and no walks on just 94 pitches. The 102.6 mph strikeout was his 94th pitch to end it. You don’t get extra credit here for style and drama, but if such a boost was available, this play would get it. The record had been a 102.4 mph strikeout by Hunter Greene on Sept. 17, 2022.
Most 100+ mph pitches in a game: 47, Hunter Greene, Sept. 17, 2022
As with Stanton and exit velocity, we will briefly stray from individual plays to recognize Greene, who generates more 100 mph pitches than any other starter. He has each of the six highest single-game totals for 100 mph pitches. The most was 47. There have been eight outings of at least 30 pitches at 100 mph under pitch tracking — seven by Greene and one by Jacob deGrom in 2021.
As high-velocity pitches become more prolific, all kinds of results on those pitches become more frequent, too. In the first two seasons of pitch tracking, there were two home runs on 100 mph pitches: one in 2008 by Nick Swisher and one in ‘09 by Jonny Gomes. Now, there have been more than 90 since tracking began, including the playoffs. On Aug. 13, 2017, Rafael Devers homered off a 102.8 mph pitch. That stood for a while, until Josh Bell homered off a 102.9 mph offering on Aug. 2, 2024. That stood for about a month and a half, until Ian Happ took one 103.2 mph deep on Sept. 17.
