What is the fastest pitch in college history?
The fastest recorded pitch in college baseball history belongs to Ben Joyce, according to the MLB. On May 1, 2022, Joyce threw a 105.5 mph ball for the Tennessee Volunteers in a game against Auburn.
He played college baseball at the University of Tennessee, where he gained acclaim for throwing the fastest pitch in college baseball history at 105.5 miles per hour (169.8 km/h). Joyce was selected by the Angels in the third round of the 2022 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut in 2023.
On September 24, 2010, against the San Diego Padres, Chapman was clocked at 105.1 mph (169.1 km/h), according to PITCHf/x, the fastest pitch ever recorded in Major League Baseball.
Joyce went viral last May for throwing a pitch 105.5 mph for the University of Tennessee. Since he became a professional, Joyce's pitching velocity has hit 104 mph during big league spring training (Joyce was a non-roster invite this year).
Ryan's pitch was measured at 10 feet in front of home plate. When the proper adjustments are made, his 100.9 mph fastball becomes closer to 108.5 mph. If you are keeping score, that is about 3.5 mph faster than Chapman's fastest pitch on record. All hail the Ryan Express!
Best Record in College Baseball History – Most Wins
The record for the most wins in a single college baseball season belongs to the Arizona Wildcats, who won 58 games in the 1986 season.
The number of pitchers who can break the 100 MPH has gone up dramatically in the last decade, with one who can throw 105. But breaking 110 MPH is nearly impossible, due to the physical limitations of human bones, muscles, and ligaments.
More and more pitchers are throwing triple digits. The fastest of them tops out at 105 MPH. WIRED examines why the 110 MPH fastball is almost impossible.
Many high school pitchers are consistently throwing in the low to mid-80s mph by their junior year, with some notable athletes hitting the upper 80s or low 90s mph. Senior pitchers often have the fastest pitching speeds, ranging from the mid-80s to the low 90s mph.
Ruth was an extremely skilled pitcher, throwing the ball at a speed of over 100 miles per hour. He was even faster when he batted, swinging the bat so fast that it looked like a blur on TV. In 1934, Ruth set single-season home run records and became one of baseball's most legendary players.
What is the hardest pitch to hit in baseball?
The hardest pitch to hit in baseball is the splitter, followed closely by the slider. Hitting a baseball is extremely difficult for a variety of different reasons. Pitches vary in speed, movement, and breaking point.
The Mechanics of How to Throw a 100 mph Fastball
As the pitcher brings their arm forward, they extend their elbow and snap their wrist, releasing the ball with a flick of the fingers. This motion, known as "pronation," helps to create the spin on the ball that gives it its movement.
In the prime of his career, Johnson's fastball was clocked as high as 102 mph (164 km/h), with a low three-quarters delivery (nearly sidearm). His signature pitch was a slider that broke down and away from left-handed hitters and down and in to right-handed hitters.
In his earlier years, his fastball consistently approached 95 mph, but by the end of his career he was topping out around 85 to 90 mph. For his major-league career, Jim Abbott won 87 games and lost 108 with a 4.25 earned run average.
Randy Johnson: 102 MPH
Johnson's blazing pitch was recorded in 2004 while he was starting for the Arizona Diamonbacks.
By the time Clemens retired from Major League Baseball in 2007, his four-seam fastball had settled in the 91–94 mph range. He also threw a two-seam fastball, a slider in the mid 80s, his hard splitter, and an occasional curveball.
He is sacred.” Koufax was an American baseball legend. He possessed a 100-mph fastball and what announcer Vin Scully called “a twelve-to-six curveball” that started at 12 o'clock then dropped to 6 o'clock. From 1963–1966, he had the best four-year span of any pitcher in baseball history.
Velocity Myth #2: “I Throw 90”
Despite it being more common than ever, still, very few pitchers can do this. On the average Division-I baseball team, each team usually has 4-8 players capable of touching 90mph, though perhaps only 1 or 2 who can average it.
| Most Runs in an Inning | ||
|---|---|---|
| Wichita State - 21 (Mar 3, 1984) Penn - 21 (May 25, 1983) | ||
| Texas Tech | Mar 15, 2022 | 16 |
| Western Carolina | Feb 18, 2022 | 16 |
| Wake Forest | Feb 18, 2022 | 16 |
Which MLB team has the best record through 70 games? The 1912 New York Giants have the best all-time record through 70 games. They went 56-14 in the first 70 games, and eventually finished the season at 103-48.
What is the longest winning streak in college baseball?
| Team | Year | NUMBER OF GAMES |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1982 | 33 |
| Utah Valley | 2012 | 32 |
| Fresno St. | 1988 | 32 |
| Arizona St. | 1972 | 32 |
A 95-mph fastball is traveling about 139 feet-per-second. That means it takes about 0.425 seconds to reach the plate. That's less than half a second for hand-eye coordination to do its thing and make a connection.
The Guinness Book of World Records still acknowledges Nolan Ryan's 100.9-mph pitch in 1974 as the fastest ever recorded. Yet pitchers Joel Zumaya and Mark Wohlers have since thrown 104- and 103-mph fastballs, respectively, since Ryan's throw, but Guinness didn't certify the results from the guns used to measure them.
The average fastball for these senior-level pitchers is 90 mph, but there will always be a few guys who can light up the radar gun close to 100 mph. At the lower levels of college baseball, there will still be guys in the low to mid-80s.
Prototypical Division I pitching recruits throw anywhere between 87 and 95 MPH on a consistent basis. It is important to remember that coaches are looking for pitchers to consistently throw at this velocity, not just touch it every once and a while.
In high school, most pitchers between 13 and 14 years old can throw between 60 and 75 mph. As they advance to the 15-16 age group, their average pitch speeds range from 70 to 80 mph. Elite high school pitchers can reach up to 90 mph or more in exceptional cases.
Taller pitchers are more intimidating, throw on a greater downhill plane, and release the ball closer to the plate.
A faster pitch is harder to hit than a slower one, but a batter who can do it may score a home run.
Prototypical Division I pitching recruits throw anywhere between 87 and 95 MPH on a consistent basis. It is important to remember that coaches are looking for pitchers to consistently throw at this velocity, not just touch it every once and awhile.
Mantle, when batting left-handed was timed running from home-plate to first base in 3.1 seconds (the fastest time of any player in history), this is incredible feat.
How fast did Bob Gibson throw?
How fast was Bob Gibson's Fastball? Bob Gibson's 4-seam fastball “sat” between 92-95 mph in the sample I considered. It's likely he actively varied his grip or intended velocity, producing a high velocity range, measured at 87-95, with numerous indications that he regularly exceeded 95 mph.
1. Babe Ruth, 575 Feet (1921) Although there are multiple tales of Babe Ruth's hitting his mythical home run beyond 600 feet, no accurate measuring tools existed during his playing days.
The 12–6 curveball, unlike the normal curveball (also referred to as the "11 to 5 curve" or a "2 to 8 curve" for its motion), breaks in a downward motion in a straight line. This explains the name "12–6", because the break of the pitch refers to the ball breaking from the number 12 to the number 6 on a clock.
The first pitch that must be mastered is the four-seam fastball. This is usually the easiest pitch to throw for a strike. If released properly, four laces of the ball rotate through the air, helping to keep the throw in line with the target.
Aroldis Chapman's 105. 8 mph fastball is the fastest pitch recorded in baseball history. On that same day, Chapman threw a 105.4 mph pitch, the third-fastest pitch ever.
In the low-80s is a good estimate. Check out the velocity chart in this article that uses physics data from one of the world's baseball physics experts, Dr. Alan Nathan. His calculator of fly ball distance is a great estimator, and it shows that somewhere between 77-82 is needed to throw approximately 300 feet.
A 1.5 power-to-weight ratio would be an accurate requirement for a pitcher to have the power to produce a 90+ mph fastball. I have seen pitchers with at least a 28-inch vertical who can do the same. I have never seen a pitcher with a vertical jump under 25 inches who can throw 90 mph.
- Side-Lying Windmill (Maintain Your Mobility) ...
- Skater Jump w/ Band (Use Lateral Exercises) ...
- Bulgarian Split Squat (Train On One Leg) ...
- Kneeling Anti-Rotation Chops (Hip & Shoulder Separation)
Bill "Spaceman" Lee threw an eephus referred to as the "Leephus", "spaceball" or "moon ball". Pitching for the Boston Red Sox against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 7 of the 1975 World Series, the Red Sox were up 3–0 when, on a 1–0 count, Lee threw an eephus pitch to Tony Pérez with a runner on base.
He struck out the Pittsburgh Pirates' Tucupita Marcano on three pitches in about 20 seconds at an exhibition game in Bradenton, Florida. (Watch the video below.) Pitching data analyst Codify called it the “the quickest strikeout in baseball history.”
What pitches did Nolan Ryan throw?
Ryan was a right-handed pitcher who consistently threw pitches that were clocked above 100 miles per hour (161 km/h). He maintained this velocity throughout his pitching career. Ryan was also known to throw a devastating 12–6 curveball at exceptional velocity for a breaking ball.
James Anthony Abbott (born September 19, 1967) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the California Angels, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers, from 1989 to 1999.
Abbott's career is an incredible one, and this no-hitter achieved 20 years ago today was his single greatest professional game. As if a no-hitter in a professional game wasn't impressive enough, Abbott also achieved this feat at a major physical disadvantage: Jim Abbot was born without a right hand.
Miller threw nine more four-seamers over his next three innings. “He throws 100 mph.
Thus, tales of Nolan Ryan's 108.1 mph fastball in 1974 or Bob Feller's 107.6 mph pitch in 1946 remain unofficial.
The first pitcher to hit 100 MPH beyond a shadow of a doubt was Atlanta Braves pitcher Nolan Ryan. Ryan's pitch clocked in at 100.9 MPH, which gave him the title of having thrown the fastest pitch ever. In September 2010, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman threw a pitch that registered a speed of 106 MPH.
Tennessee Vols right-handed pitcher Ben Joyce has turned into a household name this season thanks to his electric fastball that has reached 105 MPH on the radar gun.
Louis righthander Jordan Hicks has thrown the most 100-mph pitches this year (110). Hicks hit 100 mph more times in April than the entire league did in April just five years ago (92 in 2018). And yet, batters hit .
That's when, Johansson kicked a 69-yard field goal against East Texas State, becoming the record-holder for the longest field goal in college football history. Homecoming weekend brought the crowd on Oct. 16, 1976 to Abilene Christian University and Shotwell Stadium.
Division 1: 63 MPH or faster. Division 2: 58 MPH or faster. Division 3 and NAIA: 55 MPH or faster. Junior College: 54 MPH or faster.
What minor league pitcher throws 110 mph?
Before his throw, Kopech said Braves prospect J.B. Moss issued a challenge to reach that velocity. "Right before I threw it -- I had thrown one that was 106 -- he said, 'You haven't done anything yet unless you throw 110,'" Kopech said. "I didn't even say anything back -- I just stepped up and threw it.
The first 100 MPH pitch in the MLB was Nolan Ryan's 1974 fastball clocked at 100.9 MPH. However, today's pitchers use a variety of methods to measure their pitches' speed, including radar guns and video footage.
Ben Joyce is unbelievable. The Angels already employ two of the most impressive players in baseball: Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.
Koufax was an American baseball legend. He possessed a 100-mph fastball and what announcer Vin Scully called “a twelve-to-six curveball” that started at 12 o'clock then dropped to 6 o'clock. From 1963–1966, he had the best four-year span of any pitcher in baseball history.
Wilt Chamberlain has posted the most points in a game with exactly 0 missed field goals, with 42 points versus the Baltimore Bullets on February 24, 1967.
The Broncos kicker slugged a 64-yard field goal in December of 2013 against the Titans. It didn't finish the game off but it did send Denver to the halftime tunnel extremely pumped up. Justin Tucker is responsible for the longest field goal in NFL history.
The longest punt in NCAA history is a boot of 99 yards, struck by Nevada's Pat Brady, in October of 1950. The longest punt in NFL history travelled 98 yards, off the foot of Steve O'Neal, of the New York Jets, in September of 1969.
| Pitchers | D1 | D3 |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 5'9″ | 5'6″ |
| Velocity | 60+, 63+ top | 55+ |
| ERA | 1.0 or less | 2.0 |
However, it is scientifically proven that softball is harder than baseball. The speed of pitches, the reaction time for hitters and fielders, and the distance of the field indicates that softball is indeed harder than baseball.
What is the fastest pitch ever thrown? Aroldis Chapman officially holds the Guinness World Record for fastest baseball pitch with a 105.8 mph fastball. On Sept. 24, 2010, the Cincinnati Reds' pitcher set the record with a high-velocity pitch against the San Diego Padres.
