The fastest pitch ever recorded in baseball history is a feat that has captured the attention and imagination of fans worldwide. This impressive feat involves a pitcher throwing a baseball at an extremely high velocity, with some clocking in at over 100 miles per hour. Such a pitch requires great skill, strength, precision, and a combination of physical and mental attributes.
Many pitchers have come close to breaking the record for the fastest pitch ever recorded, but only a select few have achieved this distinction.
The feat of throwing the fastest pitch in history is a testament to these pitchers’ incredible talent and dedication, and their feats will likely continue to be remembered and celebrated for years to come.
10. Justin Verlander
Top Speed: 103.2 mph
Birthday: February 20, 1983
Birthplace: Virginia, United States
Pro Career Started: 2005
Team: New York Mets
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Baseball player Justin Verlander is a starting pitcher regarded as one of this generation’s most established and successful pitchers. Since his 2005 debut with the Detroit Tigers, Verlander has spent 17 seasons in the major leagues. Verlander played for the Tigers for 13 seasons before signing with the Houston Astros in 2017.
He is renowned for his endurance and capacity for intense gameplay. He is currently playing for New York Mets. He is Nine-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young Award winner.
Did You Know:
Justin Verlander had Tommy John surgery, which was done on September 30, 2020, which caused him to miss the entire 2021 Major League Baseball Season.
9. Bob Turley
Top Speed: 103.2 mph Birthday: September 19, 1930 Birthplace: Illinois, United States Pro Career Started: 1955 Team: New York Yankees
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Robert Lee Turley, known as “Bullet Bob,” was a pitcher for Major League Baseball. The St. Louis Browns signed Turley as an amateur free agent in 1948. On September 29, 1951, he made his NFL debut for the Browns, who followed him to Baltimore in 1954.
After the 1954 season, he was traded to the New York Yankees, where he played from 1955 to 1962. He spent most of 1963 with the Boston Red Sox after beginning the year with the Los Angeles Angels.
In 1958, his best year, he won 21 games while only losing seven. He received the Cy Young Award as Major League Baseball’s top pitcher and the Hickok Belt as the year’s top professional athlete.
Did You Know:
Before retiring from baseball in 1964, Turley served as the Red Sox’s pitching coach for one season. Turley later earned more money working as a representative for Primerica Financial Services than he did as a professional baseball player.
8. Henry Rodriguez
Top Speed: 103.4 mph Birthday: February 25, 1987 Birthplace: Zulia, Venezuela Pro Career Started: 2009 Team: Miami Marlins (2014)
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Former MLB relief pitcher Henry Rodriguez once had a fastball speed record of 103.4 mph. On September 21, 2009, he made his major league debut, and on May 12, 2014, he played his final game. He was a member of the Marlins, Athletics, Cubs, and Nationals.
Rodriguez concluded his career with a 5-7 record, a.417 winning percentage, 150.1 innings pitched, a 4.31 ERA, 11 saves, and 151 strikeouts in 150 games. Between 2011 and 2013, while playing for the Nationals, he had his best season, earning four victories and eleven saves.
7. Andrew Cashner
Top Speed: 103.3 mph Birthday: September 11, 1986 Birthplace: Texas, United States Pro Career Started: 2010 Team: Boston Red Sox (2019)
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Former MLB starting pitcher Andrew Cashner once had a fastball speed record of 103.3 mph. On May 31, 2010, he made his MLB debut, and on September 28, 2019, he played his final game. He played for the Marlins, Padres, Cubs, Orioles, Red Sox, and Rangers.
With 300 games played, a 57-87 record, a.396 winning percentage, 1,196.0 innings pitched, a 4.10 ERA, three complete games, three shutouts, one save, and 901 strikeouts, Cashner concluded his major league career (188 starts). Three times, he finished with 10 or more victories (2013, 2017, 2019).
Did You Know:
The Cashner Family Foundation, “Pitching for a Cause,” which supports hospitals and communities on behalf of young patients, was founded by Cashner, his brother, and his sister. The foundation was inspired by their observation of their mother’s battle with breast cancer in 2004 and the subsequent loss of a leg due to septic shock in 2015.
6. Neftali Feliz
Top Speed: 103.4 mph Birthday: May 2, 1988 Birthplace: Azua, Dominican Republic Pro Career Started: 2010 Team: Milwaukee Brewers (2017)
photo source: bleacherreport.net
Former MLB relief pitcher Neftali Feliz once held the record for the fastest fastball, reaching 103.4 mph. He debuted on August 3, 2009, played his final game in the MLB in 2021, and is currently a member of the Mexican League. He played with the Los Angeles Dodgers for most of his career.
In his 10 years in the major league, Feliz has a 21-20 record, a.512 winning percentage, 393.1 innings pitched, a 3.55 ERA, one complete game, 107 saves, and 366 strikeouts in 362 games played. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2010 and was once an All-Star.
Did You Know:
In 2010, Natali Feliz was named the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year. Feliz has also represented the Dominican Republic in international tournaments, including the World Baseball Classic. In 2011, Feliz set a record for most saves by a rookie in a single season, with 40.
5. Ben Joyce
Top Speed: 104.0 mph Birthday: September 17, 2000 Birthplace: Tennessee, United States Pro Career Started: 2022 (drafted) Team: Los Angeles Angels (minors)
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A 104.0 mph fastball was once credited to current college baseball reliever Ben Joyce, a pitcher. He is currently the pitcher for the University of Tennessee Volunteers, but he has room to rise in the rankings in the future. His most recent fastball was recorded at 104.0 mph.
He can throw with power consistently, as evidenced by the 102 and 103 mph fastballs he threw before the 104.0 mph fastball. If he can stay healthy—he has already recovered from one serious injury, so let’s hope that’s it—he has a promising future ahead of him.
4. Joel Zumaya
Top Speed: 104.8 mph Birthday: November 9, 1984 Birthplace: California, United States Pro Career Started: 2006 Team: Detroit Tigers
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The Tigers selected Zumaya in the 11th round of the 2002 MLB Draft, as the 320th overall pick, out of Bonita Vista High School. Although his strong arm made him a good candidate, it was unclear whether he could master adequate control or an off-speed pitch. However, his 100 mph fastball and pumped-up demeanor are well-known.
With 171 games played, a 13-12 record, a.520 winning percentage, 209.2 innings pitched, a 3.05 ERA, 5 saves, and 210 strikeouts, Zumaya concluded his major league career. However, early in his career, injuries plagued him, and eventually, he needed Tommy John surgery, which ended his career.
3. Aroldis Chapman
Top Speed: 106.0 mph Birthday: February 28, 1988 Birthplace: Holguin, Cuba Pro Career Started: 2010 Team: New York Yankees
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A 106.0 mph fastball was once credited to current MLB relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman. He debuted on August 31, 2010, for the Cincinnati Reds and has been a member of the New York Yankees since 2016. He also played for the Cubs for a while.
With 624 games played throughout his 12-year career, Chapman has a 40-31 record, a.563 winning percentage, 603.2 innings pitched, 306 saves, and 1,002 strikeouts. He has been an All-Star seven times, helped the Cubs win the World Series in 2016, and was named Reliever of the Year in 2019.
Did You Know:
Aroldis Chapman has won numerous awards and accolades, including the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award in 2016 and 2017.
2. Bob Feller
Top Speed: 107.6 mph Birthday: November 3, 1918 Birthplace: Iowa, United States Pro Career Started: 1936 Team: Cleveland Guardians
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When Bob Feller was 17 years old and just off his family’s farm in Van Meter, Iowa, he made his major league debut. Because of his devastating fastball and high strikeout totals in his rookie season, Feller gained the moniker “Rapid Robert.”
In August, he started in a major league game and struck out 15 St. Louis Browns. He set an American League rookie record for strikeouts in a game by fanning 17 Philadelphia Athletics a month later. After finishing his rookie season, Feller returned to Iowa to finish his high school career; NBC Radio covered his graduation.
He won 266 games during his career and struck out 2,581 batters, a record at his retirement.
Did You Know:
Bob Feller was a professional baseball player who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1936 to 1956. He served in the United States Navy during World War II and missed nearly four seasons of his career. In 1962, Bob Feller was enlisted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1. Nolan Ryan
Top Speed: 108.1 mph Birthday: January 31, 1947 Birthplace: Texas, United States Pro Career Started: 1966 Team: Texas Rangers
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Nolan Ryan has the fastest baseball pitch ever, with a top speed of 108.1 mph. Ryan‘s legendary fastball never seemed to lose its potency throughout his record-tying 27-season career. At the time of his retirement, he held the records for no-hitters (seven), strikeouts (5,714), and wins (324).
Midway through the 1960s, Ryan joined the Mets organization, where he helped the team win the World Series in 1969. But Ryan didn’t start shattering records until he was traded to the California Angels after the 1971 campaign.
Ryan had a 19–game winning streak, and 329 batters retired in his first year with the Angels. The following season, he pitched his first two no-hitters and set a new modern-era single-season record with 383 strikeouts.
Did You Know:
In 1999, Nolan Ryan was enlisted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, which is generally reserved for players who have retired from the game for at least five seasons.