Fastest Pitchers in Baseball History
In baseball, a pitch is a throw of the ball by the pitcher toward home plate with the intention of getting the batter to swing and miss or hit the ball in a way that the defense can make an out. The pitcher is the player who throws the pitch, and they are one of the most important players on the field. Pitchers use a variety of different types of pitches to try to deceive batters and get them out. Some common types of pitches include:
- Fastball: A pitch thrown with maximum velocity, usually straight and aimed at the center of the strike zone.
- Curveball: A pitch that is thrown with a lot of spin, causing the ball to curve or break as it approaches the plate.
- Slider: A pitch that looks like a fastball, but has a sharp, late break to the side.
- Changeup: A pitch thrown with the same arm action as a fastball, but with a slower speed and less spin, designed to deceive the batter into swinging early.
- Split-finger fastball: A pitch that is thrown with a grip that spreads the fingers apart, causing the ball to dip or drop as it approaches the plate.
Pitchers also use a variety of strategies to try to get batters out, such as changing the location of their pitches, varying the speed of their pitches, and mixing up the types of pitches they throw.
Pitchers are often considered to be some of the most valuable players on a baseball team, as they have a huge impact on the outcome of the game. Successful pitchers need to have good physical attributes, such as arm strength and coordination, as well as mental attributes, such as focus and strategic thinking.
Top 10 Fastest Pitchers in Baseball History
Here is the Top 10 Fastest Pitchers in Baseball history.
|
S.No |
Fastest Pitchers |
|
1 |
Nolan Ryan |
|
2 |
Bob Feller |
|
3 |
Aroldis Chapman |
|
4 |
Jordan Hicks |
|
5 |
Steve Dalkowski |
|
6 |
Joel Zumaya |
|
7 |
Neftali Feliz |
|
8 |
Justin Verlander |
|
9 |
Mauricio Cabrera |
|
10 |
Henry Rodriguez |
Here is the brief description of the above pitchers.
1. Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan, who played for 27 seasons (1966, 1968-93) in various teams including the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers, was a right-handed thrower with a pitch speed of 108.5 miles per hour in 1974. His fastball was famously fast, enabling him to throw seven no-hitters during his career. Ryan was also an eight-time All-Star and an eleven-time MLB strikeout leader (1972-74, 1976-79, 1987-90), as well as a two-time NL leader (1981, 1987). He was a member of the MLB All-Century Team and won the World Series championship in 1969. The legend of the “Ryan Express” began during his time as a star pitcher for Alvin (Texas) High School, where opposing coaches would sometimes choose to take an out rather than send their batters up against him.
2. Bob Feller
Bob Feller, who played for the Cleveland Indians for 20 seasons (1936-41, 1945-56) as a right-handed thrower, had a top speed of 107.9 miles per hour in 1940. Although pitch-tracking was not advanced in the 1940s, historical evidence was enough to place Feller on the list of great pitchers. The speed of his pitches was measured by cartography or by timing pitches against motorcycles. Feller, who died in 2010, missed three seasons in his prime while serving in World War II from 1942 to 1944. Despite this, he threw three no-hitters during his career. Feller’s career highlights include being a World Series champion in 1948, a Triple Crown winner in 1940, an eight-time All-Star (1938-41, 1946-48, 1950), and a six-time AL wins leader (1939-41, 1946-47, 1951), as well as an AL ERA leader in 1940.
3. Aroldis Chapman
Aroldis Chapman, a left-handed thrower who has played for the Cincinnati Reds (2010-15), New York Yankees (2016, 2017-present), and Chicago Cubs (2016), has the record for the fastest recorded pitch in MLB history, reaching 105.1 miles per hour against Tony Gwynn Jr. on Sept. 24, 2010. Chapman’s top speed of 105.8 miles per hour was recorded in 2010, making him one of the fastest pitchers in baseball history. In 2015, all 77 of the fastest-clocked pitches in MLB belonged to Chapman, which is an impressive but unknown stat in baseball history. Despite his impressive pitching ability, it should not be overlooked that Chapman committed an act of domestic violence that should have resulted in a prison sentence. However, he was allowed to continue playing in MLB and eventually became a U.S. citizen. Chapman’s career highlights include being a World Series champion in 2016 and a seven-time MLB All-Star (2012-15, 2018, 2019, 2021), as well as being named the AL Reliever of the Year in 2019.
4. Jordan Hicks
Jordan Hicks, a right-handed pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, made his MLB debut at the age of 21, just two years after turning pro, following his draft in the third round of the 2015 MLB draft. Hicks is a Texas native who left Tulane to play professional baseball.
In his first MLB season, Hicks set an average velocity record of 100.4 miles per hour, and within a month, he threw a pitch at an incredible speed of 105.1 miles per hour. Unfortunately, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in June 2019, which kept him away from baseball for almost two years. Then he opted out of the 2020 season due to the pandemic.
He made his comeback to the majors in 2021, appearing in ten games, with ten strikeouts and ten walks in ten innings. Although Hicks does not yet have any notable career highlights, he has plenty of time to make a name for himself in the MLB.
5. Steve Dalkowski
Steve Dalkowski, a left-handed pitcher who played in the minor leagues for 10 seasons (1957-66), is renowned for his top speed of 105.0 miles per hour, although the exact figure is unknown. Despite never playing in the majors, Dalkowski’s name cannot be left out of any list of the fastest pitchers ever. He signed with the Baltimore Orioles for a $4,000 signing bonus after high school and pitched in 236 minor league games. Dalkowski was the inspiration for the character “Nuke” Laloosh in the movie “Bull Durham” and was portrayed by Tim Robbins. According to Sports Illustrated’s Pat Jordan, Dalkowski struck out more batters and walked more batters per nine innings than any other professional pitcher in baseball history, although many of the stories about him may have been exaggerated. In nine full minor league seasons, he recorded 1,396 strikeouts and 1,354 walks in 995 innings. Dalkowski passed away in 2020 at the age of 80.
6. Joel Zumaya
Joel Zumaya, a right-handed pitcher who played for the Detroit Tigers for five seasons (2006-2010), threw at a top speed of 104.8 miles per hour in 2006, but did not have any career highlights. He was drafted by the Tigers in the 11th round of the 2002 MLB draft and appeared in 171 career games, with a career ERA of 3.05. Ivan Rodriguez, a Hall of Fame catcher, claimed that Zumaya was the hardest-throwing pitcher he had ever caught. However, Zumaya’s career was short-lived because he struggled to develop a secondary pitch, which limited him to being a middle reliever and setup man. Despite his talent, a series of injuries ultimately ended his career. His first injury was an unusual one, as he missed the 2006 American League Championship Series after injuring his wrist playing the video game “Guitar Hero.”
7. Netfali Feliz
Neftali Feliz, a right-handed pitcher, played for ten seasons (2009-2017, 2021) on various teams, including the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He threw at a top speed of 103.4 miles per hour in 2010 and had a successful career, highlighted by being named an MLB All-Star and the American League Rookie of the Year in 2010. Feliz made his MLB debut at the age of 21 and made an immediate impact by earning 38 saves that season and securing the final three outs of the American League Championship Series, sending the Texas Rangers to their first-ever World Series appearance. Unfortunately, Feliz also gave up a crucial triple against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, costing the Rangers the championship.
8. Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander, a right-handed pitcher, has been an elite player in Major League Baseball for nearly 20 years and is considered one of the greatest pitchers of all time. He has had a remarkable career and is a guaranteed first-ballot inductee into the Hall of Fame, regardless of whether he decides to continue playing or not.
Verlander has an impressive list of achievements, including winning the World Series with the Houston Astros in 2017, being named American League Most Valuable Player in 2011, leading the AL in strikeouts five times, leading the majors in wins three times, and throwing three no-hitters. He has been an All-Star eight times (2007, 2009-13, 2018, 2019), won two AL Cy Young Awards (2011, 2019), and an AL Triple Crown in 2011.
9. Mauricio Cabrera
Mauricio Cabrera, a right-handed pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, achieved a top speed of 103.2 miles per hour in 2016. He had a brief career of one season, during which he made his MLB debut at the age of 22 and played in 41 games. Although he had no career highlights, Cabrera had an impressive rookie season, earning a record of 5-1 with six saves and a 2.82 ERA. However, his inability to develop other pitches led to a short-lived career in the majors. Cabrera’s brother, Alberto, also played in the majors.
10. Henry Rodriguez
Henry Rodriguez, a right-handed pitcher, played for the Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs, and Miami Marlins during his six-year career in the majors from 2009 to 2014. In 2010, he achieved a top speed of 103.2 miles per hour. Although he had no career highlights, Rodriguez pitched in 150 games and recorded 151 strikeouts. His arm strength was his greatest asset, but his inability to develop effective secondary pitches limited his success in the majors. Rodriguez struggled with control issues throughout his career, preventing him from becoming a full-time closer. He had a career walk rate of 5.6 per nine innings and led the National League in wild pitches in both 2011 and 2012, despite pitching only 21 innings in each year.
TRENDING
What is the fastest MLB pitch in history?
Nolan Ryan made his debut for the New York Mets in 1966 and retired from the Texas Rangers in 1993 at the age of 46. During his 27-year career in Major League Baseball, he had a win-loss record of 324-292, pitched in 807 games, and threw 222 complete games with 61 shutouts. Ryan pitched an astonishing 5,386 innings and struck out 5,714 batters, averaging more than one strikeout per inning. Even more impressive is the fact that he only walked 2,795 hitters, which means he struck out more than twice as many batters as he walked. Ryan’s lifetime earned run average (ERA) was 3.19, and he had eight seasons in which his ERA was below 3.00. In 1981, he had an ERA of 1.69, but he only pitched in 21 games that year. If his first and last years are excluded, he never had an ERA above 4.00.
Despite his incredible statistics, Ryan only appeared in the postseason five times, as he was often on mediocre or poor teams. His team’s win-loss percentage was .500 during his time in the two leagues. He played in only one World Series, in 1969 with the Mets, where he was 2-0 in the postseason.
Throughout his career, Ryan played for teams that were generally not very good, including the Mets, Angels, Astros, and Rangers. If he had played for better teams, such as the Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, or Baltimore Orioles, his record would likely have been even more impressive.
Despite the limitations of the teams he played for, Nolan Ryan’s dominance on the mound with his fastball and curveball makes him one of the most remarkable pitchers of all time, and many consider him to be the greatest.
Conclusion
Pitching in baseball is an art that requires a combination of physical and mental attributes. One of the most important aspects of pitching is velocity, as the speed of the pitch can greatly affect a bater’s ability to hit it. The top ten fastest pitchers in baseball history include Nolan Ryan, Bob Feller, Aroldis Chapman, Jordan Hicks, Steve Dalkowski, Joel Zumaya, Neftali Feliz, Justin Verlander, Mauricio Cabrera, and Henry Rodriguez. Each of these pitchers has left a mark on the game with their incredible speed, and their achievements are a testament to their skill and dedication. Pitchers continue to push the limits of what is possible, and it will be interesting to see how this list evolves in the future.
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