Jacob Misiorowski's fastball has been clocked at 104.3 mph, the highest velocity ever recorded in a professional baseball game.
Misiorowski's dominance on the mound has been well-documented this season, with a 12-strikeout performance against the Colorado Rockies being one of the highlights. The right-hander has been so good that if he posted a league-average ERA for the remaining 42 innings he needs to qualify for the ERA title, he would still rank second in the NL in ERA and third in MLB overall.
Through 120 innings this season, Misiorowski has been throwing heat, with 42.1% of his four-seam fastballs reaching triple digits. This is a feat that only a handful of starting pitchers have achieved, with Hunter Green and Jacob deGrom being the only others to reach double digits in this stat.
Misiorowski's extension, or the distance from his hand to the plate, is a key factor in his perceived velocity. At 6-foot-7, he releases the ball as close to the plate as anyone, making it even harder for batters to react.
His low arm angle and high spin rate also contribute to the effectiveness of his fastball. According to Statcast, Misiorowski's four-seamer is third in spin rate in MLB this season.
Control is also not a problem for Misiorowski, as he ranks 45th out of 401 pitchers with at least 100 four-seam fastballs and sinkers in the zone this season. When you exclude the middle-middle part of the zone, he ranks 36th.
While it's difficult to compare pitchers across eras, Misiorowski's fastball is likely the fastest in baseball history. Even the notoriously hard-throwing pitchers of the past, such as Bob Feller and Nolan Ryan, may not have been able to match Misiorowski's velocity if they had access to modern training and techniques.
Misiorowski's success is not just due to his fastball, however. His movement and placement are also elite, making him a formidable opponent for any batter. As one article noted, "Good luck to the hitter when 'The Miz' is on the mound."
The implications of Misiorowski's dominance are significant. If he continues to throw at this level, he may well win the NL Cy Young Award this year.
Source: Yahoo Sports