Misiorowski Fires 105.5 mph Fastball, Sets Starter Record in Brewers' 6-2 Win

Q: With 105.5 mph now tied, could Jacob Misiorowski be the first pitcher to officially break the 106 mph barrier?

Yes—Misiorowski looks like one of the best bets to do it, but he would not be the first pitcher ever to get there if he reaches 106 mph. The key distinction is between tying 105.5 mph and breaking 106. Misiorowski’s 105.5 mph fastball matches Ben Joyce for one of the fastest pitches in the Statcast era, but Aroldis Chapman still owns the top official marks at 105.7 and 105.8 mph. That means the official 106 mph barrier has not yet been broken, so Misiorowski could become the first to do it. The case for him is strong. He is not just touching elite velocity once; he is sustaining it as a starter, which is far rarer than doing it in short relief bursts. He leads MLB in 100-plus mph pitches, has already set the starter record at 104.5 mph, and his average fastball sits near 100 mph with unusual extension and carry that make it play even faster. His recent run of dominance also suggests his mechanics and command are holding up under extreme effort. Still, it is not a certainty. Chapman’s 105.8 remains the official benchmark, and crossing from 105.5 to 106.0 is a meaningful jump at the outer edge of human pitching velocity. Health, workload, game situation, and whether he airs it out in a shorter outing or relief role could all matter. So the answer is yes: Misiorowski could be the first to officially break 106 mph, and based on current evidence, he is a credible candidate to do it soon.

Q: Beyond raw speed, what unique physics of his fastball makes it nearly unhittable for major league sluggers?

What makes Jacob Misiorowski’s fastball nearly unhittable is not just 105 mph velocity, but the way its flight defies a hitter’s visual expectations. His four-seamer combines elite speed with extreme extension, unusual carry and a very flat entry into the strike zone, shrinking reaction time while making the ball appear to stay higher than it should. Misiorowski releases the ball about 7.5 feet closer to the plate than most pitchers, giving him one of the best extension marks in the sport. That turns his already elite 99.8 mph average fastball into a perceived velocity of roughly 101.9 to 102.5 mph. Hitters are effectively seeing the pitch later and having less time to decide. The more unusual trait is the shape of the pitch. Despite a relatively low release height of about 5.25 feet and a crossfire delivery, he still generates around 15.9 inches of induced vertical break. In practical terms, the backspin helps the ball resist gravity enough that it appears to “ride” or stay on plane rather than drop normally. That produces a very low vertical approach angle, about minus-3.66 degrees, meaning the ball enters the zone flatter than hitters expect. To a batter geared for a normal downhill fastball, Misiorowski’s pitch can look almost uphill, leading to swings underneath it or weak contact. That combination of elite extension, carry and flat approach angle is why his fastball has produced a whiff rate above 45% and why even major league sluggers struggle to square it up.

3 articles · Updated · Milwaukee Journal Sentinel · Jun 27

105.5 mph came on Jacob Misiorowski’s third pitch to Pete Crow-Armstrong, breaking his own 104.5 mph mark for the fastest pitch ever tracked by a starting pitcher.
12 first-inning fastballs all reached at least 102 mph, and Misiorowski said adrenaline against Crow-Armstrong helped produce the pitch even though he felt his front foot slip.
49 pitches hit 100 mph or better as the Brewers right-hander worked six innings on 107 pitches, allowing two hits and one run with eight strikeouts and four walks to improve to 9-3.
105.5 mph also tied for the third-fastest pitch tracked by any pitcher; only Aroldis Chapman’s 105.8 and 105.7 mph deliveries have been faster.