The man who threw the fastest pitch in MLB history

Countries & Cities · Published 13 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Jordan Hicks didn't just throw hard; he redefined the limits of human velocity. In 2018, he clocked a pitch at 105.1 mph, joining an elite tier of power pitchers. But his journey from inconsistent mechanics to record-breaking speed reveals the grueling physical toll of professional baseball.

Jordan Hicks first gained national attention in 2018 after making the St. Louis Cardinals' Opening Day roster as a non-roster invitee. Although he had never appeared beyond High-A, his debut against the New York Mets saw him record a daily peak average fastball speed of 100.4 mph. On May 20, 2018, he reached the pinnacle of power pitching by throwing a 105.1 mph pitch—the fastest in MLB history to that date, a record he shares with Aroldis Chapman.

His path to elite velocity was marked by significant physical hurdles and mechanical refinement. Early in his career, Hicks struggled with inconsistent mechanics. It wasn't until pitching in an All-Star game where he intentionally threw as hard as possible—hitting 100 mph twice—that his mechanics began to stabilize. This progression continued through the Arizona Fall League after 2017, where he regularly surpassed the 100 mph mark. However, this pursuit of speed came with a cost: in 2019, he underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow following a torn ulnar collateral ligament.

Hicks's career has been defined by constant adaptation across multiple teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants. While his velocity was a primary weapon—averaging 100.9 mph as the fastest four-seam fastball in MLB in 2019—his role shifted significantly with the Giants. To preserve his arm over longer stretches as a starter, he intentionally lowered his output, rarely exceeding 96 mph during that transition. This highlights the complex trade-off between raw power and longevity in modern baseball.

Beyond his physical feats, Hicks manages Type 1 diabetes, which he was diagnosed with while a junior in high school. His career also includes historical anomalies, such as being involved in a spring training at-bat in 2021 that lasted 22 pitches—the longest in Major League history.

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