Let’s take a look back at the first week (kinda) of the hardest-hit shots in Major League Baseball. Data is per Statcast through Sunday’s games.
10. Kyle Schwarber – 112.5 MPH
Against the Nationals on Opening Day, Schwarber lined a single to center off MacKenzie Gore in the top of the second, with a bat speed of 77.2 MPH (elite) and an xBA of .920. It was the only hit Gore would give up all day.
9. Aaron Judge – 113.1 MPH
I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of this from Judge in 2025. On Sunday, the reigning AL MVP smoked an Aaron Civale cutter 410 feet to left field for a home run – a shot that would have been a nuke in 30/30 ballparks.
8. Julio Rodriguez – 113.3 MPH
Sunday was a big day for this list! This absolute moon shot was a no-brainer from git. 81.6 MPH bat speed, 30/30 parks would have kissed this one goodbye. JP Sears wants that slider back. That specific one. Encouraging sign from Julio, who struggled quite a bit last season.
7. William Contreras – 114.4 MPH
Not to be outdone by Aaron Judge’s first-inning shot, Contreras lined an absolute seed in the sixth frame off Mark Leiter Jr. on Sunday. Though the result was an out (with an xBA of .820, sigh), Contreras certainly took it for a ride.
6. Aaron Judge – 115.0 MPH
One of the 47 home runs hit this game from Saturday afternoon, Judge tattooed a first-inning offering from former teammate Nester Cortes (cutter) deep into the left field bleachers – with a launch angle of 30 degrees and a bat speed of 77.8 MPH. Aaron Judge does not take it easy on baseballs (or former teammates).
5. Oneil Cruz – 115.0 MPH
Last season’s reigning masher (121.5!!!), Cruz is already ripping the seams off baseballs early in 2025. This Friday night blast – a 381-foot missile that wrapped around the right field foul pole in right – would have been a scud in 29/30 ballparks (not in Coors Field, though, can you believe that?). This man routinely crushes baseballs, get used to seeing his name here.
4. Ryan Mountcastle – 115.7 MPH
Big week for Mountcastle’s exit velocities, starting with this double from Opening Day. This missile smoked off Jose Berrios (sinker) in the second inning and comes in with a bat speed clocked at 84.7 MPH and an xBA of .840.
3. Corbin Carroll – 115.7 MPH
Suffering the same fate as Contreras’ laser from Sunday, Carroll’s entry this week (Friday night) was a line out to right field. It was still a smoke show, traveling 300 feet with an xBA of .800. Corbin had a couple of contenders this week, so maybe the shoulder is OK after all?
2. Jordan Walker – 116.5 MPH
Making his case to stick in the bigs, Walker came out SWINGING with this single to left off Pablo Lopez to lead off the second inning. Ripped just inside the third base line, Walker’s elite bat speed on this one (81.9 MPH) resulted in a batted ball with an xBA of .720.
1. Ryan Mountcastle – 116.7. MPH
This week’s top shot also comes from Sunday via Ryan Mountcastle – his second entry on this list (both topping 115.0, I might add). Mountcastle’s single (first pitch swinging, btw) to left in the fourth off Chris Bassitt (faulty splitter) clocked a bat speed of 83.6 MPH (elite-elite) with an xBA of .830.
