Pirates Phenom Launches Hardest Hit Ball Ever Recorded

This guy is simply a freak of nature. Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Oneil Cruz on Wednesday night smashed the hardest hit ever recorded in baseball history. He ripped this ball off the wall with an exit velocity of 122.4 MPH. 

Statcast started tracking exit velocities in 2015. Giancarlo Stanton had the previous record of 122.2 mph—but that one ended in a double play ball. Cruz's bomb was off the wall before the broadcaster could even say it. 

The "single" traveled 366 feet before it hit the wall. It would have been a home run in 24 other ballparks.

Oneil Cruz vs Kyle Wright#LetsGoBucs

Single ⚾

Exit velo: 122.4 mph
Launch angle: 17 deg
Proj. distance: 366 ft

This would have been a home run in 24/30 MLB ballparks

ATL (2) @ PIT (0)
🔻 3rd pic.twitter.com/1882LsX4IE

— Would it dong? (@would_it_dong) August 24, 2022

And the 6'7" shortstop Cruz, by the way, also holds the record, believe it or not, for FASTEST THROWN BALL, recorded last month, when he blazed a ball from short to first at 97.4 mph. 

The insanely talented rookie already has 10 HR and 30 RBIs along with 6 SBs in his first 52 major league games. 

This guy truly IS the Cruz Missile. 

Photo: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports