How fast does a baseball come off the bat? Whether it is a metal, composite, or wooden bat, they all hit the ball with great power, and it shoots off at tremendous speed. Some record shots have gone up to a few hundred miles per hour, such as Oneil Cruz‘s 122.4 mph hit during the Pittsburgh Pirates versus Atlanta Braves game.
The physics behind the home runs that make the crowd soar in joy is quite a complex chain of events. It begins with the batsman standing firm, setting their feet on the ground, turning their hips and core inwards, and raising the bat as the ball approaches. The swing of the bat is not just through the shoulders, but the power originates from the player’s feet on the ground, the twist of their hip and core, and the contraction of upper body muscles that transfer the force from feet to the core and from the arms to the bat.
Understanding how to take a swing is vital to understanding the exit velocity of a baseball. In this article, we will take an in-depth look into all the factors that contribute to baseball’s exit speed.
Factors Affecting Hit Speed
A pitch can be knocked out of the park or end up a dull shot. Several factors determine the outcome of a pitch. We will discuss these factors in detail, as ball speed cannot be determined accurately without the knowledge of these factors.
The skill of the batsmen
Of course, the batter’s skill is a big part of how fast a baseball comes off the bat. The natural talent, technique, and experience of a baseball player all come into play here. An amateur baseball player cannot hit the ball as hard or with as much accuracy as a major league pro. It’s not just about hitting hard, getting the ball impact right in the center of the cylindrical bat, the ball flying in the intended direction, and the ball going enough distance in different grounds. All of these are things a batsman must think about and execute with pristine skill for a hard hit.
The pitcher’s speed
You may have heard the phrase “got a strong arm,” it means the pitcher’s shoulder is strong enough to withstand the sheer stress of rotation as they throw the ball from a long distance. For the pitch to be blazing fast, you better have a strong arm.
As it is with the batsmen, a pitcher’s throw also involves similar physics of energy transfer from core to shoulder to wrist till the final release of the ball from their hand. Pro league pitchers have thrown pitches of such speeds that only a slow-motion camera or a pro batsman can notice.
But how does this affect shot speed? As Sir Isaac Newton states in his third law of motion, “Every action has an equal but opposite reaction.” The faster the ball is flying towards the bat, the greater the bounce back it will gain when it hits the already swinging bat. This is why slower pitches often result in weaker shots.
Environmental conditions
Rain, wind, and other environmental aspects greatly affect shot speed, as the air resistance against the ball can result in submaximal speeds.
How Fast Can A Baseball Come Off The Bat?
The hardest hit recorded in the history of baseball was by Giancarlo Stanton, who broke the previous records with a massive 123.9 mph shot speed in 2018. Average MLB players can easily hit above 80-90 mph, but the main challenge they face is the reaction time delay as throws from fierce pitchers like Aroldis Chapman, who holds the record of the fastest pitch in history at 105.8 mph. His pitch can literally cross the crease into a strike in the blink of an eye.
A normal human reaction time is 0.3 milliseconds; a pitch like this requires exactly that reaction time, as the slightest delay can ruin the shot. However, if timed perfectly, a fast-thrown pitch met with a hard-hit shot is bound to break records.
One thing to keep in mind is that these records of hardest hits are maintained by pro players of MLB, which means they used wooden or composite bats, not metal bats. Metal bats can easily break these records and may be dangerous to players, which is why they are banned from MLB.
A study showed that an average wooden bat hits around 98 mph while an average metal bat hits around 105 mph. While this difference may not seem significant, imagine if said metal bat was in the hands of someone like Oneil Cruz. That hit is bound to cross 140mph. To preserve these records at a realistic level, MLB only uses wooden or composite bats.
Conclusion for How Fast Does a Baseball Come Off the Bat? An In-Depth Look
A variety of factors influence the shot speed of a hit. Primarily, the hitter’s strength, the pitcher’s speed, environmental factors, and the type of bat control how fast a baseball can come off the bat.
Keeping these factors, the mechanics of a hit, and the previous records in mind, we can assume that the answer to the question is relatively subjective. A beginner like me may barely get beyond a 50-mph shot while pro players smash records in three digits.
To reach that level of skill, it will take years of never-ending practice, especially on wooden bats, if I really want to become a true professional instead of a metal one. Now that you know the records of hardest hits, here’s hoping you aim to break them, and the next time I write an article on hard hitters, it’s your name I take. Have a great innings!
How Fast Does a Baseball Come Off the Bat? – FAQs
The velocity at which a baseball leaves the bat, termed “exit velocity,” is determined using specialized radar systems or high-speed cameras strategically positioned to record the moment of contact between the ball and the bat. These instruments provide precise measurements of the speed at which the ball departs from the bat.
Certainly, the velocity of a baseball leaving the bat can fluctuate depending on the type of pitch delivered. Various pitches, such as fastballs, curveballs, sliders, and more, can yield different exit velocities due to their unique speeds, spins, and movements.
The launch angle, or the angle at which the ball departs from the bat, can affect its speed and trajectory. An optimal launch angle can result in a higher exit velocity and improved outcomes like home runs. However, the ideal launch angle may vary based on the batter’s hitting technique and the specific game circumstances.
A heightened exit velocity typically signifies that the ball was struck with greater force off the bat. This can translate to longer distances for fly balls, potentially leading to extra-base hits or even home runs. For a batter, consistently achieving a high exit velocity can indicate strong hitting mechanics and power attributes highly prized in baseball.
