Pirates star sets MLB record for hardest-hit ball: Watch the homer

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz entered Sunday holding the record for the hardest-hit ball in the Statcast era.

He’s broken his own record.

Cruz launched a ball 122.9 miles per hour off the bat and into the Allegheny River for a solo home run in Sunday’s home contest against the Milwaukee Brewers. The ball left the stadium in quick fashion to get Pittsburgh on the scoreboard, although the Pirates lost the contest 6-5.

The Statcast era began in 2015. The previous record, held by Cruz, was a single on Aug. 24, 2022 against the Atlanta Braves that came off the bat at 122.4 mph.

‘I connected really well. It feels even better just to know that it’s the hardest-hit ball in the history of Statcast,’ Cruz said postgame through an interpreter.

Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly joked he was glad the hit went out of the stadium because ‘if that would’ve been into the stands, that thing is flying.’

Hardest-hit balls in Statcast era

Even though he didn’t make his MLB debut until 2021, Cruz now owns the two hardest-hit balls in the past 10 years. Cruz owns three of the top 10 hardest-hit balls in the Statcast era, a list that is heavily occupied by him and the New York Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton.

Although these are the hardest hits in the Statcast era, not all of them had the same result. Here are the fastest speeds off the bat since 2015:

1. Oneil Cruz: 122.9 mph, May 25, 2025 (home run)
2. Oneil Cruz: 122.4 mph, Aug. 24, 2022 (single)
3. Giancarlo Stanton: 122.2 mph, Aug. 9, 2021 (double play)
4. Giancarlo Stanton: 122.2 mph, Oct. 1, 2017 (single)
5. Giancarlo Stanton: 121.7 mph, Aug. 9, 2018 (home run)
6. Oneil Cruz: 121.5 mph, May 21, 2024 (double)
7. Giancarlo Stanton: 121.3 mph, July 25, 2020 (home run)
8. Ronald Acuña Jr.: 121.2 mph, Sept. 2, 2023 (home run)
9. Giancarlo Stanton: 121.1 mph, Aug. 5 2018 (single)
10. Aaron Judge: 121.1 mph, June 20, 2017 (home run)