Ian Happ set an eye-popping MLB record in Cubs-A’s game at Wrigley Field
103.2 mph.
That is an eye-popping number to see on a video board radar gun, even in today’s version of baseball where seemingly everybody is throwing 98-100 mph.
Now imagine homering off a 103.2 mph pitch.
That’s what Ian Happ just did Tuesday night in the 9th inning, sending a Mason Miller fastball into the left-field basket at Wrigley Field.
That marks the fastest pitch any MLB player has hit for a homer in the Statcast era, which began in 2015:
“I was told [it was a record],” Happ said. “At the time, that was not going through my head. I knew he was throwing hard. I didn’t know how hard it was.
“Yeah, it’s pretty cool.”
The Cubs ended up losing the game 4-3 but Happ connected on a pair of homers in the contest.
The blast off Miller was Happ’s 25th longball of the season, tying his career high from 2021. He also notched his 85th RBI on that ball, which set a new career high (surpassing the 84 runs he drove in last season).
He paces the Cubs in both categories this year.
Miller has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball this season, enjoying a breakout year in which he has saved 26 games while posting a 2.41 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and a whopping 95 strikeouts in 59.2 innings.
“Ian had a heck of a game,” Craig Counsell said. “That guy is tough to score on. He’s tough to square up. Ian put a great swing on it.”