From Aroldis Chapman to Hunter Greene: Here are the 5 hardest throwing pitchers in the league right now

In today's league, velocity has increasingly become a key factor for MLB pitchers. What was once looked at as,, somewhat of a gimmick is now one of the most beneficial things a pitcher could have.

Historically, the art of pitching in the MLB was seen as how to get the batter out, no matter what. Although now this still holds true, velocity is looked at as one of the most effective ways to get hitters out. Velocity opens the door for most pitchers. Then, over time, they can develop other aspects of pitching.

For comparison, in 2002, the average fastball velocity was under 90 mph. It was a spectacle then to see someone hitting 95+ on their fastball. Now, the average fastball velocity is in the mid-90s, and it is very common to see pitchers throw in the high-90s.

Nevertheless, it is exciting to see pitchers light up the radar gun and blow their fastball by batters. It takes an unprecedented amount of athleticism to throw a baseball that fast, and it is very impressive, no matter what. Here are the top five flamethrowers in Major League Baseball today.

#5 Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins

Detroit Tigers v Minnesota Twins

Jhoan Duran is currently in the midst of his first season in the MLB, and he has already established himself as one of the hardest throwers in baseball. His fastball has topped out at 103.3 mph, which is in the upper echelon of the hardest baseballs ever thrown. He is effective on the mound, as well, as he has an ERA of a 2.35 in 30.2 innings pitched.

"Jhoan Duran, Unfair K Sequence. 89mph Curveball, 103mph Fastball and 90mph Curveball." - @Rob Friedman

Duran is just 24 years old and has many seasons ahead of him. It is going to be interesting to see how fast he can get up to in his career.

#4 Edwin Diaz - New York Mets

Philadelphia Phillies v New York Mets

Ever since his breakout 2018 season with the Seattle Mariners, Edwin Diaz has been regarded as one of the best pitchers in the MLB. This is mainly due to his fastball, which averages out at just around 99 mph. However, Diaz throws from a deceptive, low-three-quarters arm slot, making the ball look much faster out of the hand.

"Good morning. Watch Edwin Diaz strike out everyone" - @Ya Gotta Believe

Edwin Diaz, who is just 28 years old, already has almost 200 career saves. This season, he has 14 saves on the year with just a 2.28 ERA. Diaz is a dominant closer, and his electric fastball can explain why.

#3 Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians

Cleveland Guardians v Colorado Rockies

Emmanuel Clase, since entering the league in 2019, has established himself as one of Major League Baseball's top pitchers. Clase throws absolute gas, topping out in the 100s with ease. What sets him apart, however, is the fact that his fastest pitch is his cutter. Any ball that is 100+ mph is difficult to hit; make that ball move across the plate, and it is near impossible. This is why Clase is leading the AL in saves with 17 and has a 1.48 ERA.

#2 Hunter Greene - Cincinatti Reds

Cincinnati Reds v Boston Red Sox

Hunter Greene is a newcomer in the league as it is his rookie year. Greene, like the other pitchers on this list, routinely throws his fastball in the 100s. The difference is, Greene is the only starting pitcher on this list. Starters have to throw up to roughly 100 pitches in a game, much more than a closer. Even so, Hunter Greene can still get his fastball into the high 90s late in the game. This is extremely impressive because it is very difficult to retain velocity after so many pitches.

Although his stats have not been too impressive to start the year, he has a complete game shutout this season. The fact that Hunter Green can throw at such a high speed for a majority of the game is insane, and it is going to be exciting to see in baseball.

#1 Aroldis Chapman - New York Yankees

New York Yankees v Baltimore Orioles

It should be to no one's surprise that Aroldis Chapman tops this list. When mentioning pitchers with velocity, Chapman is almost always the first pitcher that comes to mind. In 2010, Chapman's rookie season, he threw a pitch 106 mph, the fastest of all time. Although the 34-year-old is starting to slow up a little bit, he still has an average fastball speed of 97 mph.

"Aroldis Chapman set the MLB record for fastest pitch ever with a 106 mph fastball. His ungodly velocity coined him the nickname,“The Cuban Missile”." - @Chase Denton

The Cuban Missile has been an absolute wonder to witness throughout his career. He has been dominant as well, having racked up 315 saves in his career and a 2.39 career ERA. Aroldis Chapman is the pinnical of fastball velocity in pitchers, and is the most famous flamethrower.