Fastest Exit Velocity & Pitches at 2023 MLB Draft Combine

Rapsodo made a significant impact at the recently concluded 2023 MLB Draft Combine held at the Chase Field in Phoenix, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

As an official partner of the MLB Player Development Pipeline and USA Baseball, we utilized our newest product, PRO 3.0, to help evaluate over 300 talented pitchers and hitters from high schools and colleges across the nation.

 

The goal of these athletes? To prove their abilities, impress the scouts, and secure a spot on the professional stage. 

Our team collected data during the on-field pitching and hitting sessions, allowing MLB players and personalities to access real-time analytics. With hitting and pitching being a large area of the Combine, Rapsodo was able to provide in-depth reporting and analytics to aide scouts in evaluating the TRUE skill levels of these players. 

A total of 323 players accepted invitations to the MLB Draft Combine this year, including 169 members of MLB Pipeline’s Top 200 Draft prospects list.

So, who delivered the fastest pitch and achieved the highest hitting exit velocity at this year's MLB Combine?

After reviewing the data from batted and pitched balls measured on our Rapsodo units, we've highlighted some standout performers from this year’s event.

Who Had the Hardest Hit at the MLB Draft Combine?

For the hitting portion of the Combine, we observed 94 hitters, each of which took at least 10 swings. These hitters ranged from the highest ranked high school seniors in the country to some of the top Power 5 talent in college baseball. 

Needless to say, the hitting talent did not disappoint.  Here are some of the hitters that stuck out to us on the field:

1. George Wolkow, OF, Downers Grove North HS (Ill.) – 112.8 MPH

Wolkow just wrapped his senior year of high school at Downers Grove (IL) and stands a massive 6’7”, 240 lbs. at the plate. However, the craziest fact about the top prospect is that he won’t turn 18 until January.

At the MLB Combine, Wolkow displayed power that most 17-year-old’s aren’t known for possessing. His hardest hit ball was a scorching 112.8 MPH and his average exit velocity for his session was 100.3 MPH. Wolkow's longest distance was 435 ft that came off the bat at 107.3 MPH.

With an average launch angle of 11.7 degrees and a spin rate touching 2,100 RPMs, the South Carolina commit displays a strong balance of his hitting power matrix (exit velocity, launch angle and spin rate) that MLB power hitters typically showcase.

Coming into the Combine, the high school senior was ranked No. 68 on MLB’s Top Prospects for the 2023 Draft. With the performance he showed at Chase Field, his stock is sure to rise.

2. Joe Vetrano, 1B, Boston College – 112.6 MPH

The second hardest hit ball clocked by PRO 3.0 during the MLB Combine was by Joe Vetrano out of Boston College. The sophomore maxed out at 112.6 MPH while his farthest distance was 402 ft. hit with a 100.3 MPH exit velo.

Vetrano’s other metrics included an average spin rate of 2,515 RPMs off the bat and an average launch angle of 17.7 degrees.

While the Golden Eagle put himself in the spotlight for his hitting, he's had success through his career as a left-handed pitcher. 

The first baseman isn’t currently in the Top 200 Prospects per MLB, but his showcase at the Combine will certainly help his case.

3. Brandon Winokur, OF, Edison HS (Calif.) – 106.8 MPH

Brandon Winokur showcased an impressive performance during the MLB Combine, demonstrating his exceptional power and bat speed. His exit velocities were consistently strong, averaging 100 MPH throughout his sessions.

The UCLA commit peaked at 109.9 MPH with 17 of his at bats reaching over 100 MPH. The longest distance Winokur recorded was 416.8 ft. with an exit velo of 109.5 MPH.

Winkour is listed as the No. 72 Top Prospect by MLB.

Who Threw The Fastest Pitch At The MLB Draft Combine?

Baseball fans in the stands and at home got to see some serious heat at the Combine. For the pitching portion of the event, we saw 47 pitchers with an average fastball speed over 90 mph.

Of those 47 pitchers, 20 of them maxed out at 95 mph or higher. 

Out of all of these incredible pitching prospects, here are some pitchers whose fastball really stood out during their bullpens.

1. Sam Knowlton, RHP, South Alabama – 98.81 MPH & 98.54

Knowlton is only 1 of 8 players from the Sun Belt Conference to attend the MLB Combine. During his season, he split time as a starting pitcher and reliever, topping out his fastball at 101 MPH in games.

The South Alabama prospect showcased his arm at Chase Field, clocking in his fastest pitches at 98.8 MPH, 98.5 MPH, 96.7 MPH, & 95.7 MPH. Additionally, his average spin rate for his fastballs was 2,223 RPMs and he had his highest spin rate coming in at 2,485 RPMs on his slider.

The biggest vertical break came from his 98.5 MPH fastball, which saw of 15 inches of VB while his slider had -8 inches of horizontal break and -15.9 inches of vertical break.

Knowlton set the standard for his arm strength by throwing upper 90s all season during games and continues to standout with his performance at the MLB Combine. Keep an eye out for him to be a sneaky pick in the upcoming MLB Draft.

2. Chris Clark, RHP, Harvard – 98.53 MPH

The Harvard Junior threw one of the fastest pitches during the MLB Combine, clocking in at 98.5 MPH for the last pitch of his bullpen session. Additionally, Clark threw six more fastball that measured between 96.6 MPH and 90.2 MPH.

The most break we saw from Clark was on his 96.6 MPH fastball that had 11.8 inches of vertical break and 18.9 inches of horizontal break. Of the 8 fastballs he threw, his spin efficiency never dipped below 98.5% and he had an average total spin of 2,502 RPMs on his fastballs (2,633 RPMs was his highest).

3. Magdiel Cotto, LHP, Kentucky – 98.53 MPH

Magdiel Cotto stands in at 6’5”, 242 lbs and towers over the pitcher’s mound when he’s facing batters. His go to pitch is his four-seam and two-seam fastball, which he uses to attack the upper half of the zone against batters, averaging in the mid-90s for those two pitches.

During the MLB Combine, Cotto’s fastest pitches came from these fastballs as he clocked in his highest velocity at 98.3 MPH followed by 98.2 MPH, 96.9 MPH, and 95.3 MPH.

While the fastball is his secret weapon, the Kentucky prospect also showed off his slider. The two best sliders Cotto threw both touched 2,200 RPMs for spin rate. Combined with the improved command of his other pitches, his arsenal tunnels well off his fastball, leading to more deception for the hitters.

Cotto has what it takes to remain consistent on the mound and the ability to play as either a reliever or starting pitcher.

HARDEST HITS 

LONGEST HITS

FASTEST PITCHES

HIGHEST SPIN RATE ON PITCHES

There was a ton of other outstanding young talent at this year’s MLB Draft Combine. Aside from showcasing these amazing athletes, this Combine also helped prove how valuable live data can be to players, scouts, fans, and broadcast personalities.

We’re proud to be the Official Player Development Partner of both USA Baseball and the MLB Prospect Development Pipeline and we were happy to help collect data insights for the future stars of the game.

The MLB Combine opens a lot of doors for young athletes and will continue to do so in the future. Rapsodo will be there every step of the way to assist in the scouting and evaluation process for the top prospects in baseball.

Ready to understand your data and learn more on how you can reach your full potential?

Contact us today! Our experts are ready to take you through PRO 3.0 or any of our other player development tools.