<P> The four - seam fastball is the most common variant of the fastball . The pitch is used often by the pitcher to get ahead in the count or when he needs to throw a strike . This type of fastball is intended to have minimal lateral movement , relying more on its velocity . It is often perceived as the fastest pitch a pitcher throws , with recorded top speeds above 100 mph . The fastest pitch recognized by MLB was on September 25 , 2010 , at Petco Park in San Diego by then Cincinnati Reds left - handed relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman . It was clocked at 105.1 miles per hour . April 19 , 2011 Chapman lit up the stadium radar gun at 106 MPH ( the TV - reading had his pitch at 105 MPH , and the pitchF / X reading was actually 102.4 MPH ) . Two general methods are used to throw a four - seam fastball . The first and most traditional way is to find the horseshoe seam area , or the area where the seams are the farthest apart . Keeping those seams parallel to the body , the pitcher places his index and middle fingers perpendicular to them with the pads on the farthest seam from him . The thumb then rests underneath the ball about in the middle of the two fingers . With this grip , the thumb will generally have no seam on which to rest . </P>
<P> The four - seam fastball is the most common variant of the fastball . The pitch is used often by the pitcher to get ahead in the count or when he needs to throw a strike . This type of fastball is intended to have minimal lateral movement , relying more on its velocity . It is often perceived as the fastest pitch a pitcher throws , with recorded top speeds above 100 mph . The fastest pitch recognized by MLB was on September 25 , 2010 , at Petco Park in San Diego by then Cincinnati Reds left - handed relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman . It was clocked at 105.1 miles per hour . April 19 , 2011 Chapman lit up the stadium radar gun at 106 MPH ( the TV - reading had his pitch at 105 MPH , and the pitchF / X reading was actually 102.4 MPH ) . Two general methods are used to throw a four - seam fastball . The first and most traditional way is to find the horseshoe seam area , or the area where the seams are the farthest apart . Keeping those seams parallel to the body , the pitcher places his index and middle fingers perpendicular to them with the pads on the farthest seam from him . The thumb then rests underneath the ball about in the middle of the two fingers . With this grip , the thumb will generally have no seam on which to rest . </P>
when is a baseball pitched at its fastest
when is a baseball pitched at its fastest
four - seam fastball
four - seam fastball