Top 5 hardest homeruns to ever hit in MLB: Oneil Cruz, Giancarlo Stanton, Ronald Acuña Jr. and more

Baseball has always been a sport filled with amazing moments, and few plays showcase that better than a home run. Ever since Statcast started tracking exit velocities in 2015, fans and analysts have had a fresh perspective to gauge the incredible force behind every swing. Although distance and trajectory often take center stage, exit velocity reveals the real tale of raw power, it shows how quickly the ball departs from the bat.

In the last ten years, a few power hitters have changed the game by hitting baseballs with such force that it feels like they’re breaking the laws of physics, leaving fans in awe. Big names like Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are at the top of these stats, but players like Oneil Cruz and Ronald Acuña Jr. have also made their mark with swings that fans will never forget.

Oneil Cruz: 122.9 mph against Milwaukee Brewers

Oneil‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ Cruz was the one who created a great moment in baseball history when he launched a solo homerun to the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on May 25, 2025. The blast was so powerful that it was measured at a stunning 122.9 mph off the bat, thus recording the highest exit velocity of a home run in the Statcast era. As a matter of fact, it is also the hardest-hit batted ball and base hit which has been recorded since the tracking began in ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌2015.


The scene was a midseason game for the Pirates, who were in the hunt for a wild-card spot in the National League. Cruz, famous for his impressive exit velocities over the years, had just hit a 117.9 mph homer two days earlier on May 23, and he made contact with a fastball from Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta.

The ball zipped over the left-field wall quickly, flying about 432 feet even with the high speed, which usually leads to shorter but straight-line paths. This hit broke past old records and showcased Cruz's special mix of strength and bat speed, honed during his days in the Pirates' minor leagues, where he was recorded throwing 105.3 mph from the outfield.

Giancarlo Stanton: 121.7 mph against Texas Rangers

On August 9, 2018, Giancarlo Stanton hit a massive 121.7 mph shot, landing him in second place during a home game against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium. This two-run homer in the third inning off Doug Fister marked Stanton's third straight game with a home run, highlighting his position as the main power hitter for the New York Yankees that summer.


The Yankees were deep in the AL East pennant chase, trailing only a few games behind their rivals, the Boston Red Sox. With Aaron Judge out due to a wrist chip fracture he got in late July, Stanton took on the offensive responsibility, hitting the ball with power.

On a warm Bronx evening, the ball soared into the second deck of the left-field seats, traveling a distance that highlighted Stanton's incredible strength, which he developed during his time with the Marlins when he snagged the 2017 NL MVP award.

Giancarlo Stanton: 121.3 mph against Washington Nationals

Stanton makes another appearance at No. 3 with a massive 121.3 mph hit on July 25, 2020, against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. This solo home run happened during the Yankees' second game of the shortened 60-game season due to the pandemic, off a pitch from Nationals starter Erick Fedde in the fourth inning.


New York was getting used to a hub-based schedule in Washington, D.C., while following COVID-19 protocols, as the team looked to bounce back from their 2019 ALCS exit. Stanton's home run almost equaled his personal best for hardest-hit homer at that moment, flying an estimated 483 feet, his longest since he joined the Yankees in December 2018 and the second-longest of his career. The projected trajectory brought back memories of his time in Miami, where he often hit bombs over 450 feet.

Ronald Acuña Jr.: 121.2 mph against Los Angeles Dodgers

On September 2, 2023, Ronald Acuña Jr. capped off the top four with a blazing 121.2 mph shot during a road game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. The Atlanta Braves outfielder crushed a fastball from Dodgers rookie Emmet Sheehan, sending it 454 feet to dead center in the sixth inning, a solo homer that contributed to a 6-1 win.


The Braves were on track for their sixth consecutive NL East title, with Acuña just having made history on August 31 as the first player in MLB to hit 30 homers and steal 60 bases in a season—what's known as the "30-60 club." Just two days later, he hit another homer during a crucial interleague series against the NL West-leading Dodgers, highlighting Atlanta's offensive strength driven by Acuña, Matt Olson, and Austin Riley.

Aaron Judge: 121.1 mph against Baltimore Orioles

Aaron Judge makes the top five with a massive 121.1 mph homer on June 10, 2017, against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. This three-run shot in the first inning off Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman capped off a rally that saw 10 Yankees come to the plate, resulting in an 8-1 blowout.


The Yankees were on fire in the AL East, riding a wave of young talent during Judge's breakout rookie year, where he smashed 52 home runs and snagged the AL Rookie of the Year award. This home run came during what MLB.com called an 'offensive deluge,' as New York scored six runs in that inning to turn around an early deficit.

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