Mike Trout is probably the last guy you want answering a question about how hard it is to hit a 100 mph fastball. Because when the three-time MVP says something is nearly impossible, you should probably listen.
During media availability at Citizens Bank Park ahead of the 2026 Home Run Derby, Trout was asked a hypothetical that has been bouncing around baseball Twitter for a while: how many swings would it take for an average fan to make contact with Milwaukee Brewers flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski?
Trout didn’t hem and haw. He gave a number.
“Just make contact? I’m saying minimum 100.”
He paused, then added a caveat.
“Make contact, foul ball? I don’t know. It’s, I mean, you would have to think they would get lucky, maybe, or just straight. They know a fastball’s coming?”
The exchange was posted by Foul Territory on X, and it spread fast. Because the premise is both ridiculous and kind of terrifying.
Who is Jacob Misiorowski and why does this question even make sense
Misiorowski is 24 years old. He entered the All-Star break with a 1.62 ERA and 167 strikeouts over 111 innings. His four-seam fastball averages north of 100 mph and has touched 105.5 mph this season. He has thrown 670 pitches at 100 mph or harder, which is the most by any starting pitcher since pitch tracking began.
So Trout’s estimate isn’t insulting to fans. It’s probably generous.
The average person walking out of the stands has never faced elite velocity. Even college or minor league hitters who can handle mid-90s heat look completely lost against guys throwing 100 with movement. Misiorowski’s fastball isn’t just fast. It has life. It rides up in the zone. It’s not the kind of pitch you square up on a guess.
Trout seemed to enjoy the question, though. He didn’t rule out the idea of someone actually trying it. The whole thing had the energy of an All-Star break joke that somehow became real conversation.
But here’s the thing about Trout’s answer. He said 100 swings. That’s assuming the fan knows a fastball is coming every time. In a real at-bat, you don’t get that luxury. You have to react to a slider or a changeup too. If Misiorowski threw a mix of pitches, that number might jump to 200 or more. Or never.
One lucky swing might square one up. That’s what Trout meant by getting lucky. But luck in baseball usually comes after a lot of failure. And most fans don’t have 100 swings worth of courage in them.
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