Thanks to the help of some really smart people who love baseball, we can now measure virtually everything at the MLB level. How good a pitch is, how fast it is thrown, the swing path, the bat speed, and much, much more.
Additionally, we can get a very good idea of how good specific pitchers and pitches are. Thanks to Run Value (RV), we can know the impact of every pitch in the outcome of the game because it quantifies how many runs a hurler prevents relative to an average baseline.
With this in mind, you won’t believe how valuable a certain pitch belonging to one of the Cleveland Guardians’ best performers in 2026 is. We are talking about Parker Messick’s fastball.
“Parker Messick’s fastball as valuable as Jacob Misiorowski’s. Now that’s wild. He’s added velo for sure. But the release metrics on it carry a ton. And command,” analyst Justin Lada said.
Parker Messick fastball as valuable as Jacob Misiorowski. Now that's wild.
He's added velo for sure. But the release metrics on it carry a ton. And command. https://t.co/zmMnNJzun1
— Justin L. (jlbaseball on bluesky) (@JL_Baseball) July 23, 2026
Jacob Misiorowski’s fastball is tied with Messick for the league lead among most valuable pitches, at 21 each. Both offerings, however, aren’t created the same.
Misiorowski averaged 100.5 mph with his fastball to this point, and the pitch has touched 104 mph. He is a force of nature, and his heater is nearly unhittable.
Messick, however, throws a unique fastball. It averages ‘just’ 94 mph, which ranks in the 33rd percentile in velocity, but deception is a big part of why the pitch is so good. Messick’s heater and his incredible changeup look about the same coming out of his hand, which baffles hitters.
The pitch also generates a ton of ride, which helps matters, and he has incredible command of it. Virtually, he can place it wherever he wants, giving him the upper hand regardless of his less-than-elite velocity.
This is exactly why Messick’s 2026 breakout is legit, because he has the big fastball to back it up. It’s not particularly fast, but it’s incredibly hard to hit.
The four-seamer is the main reason why the left-hander has a 2.68 ERA in 117.2 innings this season, striking out 116 batters and playing in his first All-Star Game. The command, control, the varied six-pitch repertoire, and his bulldog mentality help, sure, but he wouldn’t be one of MLB’s best rookies without his unexpectedly elite fastball.
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