Brewers prospect sets new record with impressive velocity

The Milwaukee Brewers have a flamethrower waiting in their wings. Their top pitching prospect, Jacob Misiorowski, just set the record for the fastest pitch thrown by a starting pitcher in all of pro baseball this year. Several relievers have eclipsed the 103 MPH mark this season, but no other starting pitcher in Triple-A or MLB has done what Miz did on Wednesday afternoon.

Not only did Misiorowski set a new standard with his strikeout of St. Louis Cardinals and Memphis Red Birds first-baseman Luken Baker, but he did so on his 78th pitch of the game. Additionally, with the game tied 1-1 and runners on second and third, Miz's velocity got him out of a huge jam.

It's hard to ignore what Misiorowski has done in the past month down in Triple-A. He's allowed just two earned runs in his last five starts, and struck out 38 batters during that stretch. That's 38 punchouts in 30.2 innings. More importantly, he's limited the walks, which has been the main thing keeping Misiorowski from cracking the big league roster.

Jacob Misiorowski throws the fastest pitch by a starting pitcher at any level this year

When once Miz was just a high-velocity thrower, he now is a much more refined pitcher, mixing in a nasty slider-curveball combo to counteract his impressive four-seamer. He's even added a changeup to his repertoire to neutralize lefties.

After surrendering a first-inning home run to Thomas Saggese in Wednesday's contest, Miz locked in and threw six scoreless innings before turning the ball over to Craig Yoho for the two-inning save. The Sounds ultimately beat the Memphis Redbirds, the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate, by a score of 3-1. But the final score wasn't the headline of the game; it was Misiorowski's new level of velocity.

Brewers fans, much like they were at the end of last season, are once again calling for Miz's promotion to the big leagues. With more injuries to the pitching rotation in the last week, and an open 40-man roster spot for Misiorowski, it's possible that his debut comes sooner rather than later. However, with Aaron Ashby and DL Hall set to make their returns in the near future, and Hall requiring a 40-man roster spot after his reinstatement from the 60-day IL, Miz might once again be the victim of a roster crunch.