Sal Stewart just did something no Reds hitter had ever done against baseball's hardest throwers

Sal Stewart has already established himself as one of the Cincinnati Reds' brightest young stars. On Thursday, the 22-year-old added a piece of franchise history to his growing résumé by doing something no Reds player had accomplished since Statcast began tracking pitch data in 2008.

Facing Milwaukee Brewers flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski, Stewart turned one of the fastest pitches ever thrown into a home run, helping Cincinnati earn an impressive 7-2 road victory.

Sal Stewart crushes 102.3 mph fastball into Reds history

Stewart's seventh-inning blast came on a 102.3 mph four-seam fastball from Misiorowski, making it the fastest pitch a Reds player has ever homered off in the Statcast era. The rookie didn't just make contact—he drove the pitch 401 feet to left-center field.

According to Statcast, the home run featured:

• Pitch velocity: 102.3 mph

• Exit velocity: 102.7 mph

• Distance: 401 feet

• Launch angle: 27 degrees

Against most hitters, Misiorowski's elite velocity has been nearly untouchable. Before Stewart's homer, opponents had managed just four hits in 46 at-bats against pitches thrown at 102 mph or faster. Stewart became the first Reds hitter to turn one of those triple-digit fastballs into a home run.

The MLB Stats account summed it up simply:

"Sal Stewart can handle the heat."

Reds rookie continues breakout season

The historic swing was Stewart's 17th home run of the season and another reminder of why Cincinnati believes he is a cornerstone of its future. The former first-round pick entered Thursday batting .257 with an .813 OPS. His latest homer pushed his RBI total to 60, tying him among the National League's top run producers despite the Reds' inconsistent season.

Stewart has also added 43 walks and 11 stolen bases while emerging as one of the club's most complete young hitters. Drafted 32nd overall in 2022, Stewart made his major league debut late last season before taking a major leap in 2026.

MORE: Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong secures an elite spot in the midseason player rankings

Reds spoil Misiorowski's night

Stewart wasn't the only Cincinnati hitter to solve one of baseball's most electric young pitchers. José Trevino also homered off Misiorowski, while Chase Burns earned the win as the Reds snapped Milwaukee's momentum with a 7-2 victory at American Family Field.

Misiorowski entered the game with a dominant 9-3 record, a 1.45 ERA, 146 strikeouts and a microscopic 0.77 WHIP, making Stewart's blast even more impressive.

For a pitcher who routinely reaches triple digits, giving up a home run on a 102.3 mph fastball is rare. For Stewart, it became a swing that etched his name into Reds history while further cementing his status as one of baseball's rising young stars.

More MLB news:

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• Cardinals' rookie sits securely in the midseason top 25 rankings
• Unlikely Dodgers slugger secures a spot in the midseason top 25 rankings
• Nationals' slugger earns a spot in the top 25 with historic offensive pace