The Braves’ 10 highest exit velocities of the 2021 season

Today we continue our journey through some of the more interesting Statcast numbers for the Atlanta Braves during their run to a championship in 2021. In case you missed it, we took a look at Atlanta’s 10 longest home runs of the 2021 regular season Tuesday. Up next is a look at the 10 hardest hit balls by Braves players during the regular season with a postseason bonus at the end. Enjoy!

10. Ronald Acuña Jr: 114.9 MPH (Single July 9 vs. Marlins)

Ronald Acuña Jr. leads off the list and you are going to be hearing plenty more from him. This first hit came on July 9 in the fifth inning against the Marlins and it left the bat at 114.9 mph. The Braves went on to win this game 5-0.

9. Jorge Soler: 115.2 MPH (Double September 25 vs. Padres)

Up next is a 10th inning double by Jorge Soler in San Diego that left the bat at 115.2 mph. Soler had three hits in this game, including a homer and drove in four runs. This gave the Braves back the lead for good as they would go on to win 10-8.

8. Ronald Acuña Jr: 115.7 MPH (Home run June 21 vs. Mets)

Acuña is back at No. 8 with a 115.7 mph missile that cleared the center field fence at Citi Field. This accounted for Atlanta’s only run of the game in a 1-0 win over the Mets in Game 2 of a doubleheader. The Braves managed just four hits and Acuna accounted for two of them.

7. Ronald Acuña Jr: 115.8 MPH (Single April 17 vs. Cubs)

Another rocket single from Acuña comes in at No. 7. This one came against the Cubs in a game on April 17 at Wrigley. Acuña finished with two hits in the game but the Braves were hammered 13-4.

6. Ronald Acuña Jr: 116.0 MPH (Home run June 8 vs. Phillies)

This is our first crossover from the Home Run list. This rocket left the bat at 116.0 mph and nearly went out of Citizens Bank Park traveling 460 feet down the line in left. The Braves won this game 9-5 to climb back to the .500 mark at 29-29.

5. Ronald Acuña Jr: 116.5 MPH (Double July 10 vs. Marlins)

Up next is another double by Acuña that left the bat at 116.5 mph on July 10 against the Marlins. This is a significant at-bat in that it was Acuña’s final plate appearance of the season as he would suffer a torn ACL in the bottom half of the inning after landing awkwardly while trying to make a leaping catch on a liner by Jazz Chisholm.

4. Ronald Acuña Jr: 117.2 MPH (Line out June 12 vs. Marlins)

This one happens quick. Acuña lines out to Isan Diaz at third in a game on June 12 in Miami. The ball is moving so fast that the camera operator is unable to track it. Atlanta dropped this game 4-2 and fell to 29-33 on the season.

3. Ronald Acuña Jr: 117.4 MPH (Home run June 27 vs. Reds)

Acuña’s hardest hit home run of the 2021 season came on June 27 against the Reds and left the bat at 117.4 mph. Acuña finished with two hits in this game and the Braves won 4-0 to climb to 37-40 for the season.

T-1. Ronald Acuña Jr: 117.9 MPH (Single July 5 vs. Pirates)

We have reached the top of the list with this rocket single by Acuña from July 5 in Pittsburgh left the bat at 117.9 mph. Put a pair of headphones on and listen to the crack of the bat on this one. Acuña finished with two hits in this game but also struck out three times as the Braves fell 11-1.

T-1. Jorge Soler: 117.9 MPH (Home run October 3 vs. Mets)

Soler ties Acuña at the top with this leadoff home run off of Noah Syndergaard on October 3 that also left the bat at 117.9 mph.

BONUS: Braves’ Top 5 Exit Velocities of the Postseason

5. Joc Pederson: 112.2 MPH (Home run October 17 vs. Dodgers)

The fifth hardest hit ball of the postseason came in Game 2 of the NLCS on this Joc Pederson home run off of Max Scherzer. This fourth inning blast landed on top of the Chop House and tied the game at 2-2.

4. Travis d’Arnaud: 112.6 MPH (Home run October 29 vs. Astros)

Another postseason home run comes in at No. 4, this time from Travis d’Arnaud in Game 3 of the World Series against the Astros. This homer gave the Braves a 2-0 cushion and capped off a dominant pitching performance as Atlanta took a 2-1 lead in the series.

3. Austin Riley: 112.7 MPH (Single October 30 vs. Houston)

Up next was a sixth inning single by Austin Riley in Game 4. This one left the bat at 112.7 mph and cut Houston’s lead to 2-1. The Braves would go on to win as Dansby Swanson and Jorge Soler would crush back-to-back homers in the seventh.

2. Joc Pederson: 113.2 MPH (Line out October 23 vs. Dodgers)

Pederson also comes in at No. 2 on the list with this 113.2 mph line out to Corey Seager in Game 6 of the NLCS. Pederson went 0-for-3 in this one but the Braves won 4-2 to advance to the World Series.

1. Austin Riley: 115.8 MPH (Double October 26 vs. Astros)

Finally, the hardest hit ball of the Braves’ postseason run came in the first inning of Game 1 when Austin Riley doubled home Ozzie Albies to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead. This ball left the bat at 115.8 mph and the Braves went on to win this game 6-2.