HEAT WAVE

Elite fastball velocity puts the Mets' Raimon Gomez on a fast track

- by J.J. COOPER

Low-A St. Lucie righthander Raimon Gomez threw the fastest tracked pitch in pro ball this year when he fired a 104.5 mph fastball to strike out Carlos Sanchez on April 26.

This wasn't a one-pitch bolt out of the blue for the 23-year-old Mets prospect. In that same game, Gomez's fastball sat 101.8 mph and he threw eight pitches 103 mph or harder.

To that point in the season, Gomez had thrown seven of the 10 fastest pitches in Statcast-equipped parks—covering MLB, Triple-A and the Florida State League—in 2025. Just two pitches by Athletics closer Mason Miller (103.7 and 103.2 mph) and one by Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman (103.4) interloped on Gomez's fastball dominance.

This isn't a shocking development of new-found velocity for Gomez. He showed a great arm before having Tommy John surgery in 2023, and he was highlighted as a prospect to watch for the Rule 5 draft last offseason.

But his ability to get to 104 mph puts him in rarefied air, where he's virtually assured of having at least some sort of MLB career.

We can document 30 other pitchers who have touched at least 102 mph in the minor leagues since 2021. Of those, 21 have pitched in the major leagues.