Pull Up The Brinks Truck To This Teen's House Because This 16-Year-Old Has A Nearly 103 MPH Fastball

Stop everything you’re doing, because this clip of 16-year-old Cole Kuhn, a 6’6” fireballer from St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia, is pure baseball chaos. The kid stepped into an Ascent Athlete facility and absolutely unleashed a 101.8 MPH fastball, verified by Trackman technology. Yeah, you read that right. 101.8 MPH. As a 16-year-old.

For context, that’s the kind of heat that used to be reserved for MLB legends like Nolan Ryan in the 1970s. Back then, seeing triple-digit fastballs in high school was basically science fiction. Now, thanks to modern youth training programs, weighted-ball regimens, and next-level nutrition, kids like Kuhn are throwing pitches that make pro hitters blink twice.

According to RotoWire data, MLB fastball speeds have jumped 3–4 MPH on average since 2008. That might sound small, but in pitching terms, that’s the difference between getting a weak grounder and striking out the side in one inning.

Here’s the kicker though—this new era of velocity comes at a serious cost. The same data shows Tommy John surgery rates for 15–19-year-olds have tripled, with over 75% of elite prospects requiring elbow reconstruction by the time they’re draft-eligible. In 2000, that number was closer to 25%. Basically, the same program that can turn a 16-year-old into a rocket-armed phenom can also wreck an elbow faster than you can say “fastball.”

But back to Kuhn. Watching a teenager tower over the mound and light up the radar gun is the stuff of highlight reels and recruiting nightmares for opposing hitters. It’s also a glimpse into how the next generation of MLB stars is being molded in training facilities, not just on grass diamonds.