Fastest MLB Players Right Now and in History

Elly De La Cruz, a 6-foot-5 shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds, led the majors with 67 stolen bases. National League Most Valuable Player Shohei Ohtani made MLB history by becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history with 50 stolen bases and 50 home runs in the same season. There were 24 players with at least 30 stolen bases during the 2024 season. Will it be more of the same in 2025?.

Let’s take a look at the fastest MLB players.

Who Are the Fastest MLB Players?

Fastest Baseball Player in MLB History

Any discussions of the fastest players in MLB history should probably start with Hall of Famers Rickey Henderson and Lou Brock.

Brock retired with the MLB record of 938 stolen bases. However, Henderson obliterated that mark with 1406 steals. With no active player having at least 400 stolen bases, that record could stick around for a while.

Vince Coleman took the majors by storm as a rookie with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985, as he was one of the fastest MLB players. You won’t be Bo Jackson’s name on the career stolen base charts. However, the former Heisman Trophy winner will go down as one of the fastest players to play in the MLB and the NFL.

Billy Hamilton had at least 100 stolen bases four times in a span of six seasons, making him the first player in MLB history with more than 900 stolen bases.

Tim Raines, Willie Wilson, Kenny Lofton, and Maury Wills are other speedy MLB stars.

Fastest MLB Players Right Now

Elly De La Cruz is quite the phenom. He can flat-out fly when he gets on base. The getting on base part is a concern, as the Cincinnati Reds’ shortstop struck out more than 200 times during the 2024 season. He is among the fastest players in MLB.

Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates was the leader in stolen bases early in the 2025 season. Bobby Witt of the Kansas City Royals is one of the most gifted baseball players. The 24-year-old has had seasons with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases.

Xavier Edwards of the Miami Marlins and Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks figure to be piling up the stolen bases for years to come.

Among the veterans, Trea Turner can still run with the best of them. He is among the fastest baseball players in the 40-yard dash.

Fastest Players in MLB by Position

Most of the fastest players in MLB are either outfielders or middle infielders.

Among the other positions, catcher Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers, first baseman Luis Arraez of the San Diego Padres, and third baseman Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres could lead all base stealers at their positions.

How Speed Impacts the Game

How Speed Helps in Base Stealing

There is no more excellent attribute than raw speed when stealing bases. The ability to read pitchers and get good jumps can be taught. However, blazing speed is something a player is born with.

With rules being passed to add scoring to MLB games, the emphasis on creating rallies by stealing bases will only increase as the years go by.

Fastest Baseball Player

Who Owns The 40-Yard Dash Record?

Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins has struggled to stay healthy. He can be a terror on the base paths when he is good to go. He has a reported 40-yard dash of 4.10, which is Olympic-caliber speed.

Trea Turner had a 4.21 time in the 40. That isn’t far from what the legendary Bo Jackson ran when he was the top player taken in the 1985 NFL Draft.

Sprint Speed and How It’s Measured in MLB

Baseball scouts don’t rely on 40-yard times as much as those in the NFL like to do. The time from home plate to first base is a better gauge of a baseball player’s raw speed.

Another factor to consider is the time it takes a player to go from home plate to home plate when judging the fastest MLB players.

The Evolution of Speed in Baseball

Speed was even more important in the early days of Major League Baseball, before teams relied on the home run for big innings.

During the steroid era, speedy players got overshadowed by the imposing sluggers who crushed the ball. There has been a push for more speedy players at the top of the lineup.

Vince Coleman was the last player to have at least 100 stolen bases in 1987. It could be a while before that happens again.

How the Fastest Baseball Players Train

MLB players rely on strength and conditioning programs now more than ever. The training that takes place during the offseason is what matters. Team strength coaches can only do so much when players take the field daily.

The quest to be quicker and faster continues for the players looking for an edge.

Changes in Player Speed Over the Years

There has always been a place in the game for speed merchants. The difference in today’s MLB is that some top base stealers are also power hitters.

Shohei Ohtani, Bobby Witt Jr., and Elly De La Cruz are among the players who can impact the game with stolen bases and home runs.

Rickey Henderson was one of the players who proved that leadoff hitters can also deliver the long ball. Some believe Henderson deserves to be mentioned among the top 10 MLB players of all time.

There are no Rickey Hendersons playing today, but plenty of players with the potential to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season.