Looking back on the nastiest Diamondbacks pitches of the first half

With the Diamondbacks‘ first half wrapping up soon — they will play Game No. 81 later this week — I took on the (totally impossible) task of selecting their best pitches so far this year.

To be clear, I did not rewatch all 11,162 pitches that Diamondbacks pitchers have thrown this year in preparation for this article. Instead, I used a variety of Baseball Savant searches, centered around pitch movement, velocity, location and, of course, results.

All that is to say: I am sure that I left some great pitches out. You are welcome and encouraged to alert me of any complaints you have via social media.

To keep things simple — and to ensure that my list was not exclusively comprised of Justin Martinez splitters — I organized my search by pitch type. For each, I selected what I believe to be the best pitch, along with an honorable mention — or several, in some cases. (No offense to the cutter, but I wound up skipping over that pitch entirely.)

Without further ado, here are 20 of the best Diamondbacks pitches from the first half, with some commentary along the way.

Diamondbacks’ Four-Seam fastballs

Slade Cecconi | June 1, 2024

• Opponent: Brandon Nimmo, New York Mets
• Velocity: 96.4 mph (perceived velocity: 97 mph)
• Movement: 18.1 inches induced vertical break, 13.4 inches horizontal break

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Diamondbacks right-hander Slade Cecconi typically gets exceptional horizontal movement on his four-seam fastball, but not much vertical movement. On this pitch, he got both.

In addition to an impressive 13.4 inches of horizontal break, this Cecconi four-seamer had 18.1 inches of induced vertical break. (Induced vertical break, or IVB, measures the upward movement of the ball that fights against gravity.) For reference, the league average IVB on a four-seamer is 15.8 inches; 20 inches is considered elite.

Combine those movement numbers with 96.4 mph velocity and pinpoint location on the upper outside corner, and there you have it: the nastiest four-seam fastball by a Diamondbacks pitcher this season.

In the Statcast Era, only one other Diamondbacks starting pitcher has ever thrown a pitch that eclipsed 96 mph, 18 inches of IVB and 13 inches of arm-side run. That would be Robbie Ray.

Honorable mention: Paul Sewald | May 25, 2024

• Opponent: Nick Gordon, Miami Marlins
• Velocity: 92.1 mph (perceived velocity: 92.4 mph)
• Movement: 12.8 inches induced vertical break, 12.2 inches horizontal break

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Paul Sewald‘s four-seamer lacks top-end velocity, but Sewald’s unconventional arm slot coupled with the pitch’s movement pose serious problems for hitters.

“It’s the hardest 92 you’ll ever see,” Diamondbacks catcher Tucker Barnhart said of Sewald’s heater earlier this year.

On this pitch, Sewald dots the upper outside corner to Nick Gordon. Since 2021, opposing hitters have hit just .116 with a .186 slugging percentage and 39.6 percent whiff rate on Sewald four-seamers that are in that corner of the strike zone.

Among Diamondbacks pitchers who throw a four-seamer at least 10 percent of the time and have logged 10 or more innings this year, Sewald’s grades out as the best on the team, according to Fangraphs’ Stuff+ model.

Sinker

Justin Martinez | June 9, 2024

• Opponent: Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres
• Velocity: 101.7 mph (perceived velocity: 101.9 mph)
• Movement: 18.1 inches horizontal break, 9.4 inches induced vertical break

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Justin Martinez added a sinker to his arsenal over the offseason, and it has played a significant role in his 2024 success. Here, Martinez ties up one of the best hitters in the league in Fernando Tatis Jr. with 102 mph in on the hands.

Remarkably, this Martinez sinker had 18.1 inches of arm-side run. Martinez is the only pitcher in the majors this year to throw a pitch 101 mph or higher that also had 18 inches or more of horizontal movement. (He has done it seven times.)

Honorable mention: Brandon Pfaadt | June 19, 2024

• Opponent: Keibert Ruiz, Washington Nationals
• Velocity: 93.7 mph (perceived velocity: 94.4 mph)
• Movement: 19.7 inches horizontal break, 5.4 inches induced vertical break

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On paper, the rightful honorable mention would probably be another Justin Martinez sinker. But it felt right to give Brandon Pfaadt some shine, given how well he dotted the lower inside corner to Keibert Ruiz here.

This Pfaadt sinker had an impressive 19.7 inches of horizontal run, making it one of nine Pfaadt sinkers this year that eclipsed the 19-inch mark. Pfaadt’s sinker has averaged 15 inches of horizontal run this season.

Honorable mention: Ryan Thompson | May 30, 2024

• Opponent: D.J. Stewart, New York Mets
• Velocity: 91.0 mph (perceived velocity: 90.9 mph)
• Movement: 16.1 inches horizontal break, -11.0 inches induced vertical break

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With a 1.16 ERA in 31 innings, Diamondbacks reliever Ryan Thompson has been among the best relievers in baseball this year. Much of that success is because of his sinker, which he throws more than 70 percent of the time.

This Thompson sinker to D.J. Stewart was not only well-located, but had exceptional movement. It is one of only five sinkers in Thompson’s career that dropped 11 inches or more (not including gravity) while also eclipsing 16 inches of horizontal movement.

By Stuff+, Thompson has the second-best sinker on the team, trailing only Martinez.

Slider

Kevin Ginkel | June 21, 2024

• Opponent: Brandon Marsh, Philadelphia Phillies
• Velocity: 87.1 mph (perceived velocity: 88.3 mph)
• Movement: 3.3 inches horizontal break, -4.4 inches induced vertical break

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With good velocity and sharp downward bite, Kevin Ginkel has had one of the better sliders in baseball over the past few years.

This one to Brandon Marsh on Friday was among the best he has thrown all season. It had 4.4 inches of drop (not including gravity), which is tied for the second-most on any Ginkel slider this season.

Honorable mention: Miguel Castro | April 7, 2024

• Opponent: Chadwick Tromp, Atlanta Braves
• Velocity: 80.1 mph (perceived velocity: 81 mph)
• Movement: 22.1 inches horizontal break, 2.6 inches induced vertical break

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Diamondbacks reliever Miguel Castro has struggled to be consistent over the years. But at his best, his slider looks like it’s straight out of a video game.

This one to the Atlanta Braves’ Chadwick Tromp had 22.1 inches of horizontal movement, the most of any Castro slider in his Diamondbacks career.

Honorable mention: Ryan Thompson | April 22, 2024

• Opponent: Willson Contreras, St. Louis Cardinals
• Velocity: 77.1 mph (perceived velocity: 77.1 mph)
• Movement: 17.3 inches horizontal break, 7.3 inches induced vertical break

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Thompson’s slider hasn’t gotten a ton of swing-and-miss this year, but this one to Willson Contreras on April 22 was perfectly located and basically unhittable.

With 17.3 inches of horizontal break, it had more horizontal movement than any other Thompson slider this season.

Honorable mention: Justin Martinez | June 18, 2024

• Opponent: Joey Meneses, Washington Nationals
• Velocity: 89.1 mph (perceived velocity: 90.1 mph)
• Movement: 2.2 inches horizontal break, 4 inches induced vertical break

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While Martinez’s sinker and splitter tend to be more jaw-dropping, he has a pretty good slider, too. From pitch execution to location to result, this one to Joey Meneses last week was arguably his best of the year.

Sweeper

Brandon Pfaadt | April 22, 2024

• Opponent: Iván Herrera, St. Louis Cardinals
• Velocity: 84.3 mph (perceived velocity: 85 mph)
• Movement: 18.8 inches horizontal break, 5.8 inches induced vertical break

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Brandon Pfaadt has one of the better sweepers in all of baseball, and is one of only a handful of Diamondbacks pitchers that throws one.

Pfaadt not only located this one perfectly just off the outside edge, but he also generated an exceptional 18.8 inches of horizontal movement. Only two Pfaadt sweepers all year have had more.

(For those who aren’t too sure what sweeper is: A sweeper is a variant of a slider that is characterized by plenty of horizontal movement and relatively little drop.)

Honorable mention: Brandon Pfaadt | April 28, 2024

• Opponent: Jorge Polanco, Seattle Mariners
• Velocity: 83.5 mph (perceived velocity: 83.6 mph)
• Movement: 19.9 inches horizontal break, 4.9 inches induced vertical break

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While sweepers are most often thrown to same-handed hitters — opposite-handed hitters tend to crush them — Pfaadt occasionally throws them backdoor to lefties. Here, he executed that plan perfectly.

This sweeper had 19.9 inches of horizontal break, the most of any of Pfaadt’s sweepers this season.

Changeup

Merrill Kelly | April 15, 2024

• Opponent: Mike Tauchman, Chicago Cubs
• Velocity: 89 mph (perceived velocity: 88.2 mph)
• Movement: 16.8 inches horizontal break, 0.4 inches induced vertical break

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Merrill Kelly‘s changeup has been his best pitch for a long time; it is also the best, most consistent changeup in the Diamondbacks organization.

This one had 16.8 inches of horizontal break, roughly two inches more than Kelly’s season average before he hurt his shoulder. It also dropped about a half-inch more than the average Kelly changeup; a perfect 3-2 pitch.

Bryce Jarvis | May 22, 2024

• Opponent: Jason Heyward, Los Angeles Dodgers
• Velocity: 85.3 mph (perceived velocity: 84.6 mph)
• Movement: 20.5 inches horizontal break, 6.2 inches induced vertical break

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Bryce Jarvis‘ changeup has been inconsistent this year, but it can be effective when located well. Here, Jarvis buries one in the dirt to Jason Heyward, generating an eye-popping 20.5 inches of horizontal movement in the process.

Jarvis is one of only two D-backs pitchers who has gotten 20 or more inches of horizontal break on a changeup this year. Pfaadt is the other.

Brandon Pfaadt | May 21, 2024

• Opponent: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
• Velocity: 87.4 mph (perceived velocity: 87.9 mph)
• Movement: 17.2 inches horizontal break, -2.9 inches induced vertical break

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Pfaadt appeared to miss his spot here — catcher Gabriel Moreno was set up low and away — but this changeup was still good enough to get Shohei Ohtani to swing and miss.

It also had more drop (excluding gravity) than any other changeup in Pfaadt’s career.

Splitter

Justin Martinez | May 22, 2024

• Opponent: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
• Velocity: 92.1 mph (perceived velocity: 92.8 mph)
• Movement: -5 inches induced vertical break, 7.3 inches horizontal break

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Dodgers play-by-play broadcaster Joe Davis basically said it all here: “What is that?”

Martinez’s splitter is arguably the nastiest pitch on the Diamondbacks pitching staff. This one dropped five inches (not including gravity), making it the fourth-biggest dropper of the season for Martinez.

Honorable mention: Justin Martinez | June 2, 2024

• Opponent: Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
• Velocity: 90.5 mph (perceived velocity: 90.6 mph)
• Movement: -0.8 inches induced vertical break, 11.5 inches horizontal break

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This Martinez splitter did not drop quite as much as the one to Betts, but it had about four more inches of horizontal break. It also made another marquee hitter look silly: New York Mets slugger Francisco Lindor.

Honorable mention: Justin Martinez | April 26, 2024

• Opponent: Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
• Velocity: 89 mph (perceived velocity: 89.6 mph)
• Movement: -1.6 inches induced vertical break, 12.6 inches horizontal break

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While Cal Raleigh does not have the same reputation as Betts or Lindor, he is still among the best hitting catchers in the game. This down-and-away splitter got him to whiff.

Curveball

Zac Gallen | April 20, 2024

• Opponent: Thairo Estrada, San Francisco Giants
• Velocity: 80.6 mph (perceived velocity: 81.4 mph)
• Movement: -15.1 inches induced vertical break, 7.8 inches horizontal break

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Zac Gallen‘s signature knuckle-curve is a big reason why he is as good as he is. He seemingly executes it like this with ease.

With just over 15 inches of drop (not including gravity) and 7.8 inches of horizontal movement, this one is arguably his best of the season to date.

Honorable mention: Jordan Montgomery | May 31, 2024

• Opponent: J.D. Martinez, New York Mets
• Velocity: 78.8 mph (perceived velocity: 78.4 mph)
• Movement: -12.4 inches induced vertical break, 3.4 inches horizontal break

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For a variety of reasons, Jordan Montgomery‘s Diamondbacks career has not started how he or the organization would have liked. Nonetheless, his so-called “death-ball” curveball has been his best pitch this year, and this was an especially beautiful one to Mets slugger J.D. Martinez.

Montgomery has averaged just over eight inches of drop on the offering this year. This one dropped more than 12 inches.

Honorable mention: Blake Walston | May 26, 2024

• Opponent: Josh Bell, Miami Marlins
• Velocity: 78.2 mph (perceived velocity: 77 mph)
• Movement: -16.3 inches induced vertical break, 8.4 inches horizontal break

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Young Diamondbacks lefty Blake Walston did not quite hit his spot here to Josh Bell, but he still managed to get a swing-and-miss, and the movement numbers were impressive.

This Walston curveball dropped 16.3 inches (not including gravity) and broke 8.4 inches horizontally, making it the only Diamondbacks curveball this season to hit those marks. It was also one of Walston’s harder curveballs of the year at 78.2 mph.

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Top photo: Matt Kartozian/USA TODAY Sports