Who is the fastest MLB player right now? As Major League Baseball introduces new rules to increase the number of runs scored and stolen bases, the fastest players in MLB have an opportunity to shine in 2024.
By expanding the bases and reducing the number of pickoff attempts, we should see a dramatic increase in stolen bases this season. While there was an average of 0.51 steals per game last season, that average hasn’t eclipsed 0.6 since 2012. Furthermore, the last 50-steal season happened in 2017.
That figures to change this season. Larger bases and more opportunities to steal will unleash the fastest players in baseball. For the likes of Elly De La Cruz, Byron Buxton Bobby Witt Jr. and so many others, this season will be their time to shine in what could become the start of a new era for baseball.
Below, we’ll look at the current data from Baseball Savant’s Sprint Speed for the fastest MLB players right now.
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Who is the fastest MLB player right now?
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr is the fastest MLB player right now. Witt leads MLB in average Sprint Speed (30.3) and he has the second-fastest Home-to-First time (4.11 seconds) in baseball this year.
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Fastest MLB players 2025
Here are the fastest MLB players right now based on data from Baseball Savant‘s Spring Speed (ft per second).
- Bobby Witt Jr, Kansas City Royals – 30.3 Sprint Speed
- Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins – 30.1 Sprint Speed
- Victor Scott II, St. Louis Cardinals – 30.0 Sprint Speed
- Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies – 29.9 Sprint Speed
- Brandon Lockridge, San Diego Padres – 29.9 Sprint Speed
- Eli White, Atlanta Braves – 29.9 Sprint Speed
- Blake Dunn, Cincinnati Reds – 29.7 Sprint Speed
- Nasim Nuńez, Washington Nationals – 29.6 Sprint Speed
- Derek Hill, Miami Marlins – 29.5 Sprint Speed
- Jeremy Peńa, Houston Astros – 29.5 Sprint Speed
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Fastest home to first times in MLB this season
Here are the fastest home plate to first base times in baseball this season, data courtesy Baseball Savant.
- Jake Mangum, Tampa Bay Rays – 4.09 seconds
- Bobby Witt Jr, Kansas City Royals – 4.11 seconds
- Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins – 4.12 seconds
- Garrett Mitchell, Milwaukee Brewers – 4.13 seconds
- Brandon Lockridge, San Diego Padres – 4.13 seconds
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Who leads MLB in stolen bases this season?
Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder O’Neil Cruz and Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong are tied with 12 stolen bases this season as of April 29.
MLB stolen base leaders 2025
- Oneil Cruz, Pittsburgh Pirates – 12 steals
- Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs – 12 steals
- Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds – 11 steals
- Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox – 10 steals
- Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox – 9 steals
- Victor Scott II, St. Louis Cardinals – 9 steals.
Note: We update the MLB steals leaders once per week. Stats entering play on Tuesday, April 29.
MLB stolen bases leaders by year
Below you can find a list of the top 10 MLB stolen base leaders by year. We’ll add additional years throughout the 2025 MLB season.
MLB steals leaders 2024
- Elly De La Cruz, Reds – 67 steals
- Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers – 59 steals
- Brice Turang, Brewers – 50 steals
- Jose Caballero, Rays – 44 steals
- Jose Ramirez, Guardians – 41 steals
- Jazz Chisholm Jr, Yankees – 40 steals
- Maikel Garcia, Royals – 37 steals
- Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks – 35 steals
- Jarren Duran, Red Sox – 34 steals
- Victor Robles, Mariners – 34 steals
MLB steals leaders 2023
- Ronald Acuña Jr, Braves – 73 steals
- Esteury Ruiz, Athletics – 67 steals
- Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks – 54 steals
- Bobby Witt Jr, Royals – 49 steals
- CJ Abrams, Nationals – 47 steals
- Nico Hoerner, Cubs – 43 steals
- Ha-seong Kim, Padres – 38 steals
- Julio Rodriguez, Mariners – 37 steals
- Elly De La Cruz, Reds – 35 steals
- Willi Castro, Twins – 33 steals
MLB steals leaders last 20 years
- Jose Reyes (2007) – 78 steals
- Ronald Acuña Jr (2023) – 73 steals
- Scott Podsednik (2004) – 70 steals
- Jacoby Ellsbury (2009) – 70 steals
- Willy Taveras (2008) – 68 steals
- Juan Pierre (2010) – 68 steals
- Esteury Ruiz (2023) – 67 steals
- Elly De La Cruz (2024) – 67 steals
- Juan Pierre (2003) – 65 steals
- Jose Reyes (2006) – 64 steals
- Dee Gordon (2014) – 64 steals
- Juan Pierre (2006) – 64 steals
- Chone Figgins (2005) – 62 steals
- Jonathan Villar (2016) – 62 steals
- Michael Bourn (2009) – 61 steals
- Michael Bourn (2011) – 61 steals
- Jose Reyes (2005) – 60 steals
- Carl Crawford (2009) – 60 steals
- Dee Gordon (2017) – 60 steals
- Carl Crawford (2004) – 59 steals
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Fastest MLB players in 2024
Here are the fastest MLB players in 2024.
- Bobby Witt Jr, Kansas City Royals – 30.4 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Victor Scott II, St. Louis Cardinals – 30.2 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Johan Rojas, Philadelphia Phillies – 30.1 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds – 30.1 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Johan Rohas, Philadelphia Phillies – 30.1 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs – 30.0 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Tyler Fitzgerald, San Francisco Giants – 30.0 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Jose Siri, Tampa Bay Rays – 29.9 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Jorge Mateo, Baltimore Orioles – 29.9 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers – 29.8 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Jonny DeLuca, Tampa Bay Rays – 29.9 ft/sec Sprint Speed
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Fastest MLB players in 2023
Here are the fastest players in baseball based on Baseball Savant’s Sprint Speed data.
- Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds – 30.5 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Dairon Blanco, Kansas City Royals – 30.4 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals – 30.4 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Bubba Thompson, Texas Rangers – 30.3 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies – 30.3 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks – 30.1 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Jorge Mateo, Baltimore Orioles – 30.1 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- José Azocar, San Diego Padres – 30.1 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Jake McCarthy, Arizona Diamondbacks –30.0 ft/sec Sprint Speed
- Blake Perkins, Milwaukee Brewers – 30.0 ft/sec Sprint Speed
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Who led MLB in stolen bases last season?
Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz led baseball in steals last season with 67 stolen bases in 160 games played, becoming the second player in the last two years to steal at least 60 bases.
When is the last time someone stole 70 bases in a season?
Atlanta Braves outfield Ronald Acuna stole 70 bases in the 2023 MLB season. Acuna is the first MLB player to steal 70 bases in a season since Jacoby Ellsbury in 2009.
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Fastest players in MLB 2022 (StatCast)
Baseball Savant’s StatCast uses Sprint Speed as its measure for foot speed, defining it as the “feet per second in a player’s fastest one-second window” on a single play. It also uses a stat called ‘Bolt’, which measures any run above 30 ft. per second. Here’s a breakdown of the fastest players in MLB last season by Sprint Speed.
- Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks – 30.7 mph Sprint Speed
- Bobby Witt Jr, Kansas City Royals – 30.4 mph Sprint Speed
- Jose Siri, Tampa Bay Rays – 30.4 mph Sprint Speed
- Bubba Thompson, Texas Rangers – 30.4 mph Sprint Speed
- Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies – 30.3 mph Sprint Speed
- Garrett Mitchell, Milwaukee Brewers – 30.2 mph Sprint Speed
- Jake McCarthy, Arizona Diamondbacks – 30.1 mph Sprint Speed
- Jorge Mateo, Baltimore Orioles – 30.1 mph Sprint Speed
- Eli White, Atlanta Braves – 30.1 mph Sprint Speed
- Wynton Bernard, Colorado Rockies – 30.1 mph Sprint Speed
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