TEMPE, Ariz. -- As Giants manager Tony Vitello described Ben Joyce’s ascent from a scrawny teenager to someone who barely pitched in junior college to becoming the hardest throwing pitcher in the world, he paused and shook his head.
“You could make a movie about it,” said Vitello, who coached Joyce at the University of Tennessee. “Because of the way he’s broken records velo-wise and also just breaking into the baseball scene the way he did. Because, again, he was nowhere near one of the best pitchers at his high school, or in JUCO, and then when he originally first got with us.”
Joyce, who is making a steady recovery from shoulder surgery last May, has an unlikely back story, as he was only 5-foot-4 and 120 pounds when he first tried out for the baseball team at Knoxville’s Farragut High School. But Joyce experienced a growth spurt his senior year and touched 90 mph for the first time.
Joyce, though, dealt with issues with his growth plates due to the sudden change in his physical stature, which caused him to miss his freshman year at Walters State Community College. But he continued to get bigger, growing two more inches in college to get to his current 6-foot-5 frame, and reached 100 mph that year, which started to get him recognized by college coaches.
Joyce committed to Tennessee to play for Vitello, but then suffered another setback, undergoing Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss the 2021 season. He returned in ’22 to pitch his lone season with the Volunteers and made history in the process.
Joyce threw a 105.5 mph fastball, which was the hardest pitch ever recorded in the NCAA, and also excelled on the mound with a 2.23 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings. It led to the Angels drafting him with the No. 89 overall pick in the third round of the ’22 Draft.
Vitello said it was incredible to watch Joyce’s transformation during his time at Tennessee and noted it didn’t happen by accident, as Joyce is one of the hardest-working players he’s ever coached.
“It's unfortunate you can't see his work ethic behind the scenes because it is crazy,” Vitello said. “Like he wouldn’t even pitch in the game and I would have to talk to the team, do radio, do media, shower, go say good night to the analytics guys and then he’d still be in the weight room. People might think God just tapped him on the shoulder and said, ‘Throw 106,’ but he worked like a maniac for it.”
Vitello, who managed against the Angels on Tuesday, said he’s enjoyed watching Joyce develop in the Majors and improve his command. Joyce got his first taste in '23 when he had a 5.40 ERA in 10 innings but broke out in '24, as he had a 2.08 ERA in 34 2/3 innings, including a 0.83 ERA over his final 28 appearances.
He also again made history, throwing a 105.5 mph fastball to register the fastest pitch recorded on a strikeout against the Dodgers’ Tommy Edman on Sept. 3. It was the third-fastest since pitch tracking began in 2008, behind only Aroldis Chapman's 105.8 mph in 2010 and 105.7 mph in ’16.
But last year, Joyce threw just 4 1/3 innings before suffering a shoulder injury. Joyce, though, has been throwing bullpens without any issues this spring and is set for another one on Wednesday. He could still open the year on the injured list but isn’t expected to miss extended time.
“It’s been going well,” Joyce said. “I'm just kind of progressing every time, just trying to increase the intensity, add the pitches into the mix, whatever it is. So it's been feeling good, responding well, so I'm happy with it. It feels pretty normal.”
Joyce has only been throwing fastballs and changeups so far but even though he’s not at full strength, he’s still impressed manager Kurt Suzuki. Suzuki, a big league catcher for 16 seasons, likes to stand behind the catchers to get a better view of the bullpen sessions.
“I was back there for Joyce, and I was like, ‘Holy cow,’” Suzuki said. “I’ve never caught Ben. So being back there was incredible.”
The Angels are hopeful for another incredible showing from Joyce this year, as his health will be key to the bullpen’s success. And Vitello believes it’s just another small hurdle for Joyce to overcome.
“Some of these setbacks are unfortunate to see but they're just a part of his story,” Vitello said. “And now that I think about it, it literally could be a show or a special.”