Ben Joyce Bio
Benjamin Alan Joyce (born September 17, 2000) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball at the University of Tennessee, where he gained national attention for throwing the fastest pitch in college baseball history at 105.5 miles per hour. Selected by the Angels in the third round of the 2022 MLB draft, Joyce signed for a $1 million bonus and made his major league debut in 2023. Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall, he has built a reputation as one of the hardest throwers in the game.
Early Life and Background
Benjamin Alan Joyce grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, and attended Farragut High School. As a freshman, he stood just 5 feet 5 inches and weighed about 100 pounds, and he did not earn a spot on the varsity baseball team until his junior year. By that point, a significant growth spurt had carried him to 6 feet tall, giving him the frame that would later support an elite pitching arsenal.
After high school, Joyce enrolled at Walters State Community College, where he played alongside his twin brother Zach. A stress fracture in his elbow forced him to miss his freshman season, but he returned as a sophomore and posted a 3–1 record with a 4.79 ERA and 35 strikeouts in just over 20 innings. By the end of that year he had reached his adult height of 6 feet 5 inches. Joyce and his brother then committed to transfer to the University of Tennessee to continue their college careers.
Path to Professional Baseball
Joyce’s path to the University of Tennessee was slowed when he tore the ulnar collateral ligament during a fall practice and required Tommy John surgery, forcing him to miss his first season with the Volunteers. In his first healthy season as a redshirt junior, he drew national attention by regularly throwing his fastball above 100 miles per hour, with readings reaching 104 miles per hour. On May 1, 2022, he threw a 105.5 miles per hour fastball, the fastest recorded pitch in the history of college baseball.
He finished that redshirt junior season with a 2.23 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 32⅓ innings across 27 appearances, cementing his status as a top draft prospect. The Los Angeles Angels selected him in the third round of the 2022 MLB draft, and he signed for a $1 million signing bonus on July 22, 2022. Joyce was assigned to the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas to begin his professional career.
Ben Joyce Career
Early Career (2022)
Joyce began his professional career in 2022 with the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas. In his first professional game, he allowed four hits and two earned runs while recording a strikeout in one inning of relief work. He closed out the year with a 1–0 record, a 2.08 ERA, 20 strikeouts, and a save across 13 appearances, a strong introduction to professional baseball for the hard-throwing right-hander.
MLB Debut and Rookie Year (2023)
The Los Angeles Angels invited Joyce to spring training in 2023 as a non-roster invitee. He impressed in 14 appearances, posting a 4.60 ERA with 24 strikeouts and four saves in 15⅔ innings, convincing the organization he was ready for the majors. On May 28, 2023, Joyce was added to the 40-man roster and promoted to the big leagues.
He made his major league debut on May 29, 2023, against the Chicago White Sox, firing a scoreless inning of relief with two strikeouts. After just five appearances, he was placed on the injured list on June 10 with ulnar neuritis and was later transferred to the 60-day injured list. Joyce was activated in September and finished his rookie year with a 5.40 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 10 innings over 12 relief outings.
Sophomore Year and Record-Setting Fastballs (2024)
Joyce was optioned to Double-A Rocket City to begin the 2024 season before being recalled by the Angels on June 2, 2024. He quickly became a key late-inning option out of the bullpen. On August 3, 2024, against the New York Mets, he struck out J.D. Martinez on a 104.7 miles per hour fastball to earn his first major league save, marking the fastest strikeout pitch in MLB since at least 2008.
On September 3, 2024, he struck out Los Angeles Dodgers batter Tommy Edman on a 105.5 miles per hour fastball, matching his college top reading. Joyce was placed on the 15-day injured list on September 10, 2024, and the Angels announced he would be shut down for the rest of the year. He finished 2024 with a 2–0 record, four saves, a 2.08 ERA, and 33 strikeouts in 34⅔ innings.
2025 Season and Shoulder Surgery
Joyce appeared in five games for the Angels in 2025, posting a 1–0 record with a 6.23 ERA and one strikeout across 4⅓ innings. On May 14, 2025, the team announced that he had undergone season-ending surgery on his right shoulder. The procedure cut short what had been a promising start to the campaign.
Driving Style and Strengths
Joyce is a power right-handed reliever whose game is built almost entirely around a triple-digit fastball. He thrives in short bursts and high-leverage relief situations, where the threat of a 104- or 105-mile-per-hour heater lets him challenge hitters without nibbling at the strike zone. His ability to recover from major arm injuries and still light up the radar gun speaks to a strong support staff and a focused, low-pitch-count approach on the mound.
Notable Events and Milestones
Joyce’s signature moments all revolve around velocity. He owns the fastest recorded pitch in college baseball history at 105.5 miles per hour, set on May 1, 2022, and matched the figure in the major leagues on September 3, 2024, against the Dodgers. His first MLB save on August 3, 2024, came on a 104.7 miles per hour strikeout of J.D. Martinez, the fastest strikeout pitch in MLB since at least 2008.
Ben Joyce Career Wins
Across all levels of professional baseball, Benjamin Alan Joyce has built a résumé highlighted by dominant strikeout numbers and record-setting velocity rather than a long ledger of traditional wins. He opened his pro career unbeaten in 2022, then posted a 2–0 record in 2024, his first full major league season. The focus of his value, however, is less about wins and more about finishing games with triple-digit heat.
Minor League Highlights
Joyce began his professional career in 2022 with the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas, going 1–0 with a 2.08 ERA, 20 strikeouts, and a save in 13 appearances. He was optioned back to Rocket City to start the 2024 season before being recalled in June. He also spent the 2026 season on the injured list while recovering from shoulder surgery, limiting his 2025 and 2026 major league opportunities.
Other Performances
At Walters State Community College, Joyce went 3–1 with a 4.79 ERA and 35 strikeouts in just over 20 innings as a sophomore, his first full college season. At the University of Tennessee, he posted a 2.23 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 32⅓ innings during his redshirt junior year, a campaign headlined by the 105.5 miles per hour fastball that set the college record.
Ben Joyce Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Joyce was raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, alongside his twin brother Zach Joyce. The brothers pitched together at Farragut High School, at Walters State Community College, and at the University of Tennessee, providing constant competition and support throughout Ben’s development.
Personal Life
Joyce’s twin brother Zach played with him at Tennessee and was also selected by the Los Angeles Angels, going in the 14th round of the 2023 MLB draft. Beyond his close bond with his brother, Joyce keeps most of his personal life out of the public eye, focusing on his recovery and his role in the Angels’ bullpen.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a difficult one for Ben Joyce. He made just five appearances for the Los Angeles Angels, going 1–0 with a 6.23 ERA and one strikeout across 4⅓ innings. His limited workload reflected ongoing shoulder issues that had lingered since the end of 2024.
On May 14, 2025, the Angels announced that Joyce had undergone season-ending surgery on his right shoulder, effectively ending his year well before the All-Star break. The procedure was a significant setback for a reliever whose value is tied directly to his elite velocity and durability.
Looking ahead, the Angels will hope Joyce returns to full strength and reclaims the late-inning role he held during his strong 2024 campaign. With his track record of throwing harder than almost any pitcher in the game, his recovery and bullpen form will be one of the most-watched storylines in the Los Angeles bullpen.