Cubs rookie Owen Caissie made Statcast history with his first MLB hit

Since Owen Caissie was called up last Thursday and made his Major League and Chicago Cubs debut against the Toronto Blue Jays, controversy has surrounded the young outfielder. While he went 0-for-4 in his debut, there have been all kinds of questions as to why he hasn't played more. On Monday, during an otherwise dismal 7-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, Caissie put himself into the record books in the Statcast era, making himself one of just three players to accomplish a rarified first MLB hit.

After debuting in Canada (and rushing up to the Great White North to do it), he sat through the entirety of the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, outside of one pinch-hit appearance. Caissie started the first game of what was meant to be a doubleheader and the beginning of a five-game set against the NL Central-leading Brewers. In that start, he logged his first hit in the Bigs, but the single wasn't what made his career first noteworthy.

Chicago Cubs rookie records his first MLB hit in rare Statcast fashion

According to Sarah Langs, the Chicago Cubs outfielder turned on a fastball that came in at him at 100.3 miles per hour. The analyst pointed out that it was the third fastest pitch hit for a player's first career hit under pitch tracking in the Statecast era (beginning in 2008).

Langs said the velocity of the pitch hit by Caissie was ranked only behind the Tampa Bay Rays' Kameron Misner, who hit a 100.8 mph pitch from A's closer Mason Miller on August 22, 2024 and former San Diego Padres player Logan Forythe's hit off a 100.4 mph pitch from the Washington Nationals' Henry Rogriguez (who ironically is also a former Cub), on May 28, 2011.

Now that Owen Caissie has gotten his first Major League hit out of the way, and did it on a tough pitch to handle, it's time for the rookie outfielder to start helping the Chicago Cubs' offense turn things around and gear up for a Wild Card run.