The Tigers have uncovered a hidden gem in High-A – a pitcher with what might be the fastest knuckleball ever thrown in baseball history.
Kenny Serwa, a 27-year-old former independent league pitcher, has transformed from baseball afterthought to legitimate prospect after developing an 88.5 mph knuckleball that’s making hitters look foolish.
Just months ago, Serwa couldn’t get a sniff from MLB organizations. That changed after he spent 12 weeks at Tread Athletics rebuilding his arsenal and adding strength. The results have been eye-opening.
What makes Serwa’s story remarkable is the velocity on his knuckleball. Traditional knuckleballers like Tim Wakefield or R.A. Dickey typically threw the pitch in the mid-70s. Serwa’s version comes in nearly 15 mph faster, creating a nightmare for hitters who already struggle with the pitch’s unpredictable movement.
At our Pro Day, Kenny did the following:
Sat 94
Threw the world’s hardest knuckleball at 88.5 mph
Blew up the internetNeedless to say, scouts were intrigued.
Within days, Kenny signed with the Detroit Tigers.His pen pic.twitter.com/UH79wQPOTJ
— Cody Whitten (@codywhitten4) April 29, 2025
The Tigers took a chance on Serwa after his showcase, and he’s making them look smart. His High-A numbers tell the story: a 2.13 ERA across 12.2 innings with a microscopic 0.63 WHIP. Opponents are hitting just .122 against him, and he’s striking out 10.7 batters per nine innings.
So far Kenny has dominated in High-A with the Tigers:
12.2 IP
2.13 ERA
0.63 WHIP
10.66 K/9
5.00 K/BB
.122 BAAThat plays.
: @EmilyCWaldon pic.twitter.com/FToJMliEtE
— Cody Whitten (@codywhitten4) April 29, 2025
Given Serwa’s age, the Tigers aren’t likely to follow the traditional development timeline. Most prospects in High-A are in their early 20s with years of development ahead. At 27, Serwa’s clock is ticking.
Look for Detroit to challenge him with a promotion to Double-A soon. If he continues to dominate there, a major league debut could happen this season.
That’d be quite a journey for someone who couldn’t get an affiliated contract just months ago. It would also bring one of baseball’s most fascinating pitches – the knuckleball – back to the big leagues in a form we’ve never seen before.
The knuckleball has become increasingly rare in MLB, with no true practitioners currently at the highest level. Serwa could change that, and the pitch’s unprecedented velocity makes this a development worth watching closely.
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