Do Home Runs Ever Get Hit Out Of The Park In MLB Baseball?

Have you ever wondered if a batter in baseball has ever hit a ball out of the ballpark? The answer is yes; many MLB players have hit home runs out of the ballpark. Read on to learn more about which batters hit some of the farthest baseballs in MLB history.

MLB Venues Where Home Runs Exit the Ballpark

It is common for powerful home runs to exit the ballpark in MLB games. Some MLB stadiums make this feat more plausible than others. The most notable is Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, where a home run hit over the “Green Monster,” the large wall in left field, will land on Lansdowne Street behind the park. At Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, power hitters are able to crush baseballs out of the park and into the San Francisco Bay.

Has a Major League Baseball Player Hit the Ball Out of the Ballpark?

Adam Dunn holds the record for hitting a baseball out of the ballpark at the farthest distance with his 535-foot home run. The Cincinnati Red blasted his moonshot against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2004 at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. No other home run can compare to the distance this ball went. This is because it left the ballpark, bounced into the street, and landed in the Ohio River. Since the Ohio River serves as the border between Kentucky and Ohio, some say this home run went into another state.

Jim Thome also has accomplished the feat of knocking one out of the park, hitting a ball that traveled at 511 feet. Thome’s accomplishment was made at Jacobs Stadium, the home of the Cleveland Indians, on July 3rd, 1999. The Cleveland faithful roared and celebrated the home run as it helped the team defeat the Kansas City Royals by a score of 9-5. 

Longest Home Run in MLB History Prior to the Statcast Era

In 2015, the MLB introduced a technology known as Statcast. This technology was scientifically created in order to calculate precise distances of home runs and to analyze accurate statistics within the game. Prior to its introduction to the league, stat keepers debated on which player to acknowledge as the record holder for the longest home run. The Major League Baseball Hall of Fame has recognized Babe Ruth as this champion, hitting a ball at a perceived 587 feet. Some other historians, however, have argued that the ball traveled between 600 and 700 feet.

Joey Meyer hit a ball at 582 feet in 1987, yet his home run is not regarded within the MLB record books as the slugger played for a Triple-A team. This accomplishment helped Meyer land a spot on the Brewers roster, where he would hit a total of 18 career home runs. However, his home run with the Denver Zephyrs will forever be remembered.

Longest Home Run in MLB Statcast Era

Nomar Mazara’s June 21st, 2019 home run traveled 505 feet, making it the longest home run measured by Statcast. The home run came against the Chicago White Sox and left-handed pitcher Reynaldo Lopez. Texas Rangers fans at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, witnessed the slugger hit the ball deep into the right field seats in the first inning. The Texas Rangers would end up losing this game 5-4, though, as Zach Collins hit a dagger of a home run in the 10th inning to seal the win for the White Sox.