Albertín Aroldis Chapman de la Cruz is a Cuban-born American professional baseball relief pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. He previously played in MLB for the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs and in the Cuban National Series for Holguín.
On July 11, 2014, Chapman broke the record, previously held by Bruce Sutter, for the most consecutive relief appearances with a strikeout, having struck out at least one batter in 40 consecutive appearances. Chapman’s streak began on August 21, 2013, and lasted 49 consecutive games over two seasons, with the 49th and final game being on August 13, 2014.
Chapman currently has the record for the fastest recorded pitch speed in MLB history, at 105.1 miles per hour (169.1 km/h), as well as the Guinness World Record for the fastest baseball pitch.
Meet Juan Alberto Chapman Benett and Maria Caridad De La Cruz
Aroldis Chapman is the son of Juan Alberto Chapman Benett and Maria Caridad De La Cruz. Chapman’s father Juan Alberto was a boxing coach who eventually became a city employee. His mother Maria Caridad was a stay-at-home mother. Chapman’s paternal ancestors moved to Cuba from Jamaica to pursue higher education.