Table of Contents
What is Batting Average?
Batting average (AVG or BA) is one of the oldest and most recognizable statistics in baseball. It measures the rate at which a batter gets a hit per official at-bat. A batting average of .300 (read as "three hundred") means the batter gets a hit 30% of the time, which is considered excellent at the Major League level.
While batting average has been somewhat supplanted by more advanced metrics like OPS and wRC+, it remains an intuitive and widely understood measure of hitting ability. Walks, hit-by-pitches, sacrifices, and reaching base on errors are not counted as at-bats, which means batting average only measures performance when the batter puts the ball in play or strikes out.
Calculation Formulas
Batting Average Benchmarks
| Average | Rating | Description |
|---|---|---|
| .350+ | Elite | Batting title contender, historically rare |
| .300-.349 | Excellent | All-Star caliber hitter |
| .270-.299 | Above Average | Solid everyday player |
| .250-.269 | Average | League average hitter |
| .200-.249 | Below Average | Struggles offensively |
| Below .200 | Mendoza Line | Named after Mario Mendoza |
Advanced Metrics
- OBP (On-Base Percentage): Includes walks and HBP, giving a more complete picture of reaching base.
- SLG (Slugging Percentage): Weights extra-base hits to measure power hitting.
- OPS: OBP + SLG combined for a single comprehensive hitting metric.
- BABIP: Batting average on balls in play, helps identify luck vs. skill.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good batting average in MLB?
The league-wide batting average in MLB has hovered around .240-.260 in recent years. A .300 batting average is considered excellent and typically places a hitter among the top 20-30 in the league. The last player to hit .400 in a full season was Ted Williams with .406 in 1941.
Why is .300 considered the benchmark?
Historically, .300 has been the dividing line between good and great hitters. Only about 10-15% of qualified MLB hitters reach this mark in any given season. It represents getting a hit roughly once every three at-bats, which requires consistent quality contact.
What is the Mendoza Line?
The Mendoza Line is a batting average of approximately .200, named after light-hitting shortstop Mario Mendoza. Batting below the Mendoza Line is considered the threshold of offensive futility in professional baseball. However, some modern players who hit below .200 remain valuable due to power hitting and walks.