⚾ Batting Average Calculator
Calculate your baseball batting average
At-bats exclude walks, HBP, sacrifices
Batting Average Benchmarks
Quick Examples
How to Use This Calculator
Enter Hits
Type the number of official hits recorded. Include singles, doubles, triples, and home runs.
Enter At-Bats
Add the total official at-bats. Do not include walks, hit-by-pitches, or sacrifices.
Calculate & Review
Click calculate to see your batting average, rating, and key insights.
Analyze the Result
Compare the output to typical benchmarks to gauge your hitting performance.
Formula
Batting Average (AVG) = Hits ÷ At-Bats
The batting average measures how often a player earns a hit per official at-bat. It is expressed as a three-digit decimal (for example, .275) but can also be converted to a percentage.
Variables
- Hits (H): Singles, doubles, triples, and home runs.
- At-Bats (AB): Official batting opportunities excluding certain outcomes.
Sample Calculation
If a player has 150 hits in 520 at-bats, their AVG is 150 ÷ 520 = 0.288, commonly shown as .288.
Understanding Batting Average
Batting average is the classic baseline statistic for evaluating a hitter’s ability to make contact that results in hits. While newer metrics offer more nuance, AVG remains a quick snapshot of offensive consistency.
What Counts as an At-Bat?
An at-bat is recorded when a plate appearance ends in a hit, an out, an error, or a fielder’s choice. The following outcomes do not count as at-bats: walks, hit-by-pitches, sacrifice bunts, sacrifice flies, and catcher’s interference.
Why .300 is Elite
An AVG of .300 means collecting a hit in 30% of at-bats—no easy feat against professional pitching. Posting .300 or better over a full season is considered excellent and often indicates All-Star level performance.
How to Improve Your AVG
- Focus on contact drills that emphasize bat control and timing.
- Study opposing pitchers to anticipate pitch sequences and tendencies.
- Maintain plate discipline; better pitch selection leads to better contact.
- Track quality at-bats and adjust mechanics with coaching feedback.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good batting average?
In Major League Baseball, .300+ is excellent, .275-.299 is above average, .250-.274 is average, and below .250 indicates room for improvement. League averages typically hover around .245-.250.
Why don’t walks count in batting average?
Batting average isolates a hitter’s ability to record hits. Plate disciplines such as walks are captured by on-base percentage (OBP) instead.
What is the highest single-season batting average?
Hugh Duffy holds the all-time single-season record at .440 in 1894. In the modern era, Rogers Hornsby’s .424 in 1924 is the highest mark.
Does batting average matter in modern analytics?
Yes, but it is one piece of a larger puzzle. Modern evaluation also looks at metrics like OBP, slugging, OPS, wOBA, and wRC+. Batting average remains useful for quick comparisons.
What is the “Mendoza Line”?
The Mendoza Line refers to a .200 batting average, named after shortstop Mario Mendoza. A hitter consistently below .200 is often at risk of losing playing time.