An easy tool for calculating batting average in baseball with grading scale for evaluation.
Batting Average Calculator
How to Use This Batting Average Calculator
Total Hits
To calculate batting average, start by entering the total number of hits the batter has recorded for the season. Hits include singles, doubles, triples, and home runs. Do not include walks, sacrifice bunts, sacrifice flies, or times hit by a pitch, as these do not count as official at-bats.
Total At-Bats
The next step for this batting average calculator is to enter the total number of at-bats the batter has taken. At-bats include any plate appearances that result in a hit, out, or reaching on an error. Do not count walks, hit-by-pitches, or sacrifices as at-bats.
What Not to Do
- Do not enter walks, sacrifices, or hit-by-pitches in either field.
- Do not enter negative numbers or leave fields blank.
- Do not confuse plate appearances with at-bats—only official at-bats should be used.
Once all values are entered, click Calculate Batting Average to see the result. This batting average calculator will also provide a grading scale to help interpret the number.
Batting Average Formula
How Do You Figure Out Batting Average?
The formula for calculating batting average is:
Batting Average = Total Hits ÷ Total At-Bats
For example, a batter who has 150 hits in 500 at-bats would have a batting average of: 150 ÷ 500 = .300
A batting average of .300 or higher is considered excellent, while a batting average below .200 is considered low.
What is Batting Average in Baseball?
Batting average is one of the most traditional statistics used to measure hitting performance. It represents how often a player records a hit per at-bat and is expressed as a three-digit decimal. The higher the batting average, the more often a batter successfully gets a hit.
While batting average is useful, it does not account for extra-base hits or walks, meaning a batter with a high batting average may not necessarily be the best overall hitter.
What’s a Good Batting Average?
Batting average varies based on the level of play, era, and hitting approach, but a general grading scale is:
- .350 and above – Elite
- .300 to .349 – Great
- .250 to .299 – Good
- .200 to .249 – Average
- Below .200 – Below Average
A .300 batting average is typically considered excellent, while a batting average below .200 is often referred to as the “Mendoza Line,” meaning the player is struggling to hit consistently.
Batting Average vs. Other Hitting Stats
Using this batting average calculator gives you a partial idea at the value of an offensive player. It is a helpful metric, but it does not tell the full story of a hitter’s effectiveness. Other offensive stats provide a more complete picture of offensive performance.
Slugging Percentage (SLG)
Slugging percentage accounts for extra-base hits by assigning more value to doubles, triples, and home runs. A hitter with a low batting average but a high slugging percentage provides more power and run production.
On-Base Plus Slugging (OPS) and OPS+
To calculate OPS you combine on-base percentage (OBP) and slugging percentage (SLG) to measure a player’s overall offensive value. OPS+ adjusts for league and ballpark factors to give a better comparison across different playing conditions.
Weighted On-Base Average (wOBA)
wOBA is an advanced hitting metric that assigns proper weight to different types of hits and walks. Unlike batting average, wOBA credits extra-base hits more than singles and penalizes outs accordingly.
Secondary Average (SECA)
Secondary Average (SECA) measures a player’s offensive value beyond just hitting by factoring in extra-base hits, walks, and stolen bases, unlike batting average, which only tracks how often a player gets a hit per at-bat. Secondary Average Calculator
Why Calculating Batting Average Can Be Misleading
Batting average has been a key baseball stat for decades, but it fails to account for walks, power, and run production. While a high batting average suggests strong contact skills, it does not always mean a player is an elite hitter.
Batting Average Does Not Consider Walks
Walks are a major part of offensive value, but batting average completely ignores them. A hitter with a .250 batting average but a .380 on-base percentage (OBP) is likely more valuable than a .300 hitter with a .320 OBP because they get on base more often and create more scoring opportunities. How to calculate OBP.
Batting Average Treats All Hits Equally
A bloop single and a home run count the same in batting average, even though a home run guarantees a run while a single may not. This is why Slugging Percentage (SLG) and OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging) are often used to show how much damage a hitter does, not just how often they get a hit.
Modern hitters focus more on power and patience rather than just making contact. Swinging for extra-base hits often leads to more strikeouts and lower batting averages, but it also increases slugging percentage and walk rates.
A .250 hitter with a .500 slugging percentage and a .370 OBP is typically more valuable than a .300 hitter with no power and a .330 OBP because they generate more total bases and scoring opportunities.
Batting Average Alone Can Be Misleading
While using this batting average calculator can give you a partial idea of a hitter’s value, it doesn’t tell the whole story. A high batting average does not always equal a great hitter. A .330 hitter with low power and few walks may contribute less than a .260 hitter with 30 home runs and a high OBP.
This is why modern stats like OPS, wOBA, and Slugging Percentage help provide a fuller picture of offensive production. While calculating batting average is still useful, it should always be used alongside other hitting metrics to evaluate a player’s true impact.