Reference

Stat benchmarks, definitions, and a glossary for the modern game.

Stat Benchmarks

Traditional Stats

StatPoorBelow AvgAverageAbove AvgExcellent
AVG.220.240.260.280.300+
OBP.290.310.330.360.390+
SLG.350.390.430.480.530+
OPS.650.700.750.830.900+
ERA5.00+4.504.003.503.00
WHIP1.45+1.351.251.151.05
WAR (pos.)0–11–22–33–55+
WAR (SP)0–11–22–33–55+

Adjusted / Sabermetric

StatPoorBelow AvgAverageAbove AvgExcellent
OPS+7590100115140+
wRC+7590100115140+
ERA+7590100115140+
FIP4.50+4.003.803.403.00
xFIP4.50+4.003.803.403.00
fWAR0–11–22–33–56+
bWAR0–11–22–33–56+

Statcast \u2014 Batting

StatPoorBelow AvgAverageAbove AvgElite
Exit Velo (mph)< 8686–8888–9090–9292+
Launch Angle (°)< 88–1212–1818–25Varies
Barrel%< 4%4–6%6–8%8–12%12%+
Hard Hit%< 30%30–35%35–40%40–45%45%+
xBA.220.240.260.280.300+
xSLG.350.390.430.480.530+
xwOBA.290.310.330.360.390+
Sprint Speed (ft/s)< 2626–2727–2828–2929+

Statcast \u2014 Pitching

StatPoorBelow AvgAverageAbove AvgElite
Whiff%< 20%20–24%24–28%28–32%32%+
Chase%< 25%25–28%28–31%31–35%35%+
K%< 18%18–22%22–26%26–30%30%+
BB%12%+10–12%8–10%6–8%< 6%
CSW%< 26%26–28%28–30%30–33%33%+
xERA4.50+4.003.703.303.00
xBA Against.270+.250.240.220.200
Avg Spin (FF, rpm)< 21002100–22002200–23502350–25002500+

Key Definitions

AVG (Batting Average)
Hits divided by at-bats. Measures how often a batter gets a hit.
OBP (On-Base Percentage)
Times reached base (H + BB + HBP) divided by plate appearances. Includes walks and hit-by-pitches unlike AVG.
SLG (Slugging Percentage)
Total bases divided by at-bats. Weights extra-base hits more heavily than singles.
OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging)
OBP + SLG. A quick composite measure of a hitter's overall offensive value.
OPS+ / ERA+ (Adjusted Stats)
Park- and league-adjusted versions of OPS and ERA. 100 is league average; each point above/below is one percent better/worse.
wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus)
Park- and league-adjusted measure of total offensive value. 100 is league average. Considered the best single-number hitting stat.
WAR (Wins Above Replacement)
Estimates a player's total value in wins compared to a freely available replacement-level player. Combines hitting, fielding, and baserunning (or pitching).
FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching)
Estimates a pitcher's ERA based only on strikeouts, walks, hit batters, and home runs — removing defense and luck on balls in play.
xBA / xSLG / xwOBA (Expected Stats)
Statcast metrics that estimate what a batted ball outcome *should* have been based on exit velocity and launch angle, removing fielding and luck.
Barrel%
Percentage of batted balls with the ideal combination of exit velocity (98+ mph) and launch angle (26–30° at 98 mph, wider range at higher velos). Barrels correlate with a .500+ batting average and 1.500+ slugging.
Hard Hit%
Percentage of batted balls with an exit velocity of 95+ mph.
Whiff%
Swings and misses divided by total swings. Measures a pitcher's ability to generate whiffs.
Chase%
Percentage of pitches outside the strike zone that the batter swings at. Higher is better for pitchers.
CSW% (Called Strike + Whiff %)
Percentage of pitches that are either called strikes or swinging strikes. A combined measure of pitch-level effectiveness.
Sprint Speed
A player's top speed in feet per second, measured by Statcast on competitive running plays. League average is ~27 ft/s.