BasicHitting · Pitching
BB%
Walk Rate
The share of plate appearances that end in a walk. For pitchers, it's walks allowed per batter faced.
8.9%2026 MLB average (2025: 8.4%)
Simple explanation
For a hitter, a walk is a trip to first earned with his eyes. It takes telling balls from strikes and the patience to hold off even when behind in the count.
For a pitcher it's the reverse. A walk puts a runner on without the ball even being put in play, and there's nothing the defense can do about it. For pitchers, lower is better.
Benchmarks
- 5.7%
- Bottom 10%
- 9.2%
- Median
- 13.2%
- Top 10%
From the hitter's side. Distribution of the 135 qualified hitters in 2026.
Detailed explanation
BB% = BB ÷ PA
- BB
- walks
- PA
- plate appearances (batters faced for pitchers)
Pitchers were long judged by walks per nine innings (BB/9). Measured per inning, a pitcher who gives up lots of hits faces more batters each inning, which muddies the number. Dividing by batters faced isolates the walk habit itself.
League average climbed to 8.9% in 2026, up noticeably from 8.4% in 2025.
Power hitters tend to walk a lot and strike out a lot: pitchers work around them, and big swings miss more often. Hitters who focus on contact are usually low in both.