Rate Stats Qualifiers

These values are subject to change as new data is discovered and incorporated into the Official record.

NON-QUALIFIED LEADERS
Per Rule 9.22, “any player with fewer than the required number of plate appearances whose average would be the highest, if he were charged with the required number of plate appearances shall be awarded the batting, slugging or on-base percentage championship, as the case may be.” That is, a player with 500 plate appearances may still be declared the league leader if two hitless at-bats are added to his record and his revised batting average, on-base percentage or slugging percentage would still be the highest in his league.

No such exception exists for pitching category leadership.

MULTIPLE LEAGUES
A player appearing in multiple leagues and/or levels of play in the same season may qualify for overall Major League or Minor League leadership if he:

• Meets the HIGHEST minimum standard of plate appearances (or innings pitched) in any single league or level of play, OR
• Meets the HIGHEST minimum standard of plate appearances (or innings pitched) across all leagues and levels of play combined, OR
• Meets the minimum standard of plate appearances (or innings pitched) in ANY individual league in which the player played.

ALL-TIME LEADERS
Consistent with the above, a player may qualify for all-time career leaderboards in rate stats if he has:

• 5,000 career at-bats (or 2,000 career IP) in the AL/NL, OR
• 5,000 career at-bats (or 2,000 career IP) the AL/NL PLUS Negro Leagues combined, OR
• 1,800 career at-bats (or 600 career IP) in the Negro Leagues.

These values are intended to equate to roughly ten (10) “qualified” seasons over a player’s career.

HISTORICAL CHANGES
The current minimum standards for batting category leadership were established in 1957. Different standards were customarily applied throughout Major League Baseball history.

For batters:

1876 to 1919 – appeared in at at least 60 percent of scheduled team games;

1920 to 1949 – at least 100 games played;

1950 to 1951 – at least 400 official times at bat;

1952 to 1954 – at least 400 official times at bat or, if less than 400 times at-bat, and by adding enough hitless at bats so as to total 400 and still would have the highest batting average, on-base percentage or slugging percentage;

1955 to 1956 – 400 official times at bat;

1957 to 1966 – 3.1 plate appearances per scheduled league games;

1967 to present: current standards as defined above.

For pitchers:

1876 to 1911 – current standards, as defined above, are retroactively applied;

1912 to 1950 – at least 10 complete games pitched;

1951 to present – current standards as defined above.