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GlossaryStats

Slugging Percentage

SLG

Total bases divided by at-bats, measuring how much damage a hitter does per at-bat rather than how often they reach.

Slugging percentage weights hits by how far they went. A single is one base, a double two, a triple three, a home run four; add them up and divide by at-bats. A hitter who goes 1-for-4 with a double slugs .500.

It is not a percentage despite the name, since it can exceed 1.000. Four home runs in four at-bats produces a slugging percentage of 4.000.

Its value is in what batting average hides. Two hitters can both bat .300 while one hits nothing but singles and the other hits doubles, and slugging is the number that separates them. Combined with on-base percentage it produces OPS, which is the single most useful one-glance hitting number in youth baseball.

How do you calculate slugging percentage?

Divide total bases by at-bats. Total bases counts a single as one, a double as two, a triple as three, and a home run as four.

What is a good slugging percentage?

At professional level, roughly .450 is good and .550 is excellent. Youth benchmarks vary enormously by age and league, so compare within your own division rather than against pro numbers.

Related terms
OPS · OPSOn-base percentage plus slugging percentage; a single number for overall offensive value.On-Base Percentage · OBPHow often a batter reaches base via hit, walk, or hit-by-pitch; usually more telling than batting average.Batting Average · AVGHits divided by at-bats; the classic measure of how often a batter gets a hit.Total Bases · TBThe sum of bases gained on hits: one for a single, two for a double, three for a triple, four for a home run.
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