Baseball stats explained: AVG, OBP, SLG & OPS
By Carl Andrews · Updated July 2026
AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS — the alphabet soup on the back of a baseball card confuses a lot of parents. But each one answers a simple question about a hitter, and once you get them, you'll understand your kid's game on a whole new level. Here's each stat in plain English, how it's calculated, and what a “good” number looks like in youth ball.
Batting average (AVG) — the classic
Batting average is hits divided by at-bats. Get 1 hit in 4 at-bats and you're batting .250. It's the number everyone knows — but it has a blind spot: it ignores walks entirely. A patient hitter who draws a lot of walks can look “average” by AVG while actually helping the team a lot. Useful, but never the whole story.
On-base percentage (OBP) — why coaches love it
OBP measures how often a hitter reaches base any way that isn't an out — hits, walks, and hit-by-pitches — divided by their total plate appearances. That's why coaches prize it: a leadoff hitter with a great eye and a .420 OBP creates far more scoring chances than a free-swinger with a shiny average and a low OBP. Getting on base is the whole job at the top of the order.
Slugging percentage (SLG) — measuring power
Slugging weights how far a hitter gets, not just whether they reach. Add up total bases — single = 1, double = 2, triple = 3, home run = 4 — and divide by at-bats. Two players can both hit .300, but the one cracking doubles and triples has a much higher slugging percentage. SLG is your power number.
OPS — the one number that ties it together
OPS is simply OBP + SLG. Add getting-on-base to hitting-for-power and you get a single, quick measure of a hitter's total offensive value. It's not perfect math, but it's the fastest honest snapshot of “how good is this hitter,” which is exactly why coaches and scouts lean on it.
What counts as “good” at the youth level
Pro benchmarks don't transfer cleanly to Little League, where pitching and fielding swing wildly game to game. As a rough guide, an OPS near .700 is solid, .800+ is very good, and .900+ is excellent for most youth levels. The better move is to track each player against their own season and their own league — progress over time tells you more than any single number.
Pitching stats in one minute
ERA (earned run average) is earned runs per 7 innings — lower is better. WHIP is walks plus hits per inning pitched, a measure of how many baserunners a pitcher allows. K/BB is strikeouts divided by walks — command in one number. Those three tell you most of what you need about a young pitcher.
Let the app do the math
Here's the good news: you never have to calculate any of this by hand. When you score a game live with Baseball Stats Tracker, every one of these — AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, ERA, and more — updates automatically after each at-bat, for every player, all season long. No spreadsheets, no scorebook math. And it's a one-time $39 purchase — no subscription. See how it compares to other apps.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good OPS in youth baseball?
It varies by age and level, but as a rough guide an OPS around .700 is solid, .800+ is very good, and .900+ is excellent for most youth levels. Because youth pitching and fielding are inconsistent, compare a player to their own team and league rather than to pro benchmarks.
Is OBP better than batting average?
For measuring how often a hitter helps the team, yes — OBP counts walks and hit-by-pitches, not just hits, so it reflects how often a player avoids making an out. A kid with a modest average but a great eye can have a high OBP and be very valuable at the top of the lineup.
How do you calculate slugging percentage (SLG)?
Add up total bases (single = 1, double = 2, triple = 3, home run = 4) and divide by at-bats. A player with 10 total bases in 20 at-bats has a .500 slugging percentage. It measures power, not just contact.
What is OPS and why do coaches use it?
OPS is On-base Plus Slugging — you simply add OBP and SLG together. It combines getting on base and hitting for power into one number, which is why coaches use it as a quick overall measure of a hitter's value.
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