BABIP (Batting Average on Balls in Play)

BABIP, or Batting Average on Balls in Play, measures how often a batted ball that isn’t a strikeout, home run, or walk results in a hit. It indicates how frequently batted balls in play lead to a hit, excluding strikeouts, walks, and home runs. A high BABIP suggests good luck or strong contact, while a low BABIP may indicate bad luck or strong defense. It’s a useful metric for assessing a player's performance and understanding variability in batting averages, often providing insights beyond raw numbers about the quality of contact and defensive factors influencing outcomes.