Zone Rating (ZR)

Zone Rating (ZR) is a defensive metric used in baseball to assess a player's ability to cover their assigned area in the field. It measures how often a player successfully makes plays on balls hit into their designated zone, compared to the expected number based on league averages. A higher ZR indicates that the player is effectively covering their zone and making more plays, reflecting superior defensive performance. It's a useful way to evaluate fielders' range and responsiveness, providing insight into their contribution to the team's defense beyond traditional stats like fielding percentage.