> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://baseballthings.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Yordan Alvarez led the majors in batting average, on-base and slugging percentage in 2026 - URL: https://baseballthings.com/yordan-alvarez-batting-average-leaders-2026/ - Published: 2026-10-30T13:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-30T12:59:59.000Z - Description: Yordan Alvarez won the 2026 batting title at .316 in a season when only seven qualified hitters reached .300, matching the fewest since 1968. - Author: Baseball Things - Tags: News, MLB, 2026 in Review Yordan Alvarez led the majors in all three slash-line categories in 2026, hitting .316 with a .432 on-base percentage and a .601 slugging percentage. [Aaron Judge](https://baseballthings.com/players/aaron-judge/) did the same in 2025\. Before him, the last hitters to lead the majors in all three were Miguel Cabrera in 2013, Barry Bonds in 2002 and Larry Walker in 1999. Alvarez won the batting title in a league that keeps hitting less. Major leaguers batted .244 this season, down from .271 in 1999, and the number has barely moved in five years: .244 in 2021, .243 in 2022, .248 in 2023, .243 in 2024, .245 in 2025 and .244 this year. The 2023 bump came with the ban on infield shifts and lasted one season. Only seven seasons in major-league history have been lower: 1884 (.243), 1888 (.239), 1908 (.239), 1967 (.242), 1968 (.237), 2022 (.243) and 2024 (.243). The .300 hitter is getting scarce, too. Seven qualified hitters reached .300 in 2026, the same as in 2024 and 2025\. In 1999 there were 55\. The only other seasons in major-league history with seven or fewer were 1880 (seven), 1908 (seven) and 1968 (six). Luis Arraez, the third-place finisher, is the only one of the seven who is a free agent this winter. More from Baseball Things - [Free Agent Tracker](https://baseballthings.com/free-agent-tracker/)NEW — every 2026–27 MLB free agent, with signings updated live - [Arbitration Tracker](https://baseballthings.com/arbitration-tracker/)NEW — every 2027 arbitration-eligible player, with salary estimates - [Rule 5 Tracker](https://baseballthings.com/rule-5-tracker/)NEW — which Mariners prospects are eligible this winter and who’s protected ## [Yordan Alvarez](https://baseballthings.com/players/yordan-alvarez/), LF — [Houston Astros](https://baseballthings.com/houston-astros-players/): .316 batting average Alvarez's 181 wRC+ led the majors by 24 points, and he finished third in fWAR (6.8) and average exit velocity (94.4 mph). His 42 home runs, tied for fourth, were a career high, and his 118.5 mph maximum exit velocity was second in baseball, behind only Oneil Cruz. Houston won the AL West at 81-81, then was swept by the White Sox in the Wild Card Series. ## [Gabriel Moreno](https://baseballthings.com/players/gabriel-moreno/), C — [Arizona Diamondbacks](https://baseballthings.com/arizona-diamondbacks-players/): .311 batting average Moreno's .311 is the highest by a qualified catcher since Buster Posey hit .320 in 2017\. He also ranked fifth in on-base percentage (.388) and 10th in wRC+ (141), saved 14 runs behind the plate by Defensive Runs Saved and was worth 5.4 fWAR. Arizona finished 86-76 and missed the playoffs. ## [Luis Arraez](https://baseballthings.com/players/luis-arraez/), 2B — free agent: .310 batting average Arraez split the season between San Francisco and Philadelphia and kept doing what he does, spraying singles like he has a map of every hole in the infield. It is his fourth .300 season in five years. He led the majors in 2023 with a .354 average. ## [Chandler Simpson](https://baseballthings.com/players/chandler-simpson/), LF — [Tampa Bay Rays](https://baseballthings.com/tampa-bay-rays-players/): .306 batting average Simpson hit .306 without a single home run, and he also finished second in the majors with 46 stolen bases. The Rays had the American League's best record at 98-64 and are playing Milwaukee in the World Series. [Nasim Nuñez is the first Nationals player to lead the majors in stolen basesNasim Nuñez led the majors with 49 steals as a part-timer, and Chandler Simpson, Bobby Witt Jr., Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Pete Crow-Armstrong all topped 40.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f2/85/f285ce72-40e3-409f-ae3b-2ef371936c02/content/images/size/w256h256/2026/08/BT27Logo1024width--1-.png)Baseball ThingsBaseball Things![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f2/85/f285ce72-40e3-409f-ae3b-2ef371936c02/content/images/2026/10/tx-mlb-stolen-base-leader-1792580347733.jpg)](https://baseballthings.com/nasim-nunez-chandler-simpson-35-stolen-base-club-2026/) ## [Otto Lopez](https://baseballthings.com/players/otto-lopez/), SS — [Miami Marlins](https://baseballthings.com/miami-marlins-players/): .305 batting average Lopez paired his average with 34 steals and 11 home runs, and his 5.9 fWAR ranked sixth in the majors. He was also strong at shortstop: six Defensive Runs Saved and 14 Outs Above Average. The Marlins finished 80-82. ## [Nick Gonzales](https://baseballthings.com/players/nick-gonzales/), 3B — [Pittsburgh Pirates](https://baseballthings.com/pittsburgh-pirates-players/): .303 batting average Gonzales reached .300 with a .367 on-base percentage in 608 plate appearances. The Pirates finished 82-80 and missed the playoffs. ## [TJ Rumfield](https://baseballthings.com/players/tj-rumfield/), 1B — [Colorado Rockies](https://baseballthings.com/colorado-rockies-players/): .300 batting average Rumfield got to .300 on the nose and ranked second in the majors in on-base percentage (.390), behind only Alvarez. Colorado finished 58-104, the worst record in baseball. ## Rounding out the top 10 [Michael Harris II](https://baseballthings.com/players/michael-harris-ii/) of the Braves hit .294 with 26 home runs, [Yandy Díaz](https://baseballthings.com/players/yandy-diaz/) of the Rays hit .293, and [Jackson Chourio](https://baseballthings.com/players/jackson-chourio/) of the Brewers and [Jake McCarthy](https://baseballthings.com/players/jake-mccarthy/) of the Rockies each hit .291. [Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Schwarber lead MLB's 8-man 40-homer club in 2026Eight players hit 40 or more home runs in 2026, the most since 2019, led by Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Schwarber with 45 apiece.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f2/85/f285ce72-40e3-409f-ae3b-2ef371936c02/content/images/size/w256h256/2026/08/BT27Logo1024width--1-.png)Baseball ThingsBaseball Things![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f2/85/f285ce72-40e3-409f-ae3b-2ef371936c02/content/images/2026/10/tx--homer-club-1792577872252.jpg)](https://baseballthings.com/pete-crow-armstrong-kyle-schwarber-40-home-run-club-2026/) [Mason Miller struck out nearly half the hitters he faced in 2026Only seven qualified relievers struck out a third of the hitters they faced in 2026, the fewest since 2010, led by Mason Miller's 47.4%.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f2/85/f285ce72-40e3-409f-ae3b-2ef371936c02/content/images/size/w256h256/2026/08/BT27Logo1024width--1-.png)Baseball ThingsBaseball Things![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f2/85/f285ce72-40e3-409f-ae3b-2ef371936c02/content/images/2026/10/tx--strikeout-rate-1792580349252.jpg)](https://baseballthings.com/mason-miller-mason-montgomery-strikeout-relievers-2026/)