Highest Career Batting Average in MLB History: All-Time Leaders

Career

Includes the 2026 season through August 26, 2026

This board follows the record MLB adopted in 2024, when the statistics of the seven recognised Negro Leagues (1920–1948) became part of the official record. Because a Negro Leagues season ran roughly 69 games to the American and National Leagues’ 149, the career qualification is prorated from 3,000 at-bats to 1,389 for careers played mainly in those leagues, and from 400 plate appearances to 185 for a single Negro Leagues season. The all-time AL & NL board uses the traditional 3,000-at-bat rule and excludes Negro Leagues records.

Heavy Johnson holds the all-time MLB career batting average record with a .370 batting average, ahead of Ty Cobb (.366) and Josh Gibson (.364).

Rankings cover the top 100 qualifying players (a minimum of 3,000 career at-bats).

These rankings combine AL/NL and Negro Leagues statistics (1920–1948), which MLB recognized as major league in 2020 — 35 of the 100 players listed here have Negro Leagues seasons counted in their totals.

Top 10 AVG

Career. Click a bar to view the player.

Rank Player AVG Trend
1 Heavy Johnson NgL .370
2 Ty Cobb .366
3 Josh Gibson NgL .364
4 Rogers Hornsby .358
5 Jud Wilson NgL .357
6 Shoeless Joe Jackson .356
7 Willard Brown NgL .354
T-8 John Beckwith NgL .350
T-8 Oscar Charleston NgL .350
T-10 Dobie Moore NgL .349
T-10 Lefty O'Doul .349
12 Turkey Stearnes NgL .347
13 Ed Delahanty .346
14 Tris Speaker .345
T-15 Billy Hamilton .344
T-15 John Henry Lloyd NgL .344
T-15 Ted Williams .344
18 Buck Leonard NgL .343
T-19 Dan Brouthers .342
T-19 Harry Heilmann .342
T-19 Dave Orr .342
T-19 Babe Ruth .342
T-23 Pete Browning .341
T-23 Willie Keeler .341
T-23 Bill Terry .341
T-26 Lou Gehrig .340
T-26 George Sisler .340
T-26 Cristóbal Torriente NgL .340
29 Mule Suttles NgL .339
T-30 Jesse Burkett .338
T-30 Tony Gwynn .338
T-30 Fats Jenkins NgL .338
T-30 Nap Lajoie .338
T-30 Jake Stenzel .338
35 Riggs Stephenson .336
T-36 Cap Anson .334
T-36 John McGraw .334
T-36 Al Simmons .334
T-39 Eddie Collins .333
T-39 Mike Donlin .333
T-39 Paul Waner .333
T-42 Stan Musial .331
T-42 Sam Thompson .331
T-44 Bill Lange .330
T-44 Heinie Manush .330
T-44 Roy Parnell NgL .330
T-44 Bullet Rogan NgL .330
T-48 Rap Dixon NgL .329
T-48 Biz Mackey NgL .329
T-48 George Scales NgL .329
T-51 Wade Boggs .328
T-51 Rod Carew .328
T-51 Ben Taylor NgL .328
T-51 Honus Wagner .328
T-55 Valentín Dreke NgL .327
T-55 Dick Lundy NgL .327
T-55 Willie Wells NgL .327
T-58 Hugh Duffy .326
T-58 Tip O'Neill .326
T-60 Cool Papa Bell NgL .325
T-60 Earle Combs .325
T-60 Joe DiMaggio .325
T-60 Bob Fothergill .325
T-60 Jimmie Foxx .325
T-65 Babe Herman .324
T-65 Joe Medwick .324
T-65 Wild Bill Wright NgL .324
T-68 Hurley McNair NgL .323
T-68 Edd Roush .323
T-70 Bill Hoskins NgL .322
T-70 Sam Rice .322
T-70 Ross Youngs .322
T-73 Kiki Cuyler .321
T-73 Steel Arm Davis NgL .321
T-73 Clarence Smith NgL .321
T-76 Mickey Cochrane .320
T-76 Charlie Gehringer .320
T-76 Chuck Klein .320
T-76 Pie Traynor .320
T-76 Edgar Wesley NgL .320
81 Ken Williams .319
T-82 Earl Averill .318
T-82 Charlie Blackwell NgL .318
T-82 Vladimir Guerrero .318
T-82 Kirby Puckett .318
T-82 Ed Rile NgL .318
T-82 Arky Vaughan .318
T-88 Luis Arraez .317
T-88 Roberto Clemente .317
T-88 Chick Hafey .317
T-88 Joe Harris .317
T-88 Joe Kelley .317
T-88 Johnny Washington NgL .317
T-88 Zack Wheat .317
T-95 Walter Cannady NgL .316
T-95 George Carr NgL .316
T-95 Roger Connor .316
T-95 Lew Fonseca .316
T-95 Frankie Frisch .316
T-95 George Giles NgL .316

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has the highest career batting average (a minimum of 3,000 career at-bats)?
Heavy Johnson — a .370 batting average, among qualifying players (a minimum of 3,000 career at-bats). Next are Ty Cobb (.366) and Josh Gibson (.364).
What was Heavy Johnson's career batting average?
Heavy Johnson posted a .370 batting average — the highest mark on this leaderboard.
Who else ranks in the top 5 for career batting average?
1. Heavy Johnson (.370); 2. Ty Cobb (.366); 3. Josh Gibson (.364); 4. Rogers Hornsby (.358); 5. Jud Wilson (.357).
Do these Batting Average rankings include the Negro Leagues?
Yes. MLB recognized the Negro Leagues (1920–1948) as major league in 2020, so their statistics are ranked alongside AL/NL records here — 35 of the 100 players listed here have Negro Leagues seasons counted in their totals.