Highest Single-Season Batting Average: Leaders & Records

Single Season

Includes the 2026 season through August 11, 2026

Hugh Duffy holds the MLB single-season batting average record with a .440 batting average in 1894, ahead of Tip O'Neill (.435 in 1887) and Nap Lajoie (.426 in 1901).

Rankings cover the top 100 qualifying seasons (a minimum of 400 plate appearances).

These rankings combine AL/NL and Negro Leagues statistics (1920–1948), which MLB recognized as major league in 2020 — 4 of the 100 seasons listed here were played in the Negro Leagues.

Top 10 AVG

Single Season. Click a bar to view the player.

Rank Player Year Team AVG
1 Hugh Duffy 1894 BSN .440
2 Tip O'Neill 1887 SL4 .435
3 Nap Lajoie 1901 PHA .426
4 Rogers Hornsby 1924 STL .424
5 Willie Keeler 1897 BLN .424
6 Ty Cobb 1911 DET .420
7 George Sisler 1922 SLA .420
8 Sam Thompson 1894 PHI .415
9 Fred Dunlap 1884 SLU .412
10 Jesse Burkett 1896 CL4 .410
11 Ed Delahanty 1899 PHI .410
12 Ty Cobb 1912 DET .409
13 Shoeless Joe Jackson 1911 CLE .408
14 George Sisler 1920 SLA .407
15 Heavy Johnson NgL 1923 KCM .406
16 Ted Williams 1941 BOS .406
17 Jesse Burkett 1895 CL4 .405
18 Ed Delahanty 1894 PHI .405
19 Ed Delahanty 1895 PHI .404
20 Billy Hamilton 1894 PHI .403
21 Harry Heilmann 1923 DET .403
22 Rogers Hornsby 1925 STL .403
23 Pete Browning 1887 LS2 .402
24 Ty Cobb 1922 DET .401
25 Rogers Hornsby 1922 STL .401
26 Hughie Jennings 1896 BLN .401
27 Bill Terry 1930 NY1 .401
28 Willie Wells NgL 1930 SLS .399
29 Harry Heilmann 1927 DET .398
30 Lefty O'Doul 1929 PHI .398
31 Ed Delahanty 1896 PHI .397
32 Rogers Hornsby 1921 STL .397
33 Jesse Burkett 1899 STL .396
34 Shoeless Joe Jackson 1912 CLE .395
35 Tony Gwynn 1994 SDP .394
36 Harry Heilmann 1921 DET .394
37 Harry Heilmann 1925 DET .393
38 Babe Herman 1930 BRO .393
39 Joe Kelley 1894 BLN .393
40 Babe Ruth 1923 NYY .393
41 Al Simmons 1927 PHA .392
42 Sam Thompson 1895 PHI .392
43 John McGraw 1899 BLN .391
44 George Brett 1980 KCR .390
45 Fred Clarke 1897 LS3 .390
46 Ty Cobb 1913 DET .390
47 Al Simmons 1931 PHA .390
48 Ty Cobb 1921 DET .389
49 Billy Hamilton 1895 PHI .389
50 Bill Lange 1895 CHC .389
51 Tris Speaker 1925 CLE .389
52 Luke Appling 1936 CHW .388
53 Rod Carew 1977 MIN .388
54 King Kelly 1886 CHC .388
55 Tris Speaker 1920 CLE .388
56 Ted Williams 1957 BOS .388
57 Lave Cross 1894 PHI .387
58 Rogers Hornsby 1928 BSN .387
59 Al Simmons 1925 PHA .387
60 Hughie Jennings 1895 BLN .386
61 Willie Keeler 1896 BLN .386
62 Chuck Klein 1930 PHI .386
63 Tris Speaker 1916 CLE .386
64 Willie Keeler 1898 BLN .385
65 Arky Vaughan 1935 PIT .385
66 Ty Cobb 1919 DET .384
67 Rogers Hornsby 1923 STL .384
68 Jesse Burkett 1897 CL4 .383
69 Ty Cobb 1917 DET .383
70 Nap Lajoie 1910 CLE .383
71 Lefty O'Doul 1930 PHI .383
72 Tris Speaker 1912 BOS .383
73 Turkey Stearnes NgL 1926 DS .383
74 Ty Cobb 1910 DET .382
75 Ty Cobb 1918 DET .382
76 Shoeless Joe Jackson 1920 CHW .382
77 Oscar Charleston NgL 1922 ABC .381
78 Joe DiMaggio 1939 NYY .381
79 Babe Herman 1929 BRO .381
80 Al Simmons 1930 PHA .381
81 Honus Wagner 1900 PIT .381
82 Billy Hamilton 1893 PHI .380
83 Rogers Hornsby 1929 CHC .380
84 Tris Speaker 1923 CLE .380
85 Paul Waner 1927 PIT .380
86 Lou Gehrig 1930 NYY .379
87 Goose Goslin 1928 WSN .379
88 Willie Keeler 1899 BRO .379
89 Freddie Lindstrom 1930 NY1 .379
90 Larry Walker 1999 COL .379
91 Earl Averill 1936 CLE .378
92 Ty Cobb 1925 DET .378
93 Sam Crawford 1911 DET .378
94 Charlie Hickman 1902 CLE .378
95 Heinie Manush 1926 DET .378
96 Heinie Manush 1928 SLA .378
97 Babe Ruth 1921 NYY .378
98 Babe Ruth 1924 NYY .378
99 Tris Speaker 1922 CLE .378
100 Ty Cobb 1909 DET .377

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has the highest single-season batting average (a minimum of 400 plate appearances)?
Hugh Duffy — a .440 batting average in 1894, among qualifying seasons (a minimum of 400 plate appearances). Next are Tip O'Neill (.435 in 1887) and Nap Lajoie (.426 in 1901).
What was Hugh Duffy's batting average in 1894?
Hugh Duffy posted a .440 batting average for BSN in 1894 — the highest mark on this leaderboard.
Who else ranks in the top 5 for single-season batting average?
1. Hugh Duffy (.440 in 1894); 2. Tip O'Neill (.435 in 1887); 3. Nap Lajoie (.426 in 1901); 4. Rogers Hornsby (.424 in 1924); 5. Willie Keeler (.424 in 1897).
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 — 4 of the 100 seasons listed here were played in the Negro Leagues.