10 Highest Batting Average Leaders
Highest Batting Average Leaders Since 2000 include the likes of Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, and Chipper Jones. Todd Helton is the leader of the group.
Here are the highest batting average top ten players in the leaderboard in a season since 2000:
1. Todd Helton - .372 (.37241) in 2000
Helton played in the MLB for seventeen years for the same team, Colorado Rockies. During his career, the first baseman scored 2519 hits, 369 homers, and 1406 RBI, averaging .316.
The 2000 season was arguably the best year of the player's career. He not only did lead the league in BA but also in RBI, doubles, total bases, extra-base hits, slugging percentage, and OPS.
Todd smashed 103 extra-base hits that year, tying for the fourth most in MLB history and the second most in NL history.
2. Nomar Garciaparra - .372 (.37240) in 2000
Nomar, the second player on the list, achieved the feat in the same year as Helton. His average during that season had reached up to .403 at one point.
Garciaparra played for four teams during his fourteen years major league career. However, he is widely known for his time with the Red Sox.
During his nine years with Boston, the shortstop won five All-Star selections, two AL Batting Champion awards, and a Silver Slugger Award. He was also the 1997 AL Rookie of the Year.
3. Ichiro Suzuki - .372 (.37216) in 2004
Suzuki played for twenty-eight years as a professional. He spent nineteen seasons in the major league playing for three different teams.
The 2004 season was full of records for the former Mariners outfielder. He not only had the highest average but also broke the record for most hits in a season and became the first-ever player to score 200 hits in his first four seasons.
He also won the Golden Glove that year, fourth out of ten consecutive. He finished his career with 509 stolen bases, 117 homers, 780 RBI, and 3,089 hits averaging .311.
4. Barry Bonds - .370 in 2002
Bonds finished 2002 with a batting average of .370, entering as fourth in the list. The left fielder had shown signs of an impressive season early on, smashing five homers in his first four matches.
Bonds drew 198 walks that year, setting a major league record. Of those, 65 were intentional walks surpassing Willie McCovey's 45 for another MLB record.
He also smashed his 600th home run the same year. It was one of the most successful seasons of his illustrious career, winning the NL MVP, NL Hank Aaron Award, Silver Slugger, and Golden Glove.
5. Joe Mauer - .365 in 2009
Mauer spent his entire fifteen-year major league career with the Twins. During his sixth year with Minnesota in 2009, the catcher won his first-ever AL MVP and his third and final AL Batting Champion award, finishing the season with a BA of .365.
That season he led the league in BA, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, becoming the first-ever catcher to do so. Joe also won the second of his three consecutive Golden Gloves and Silver Slugger Awards.
The catcher finished his career with a BA of .306, accumulating 2,123 hits, 143 homers, and 923 RBI.
6. Chipper Jones - .364 in 2008
The former third baseman and current coach of the Braves started the first month of the 2008 season with a BA of .400. He finished the year with a BA of .364, one point short of an all-time high by a switch-hitter.
In the same season, he tied the major league record for most consecutive seasons with twenty-plus homers to start a career. It was the player's fourteenth straight season with more than twenty homers.
7. Magglio Ordonez - .363 in 2007
The year 2007 was the best in the career of Ordonez. His 28 homers and 139 RBIs at an average of .363 is one of the best seasons ever by a Tigers outfield player.
In addition, he smashed 54 doubles and had an on-base percentage of .434, making his way to the third and final Silver Slugger Award of his career.
By the time he reached his retirement, he had smashed 294 homers, 1,236 RBI, and 2,156 hits at an average of .309.
8. Barry Bonds - .362 in 2004
Barry makes a second appearance on this list with a BA of .362, which he achieved two years after his first. The 2004 season was the best in his career.
On the way to winning his second NL Batting Champion, the left fielder broke both records he had set earlier by walking 232 times, including 120 intentional walks. His on-base percentage of .609 was the highest in his career.
He slugged at .812, smashing 45 homers, including the 700th of his career. He achieved all that by striking out only 41 times, being one of only a few players who smashed more homers than they struck out.
9. Josh Hamilton - .359 (.35907) in 2010
Hamilton had a short career of only nine years compared to others on the list. However, he has had some terrific seasons, including the 2010 one.
On his way to his first batting title, the outfielder smashed 32 homers and more than a hundred RBIs at an average of .359 despite missing 29 games due to injury. He won the AL MVP, ALCS MVP, and the Silver Slugger Award to cap off his incredible season.
10. Albert Pujols - .359 (.35871) in 2003
Pujols has had a legendary career filled with many successful years. The 2003 season is one of them.
He smashed 43 homers, 137 RBIs, 212 hits, and 51 doubles at .359 on the road to becoming the youngest player to win the NL batting title since Tommy Davis in 1962.
The first baseman also became the only second Cardinal to score 40 homers and 200 hits in a season. In addition, he won the Silver Slugger Award and finished second in the MVP race.
