Barrel Rate for Fantasy Baseball

Typical benchmarks

The league average Barrel Rate usually sits around 6 to 7 percent. Solid hitters land in the 8 to 10 percent range. Once you get above 12 percent, you are dealing with high quality power threats. There was only one hitter above 14 last season, Aaron Judge. The 100th ranked player by Barrel Rate was Marcell Ozuna with a 6.8 BR.  That would likely surprise you as he has been an amazing power hitter over the years.  He hit only 21 home runs last year.  

How To Read Barrel Rate On Statcast

Where to find it

The easiest way to check a player’s Barrel Rate is on the MLB SavantLeaders page. It has a sortable list of Barrel Rate and can be easily searched.  Many fantasy sites pull Statcast data directly into player profiles. 

Using Barrel Rate in 2026 Fantasy Drafts

Barrel Rate works when targeting power hitters especially veterans.  Power and speed get sapped around 32 years old so a view of the trend of a player’s Barrel Rate can foreshadow that.  For younger players, look at the trend and know that it will continue.  For rookies, this is not possible.  Minor league Barrel Rate cannot be made equivalent to MLB BR.  Hitters can get more bat speed versus minor league pitching and therefore have a greater exit velocity.  You can see their plane discipline, but cannot gauge their exit velocity.

Draft Day Advantages

When two hitters are ranked near each other, Barrel Rate separates them for power hitting. A player who Barrels the ball more often is more likely to repeat or improve on last season’s home run total. If the underlying power skills match the projection models, you can draft with more confidence.

When Barrel Rate Misleads

Barrel Rate is not perfect. Here are some spots for out to watch out for.

Sample size & Injuries

Be careful not to overreact to small samples or again with minor league statistics. A hitter might show a huge Barrel Rate in the first month, but that number needs time to stabilize. Also pay attention to injuries. A hitter with a wrist issue will almost always have lower power as his exit velocities will be lower. All of these things to watch out for are already in the Rules of Engagement of the SMART System so follow those.

Ballpark factors

Ballparks convert Barrels into home runs at different rates. It is important to understand where the hitter plays their home games or the upcoming schedule for pickups.

Handedness

Also, each ballpark converts to home runs for hitters from different sides of the plate.  A left-handed hitter in Yankee Stadium who barrels the ball will have more home runs there than a right-handed hitter.  Same is true for a good number of ballparks so you would be smart to couple your homework in-season to include this.

Conclusion

Exit velocity shows you how hard the ball is hit.  Launch angle shows you the trajectory off the bat.  Barrel Rate shows you the percentage of the time that those two things are at their maximum.  I use Barrels and Barrel Rate and rarely look at exit velocity or launch angle.  The only reason to look at those is to try to find a reason that a hitter is doing poorly or suddenly started hitting home runs.  The answer can often be found with those two metrics, but a steady player is one with a steady Barrel Rate.

People Also Ask

What is a good Barrel Rate?
A good Barrel Rate starts around 10 percent. Anything above 15 is elite.

How does Barrel Rate project home runs?
Higher Barrel Rates mean more ideal contact which usually leads to more home runs.

Does Barrel Rate work for sleepers?
Yes. High Barrel Rate with low HR is one of the strongest breakout hints.

Can Barrel Rate decline with age?
Yes. Lower bat speed often leads to fewer Barrels as players get older.