FanGraphs Adds Statcast Bat Tracking Metrics to Its Site

FanGraphs just rolled out a Statcast Bat Tracking section on player pages and leaderboards. Now, there’s a whole new set of bat-centric metrics that really dig into how swing mechanics connect to contact quality and power.

These features turn Statcast numbers into something you can actually use—from bat speed and swing length to attack angle and blast potential. Fans, scouts, and analysts get a clearer sense of what a hitter does at contact and how that shows up in exit velocity. It all lines up with MLB Statcast glossaries and sits right alongside FanGraphs’ other membership perks and data tools.

What the Bat Tracking addition means for fans and analysts

The Bat Tracking suite adds detailed measurements to player pages and leaderboards, quantifying swing quality, contact efficiency, and power potential. FanGraphs translates raw tracking data into understandable metrics, so you can see how hitters move the bat—from swing speed to the bat’s path through impact.

Early 2024 stats show about 23% of swings hit at least 75 mph. That really highlights the importance of separating raw speed from what actually happens on contact. These metrics come straight from MLB Statcast glossaries, and you’ll find them as part of FanGraphs’ membership features that spread data across pages and leaderboards.

Key Bat Tracking Metrics

Let’s take a quick look at the new metrics and what each one says about a hitter’s mechanics and results.

• Bat Speed: mph at contact or right where the bat could meet the ball. It’s all about how fast the sweet spot moves, which drives exit velocity.
• Swing Length: how far the bat travels during a swing, measured in feet. Short, tight swings look a lot different from big, sweeping ones.
• Fast-Swing Rate: the percentage of swings at or above 75 mph. In early 2024, this was about a quarter of swings in some samples.
• Squared-Up Contact Rate: how much of the possible exit velocity a batter gets at contact, based on swing and pitch speeds.
• Squared-Up Swing Rate: the share of swings that create squared-up contact, considering both pitch and swing speeds. It’s a good marker for overall swing quality.
• Blast Contact Rate: how often a hitter produces “blasts”—well-squared balls with high bat speed. That’s serious impact.
• Blast Swing Rate: the rate of swings that meet blast-level contact conditions, tying together speed and quality.
• Swing Path (Tilt): the vertical angle of the bat’s path toward contact. It shows how the bat moves up or down as it approaches the ball.
• Attack Angle: the vertical direction of the sweet spot at impact. Is the bat rising, dropping, or level?
• Attack Direction: the horizontal movement of the bat at contact, showing if the swing is moving efficiently through the hitting zone.
• Ideal Attack Angle Rate: the share of competitive swings that fall into the 5–20 degree sweet spot for attack angle. It highlights how often a hitter stays in that ideal window.

FanGraphs pulled these definitions from MLB Statcast glossaries and worked them into player pages and leaderboards for easy cross-site comparisons. You can use these metrics with traditional stats for a fuller picture of how mechanics turn into results.

Why this matters for players, scouts, and fans

Bat Tracking gives everyone a way to diagnose swing mechanics, fine-tune training, and track progress over time. It helps pinpoint which parts of the swing—speed, path, angle—matter most for making good contact and hitting with power.

Teams can use this data to guide coaching, pick the right drills, and create custom development plans. And let’s be honest, fans get a deeper appreciation for just how much skill it takes to square up a ball and hit it hard, day after day.

Practical applications and usage tips

• Compare players’ swing signatures: Try using Bat Speed, Swing Path, and Attack Angle to spot differences in hitting profiles. This can help you figure out where a player might improve.
• Track swing evolution: Keep an eye on Fast-Swing Rate and Ideal Attack Angle Rate as seasons go by. It’s a pretty direct way to see if mechanical tweaks or new training approaches are actually working.
• Correlate with outcomes: Look at Squared-Up Contact Rate and Blast metrics alongside exit velocity and launch data. That’s how you know if those swing changes are showing up in real results.
• Inform scouting and coaching: Use Attack Direction and Attack Angle to design drills that focus on making solid contact in the hitting zone. Coaches can get pretty creative here.
• Enhance fan engagement: Break down in-game or seasonal trends by showing how small tweaks in swing mechanics change power or consistency. Fans love seeing the “why” behind the numbers.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Statcast Bat Tracking Metrics Are Now on FanGraphs!