Fielding Percentage Calculator
Calculate fielding percentage (FPCT) — the share of chances a fielder handles cleanly — from putouts, assists, and errors.
Informational only — not a substitute for official league statistics or professional judgment.
How it's calculated
Assumptions
- Uses the official definition where the error total is what the official scorer charged — judgment calls vary by scorer.
- Fielding percentage measures sure-handedness, not range: a fielder is only charged an error on balls they reach, so it says nothing about balls they never got to (see FAQ).
Source: MLB Glossary — Fielding Percentage (FPCT)
Last reviewed: July 2026
Frequently asked questions
What's considered a good fielding percentage?
It depends heavily on position. In MLB, first basemen and catchers typically field .990 or better, outfielders around .980–.990, second and third basemen in the .950–.980 range, and shortstops — who handle the most difficult chances — around .970. Compare a player to others at the same position, not to the league as a whole.
What counts as a chance?
A chance is any play the fielder participates in: putouts (recording the out directly, like a catch or a tag), assists (throwing to a teammate who records the out), and errors. Total chances = putouts + assists + errors, which is the denominator of the formula.
What's the difference between a putout and an assist?
A putout goes to the fielder who physically records the out — catching a fly ball, tagging a runner, or receiving the throw at a base. An assist goes to any fielder who touched the ball on the way to that out, most commonly the infielder who threw to first.
Why don't analysts trust fielding percentage as a defense stat?
Because errors are only charged on balls a fielder reaches. A fielder with poor range never gets close enough to misplay tough balls, so they can post a high fielding percentage while converting fewer outs overall. Modern defensive metrics like Outs Above Average measure range directly, which fielding percentage cannot.
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