Line Drive Rate
Also known as: LD%, liner rate
Line drive rate (LD%) is the percentage of batted balls classified as line drives (typically 0–25° launch angle with hard contact) — the batted-ball type with the highest expected batting average.
Line drives carry the highest expected batting average of any batted-ball type because they are hit hard, stay in the air long enough to land safely, and are difficult to field. An elite LD% is generally considered 25% or above. Hitters can improve their LD% by optimising barrel path to stay on the pitch plane longer, reducing rollover, and improving attack angle to match the pitch's downward trajectory. LD% is a more stable indicator of true contact quality than batting average over small samples.
Example
Her 28% line drive rate was the clearest indicator of her contact quality — she was consistently matching the pitch plane and squaring the ball.
Why it matters
SwingVantage's analysis of barrel path, attack angle, and contact consistency directly maps to the mechanical drivers of line drive rate — improvements in the analysis translate to real improvements in batted-ball quality.
Related terms
- Ground Ball RateGround ball rate (GB%) is the percentage of batted balls that are grounders — typically a negative indicator for power hitters, though contact hitters may use it strategically.
- Pop-Up (Batting)A pop-up is a batted ball with extreme backspin and a very steep launch angle (above 50°) that goes nearly straight up and is almost always caught for an out.
- BarrelA barrel is a batted ball with both high exit velocity and an optimal launch angle at the same time — the combination most likely to become an extra-base hit.
- Hard-Hit RateHard-hit rate is the percentage of batted balls hit above a set exit-velocity threshold (typically 95 mph in MLB, adjusted by level). It is a better measure of contact quality than batting average.
- Exit Velocity (EV)Exit velocity is how fast the ball comes off the bat, in mph. It is a ceiling metric — the harder you hit it, the farther it can go.
- Launch Angle (Batting)Launch angle in batting is the vertical angle the ball leaves the bat. Roughly 10–25° produces the hardest, most productive contact.
Related guides & benchmarks
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