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Which batting slot gets the most fastballs?
Posted by John Dewan on Dec 16th 2015
August 17, 2007
The Cubs' Alfonso Soriano is not your classic leadoff hitter. He does have tremendous speed, and that is useful at the top of the order, but his low walk percentage is not. Moreover, he has the power of a middle-of-the-order hitter. Nevertheless, he wants to bat leadoff because he says he gets more fastballs.
Do leadoff hitters really get more fastballs? The batting slot that gets the most fastballs is not the leadoff slot, but the number nine slot in the National League with 67% of pitches thrown being fastballs. This is not surprising; when facing a pitcher at the plate, throwing fastballs is the most efficient way to get them out. After that, Soriano is correct. Leadoff hitters get fastballs 65% of the time.
Here are the 2006 Major League Baseball fastball percentages by lineup slot, by league.
National League
| Batting Slot | Percentage |
| 1 | 65% |
| 2 | 63% |
| 3 | 61% |
| 4 | 59% |
| 5 | 59% |
| 6 | 59% |
| 7 | 59% |
| 8 | 60% |
| 9 | 67% |
American League
| Batting Slot | Percentage |
| 1 | 65% |
| 2 | 63% |
| 3 | 59% |
| 4 | 59% |
| 5 | 58% |
| 6 | 58% |
| 7 | 59% |
| 8 | 61% |
| 9 | 63% |