MLB American League Annual Batting Leaders

Updated August 28, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

American League

Multiple winners: Ty Cobb (12); Rod Carew (7); Ted Williams (6); Wade Boggs (5); Harry Heilmann (4); George Brett, Nap Lajoie, Tony Oliva and Carl Yastrzemski (3); Luke Appling, Joe DiMaggio, Ferris Fain, Jimmie Foxx, Nomar Garciaparra, Edgar Martinez, Pete Runnels, Al Simmons, George Sisler, Ichiro Suzuki and Mickey Vernon (2).

Year   Avg
1901 Nap Lajoie, Phi  .422
1902 Ed Delahanty, Wash  .376
1903 Nap Lajoie, Cle  .355
1904 Nap Lajoie, Cle  .381
1905 Elmer Flick, Cle  .306
1906 George Stone, St.L  .358
1907 Ty Cobb, Det  .350
1908 Ty Cobb, Det  .324
1909 Ty Cobb, Det  .377
     
1910 Ty Cobb, Det  .385
1911 Ty Cobb, Det  .420
1912 Ty Cobb, Det  .410
1913 Ty Cobb, Det  .390
1914 Ty Cobb, Det  .368
1915 Ty Cobb, Det  .369
1916 Tris Speaker, Cle  .386
1917 Ty Cobb, Det  .383
1918 Ty Cobb, Det  .382
1919 Ty Cobb, Det  .384
     
1920 George Sisler, St.L  .407
1921 Harry Heilmann, Det  .394
1922 George Sisler, St.L  .420
1923 Harry Heilmann, Det  .403
1924 Babe Ruth, NY  .378
1925 Harry Heilmann, Det  .393
1926 Heinie Manush, Det  .378
1927 Harry Heilmann, Det  .398
1928 Goose Goslin, Wash  .379
1929 Lew Fonseca, Cle  .369
     
1930 Al Simmons, Phi  .381
1931 Al Simmons, Phi  .390
1932 Dale Alexander, Det-Bos  .367
1933 Jimmie Foxx, Phi  .356
1934 Lou Gehrig, NY  .363
1935 Buddy Myer, Wash  .349
1936 Luke Appling, Chi  .388
1937 Charlie Gehringer, Det  .371
1938 Jimmie Foxx, Bos  .349
1939 Joe DiMaggio, NY .381
     
1940 Joe DiMaggio, NY  .352
1941 Ted Williams, Bos  .406
1942 Ted Williams, Bos  .356
1943 Luke Appling, Chi  .328
1944 Lou Boudreau, Clev  .327
1945 Snuffy Stirnweiss, NY  .309
1946 Mickey Vernon, Wash  .353
1947 Ted Williams, Bos  .343
1948 Ted Williams, Bos  .369
1949 George Kell, Det  .343
     
1950 Billy Goodman, Bos  .354
1951 Ferris Fain, Phi  .344
1952 Ferris Fain, Phi  .327
1953 Mickey Vernon, Wash  .337
1954 Bobby Avila, Clev  .341
1955 Al Kaline, Det  .340
1956 Mickey Mantle, NY  .353
1957 Ted Williams, Bos  .388
1958 Ted Williams, Bos  .328
1959 Harvey Kuenn, Det  .353
     
1960 Pete Runnels, Bos  .320
1961 Norm Cash, Det  .361*
1962 Pete Runnels, Bos  .326
1963 Carl Yastrzemski, Bos  .321
1964 Tony Oliva, Min  .323
1965 Tony Oliva, Min  .321
1966 Frank Robinson, Bal  .316
1967 Carl Yastrzemski, Bos  .326
1968 Carl Yastrzemski, Bos  .301
1969 Rod Carew, Min  .332
     
1970 Alex Johnson, Cal  .329
1971 Tony Oliva, Min  .337
1972 Rod Carew, Min  .318
1973 Rod Carew, Min  .350
1974 Rod Carew, Min  .364
1975 Rod Carew, Min  .359
1976 George Brett, KC  .333
1977 Rod Carew, Min  .388
1978 Rod Carew, Min  .333
1979 Fred Lynn, Bos  .333
     
1980 George Brett, KC  .390
1981 Carney Lansford, Bos  .336
1982 Willie Wilson, KC  .332
1983 Wade Boggs, Bos  .361
1984 Don Mattingly, NY  .343
1985 Wade Boggs, Bos  .368
1986 Wade Boggs, Bos  .357
1987 Wade Boggs, Bos  .363
1988 Wade Boggs, Bos  .366
1989 Kirby Puckett, Min  .339
     
1990 George Brett, KC  .329
1991 Julio Franco, Tex  .341
1992 Edgar Martinez, Sea  .343
1993 John Olerud, Tor  .363
1994 Paul O'Neill, NY  .359
1995 Edgar Martinez, Sea  .356
1996 Alex Rodriguez, Sea  .358
1997 Frank Thomas, Chi  .347
1998 Bernie Williams, NY  .339
1999 Nomar Garciaparra, Bos  .357
     
2000 Nomar Garciaparra, Bos  .372
2001 Ichiro Suzuki, Sea  .350
2002 Manny Ramirez, Bos  .349
2003 Bill Mueller, Bos .326
2004 Ichiro Suzuki, Sea .372
*Norm Cash later admitted to using a corked bat the entire season. He played 16 other seasons and never hit better than .286.

 

National League Batting Average  

 

 
Batting Average
Sources +