By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
Fielding percentage divides successful chances by total chances. Putouts and assists are successes, while errors are the failures, so the result shows how often a fielder completes a play without an error.
Measure how often fielders convert chances into outs.
FPCT = (PO + A) ÷ (PO + A + E)
FPCT treats every error the same and ignores range, so a fielder who reaches more balls but makes more errors can look worse than a sure-handed one with less range. It is descriptive, not a complete defensive measure.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| PO | Putouts, meaning plays where the fielder records the out. |
| A | Assists, meaning plays where the fielder helps record an out. |
| E | Errors, meaning plays the fielder should have completed but did not. |
| FPCT | Successful chances divided by total chances, shown to three decimals. |
1,200 putouts plus 350 assists is 1,550 successful chances. Adding 15 errors makes 1,565 total chances, so FPCT = 1,550 ÷ 1,565 = 0.990.
Fielding percentage is the sum of putouts and assists divided by the sum of putouts, assists, and errors. It measures the share of fielding chances a fielder converts without an error. A clean chance that ends in a putout or assist counts in both the numerator and the denominator, while an error counts only in the denominator.
The flaw is that the stat ignores range. A fielder who cannot reach a ball never records a chance on it, so a slow or poorly positioned player can post a high fielding percentage by attempting only the easier plays.
Because difficult plays that are never attempted are not counted against anyone, fielding percentage can reward caution and punish aggression. A shortstop who ranges far to his left and boots a tough chance is penalized, while one who never gets near it looks flawless. Metrics built on batted ball location attempt to fill that gap.
Continue with the On-Base Percentage Calculator, OPS Calculator, or the Runs Created Calculator — or browse more baseball tools and all sports calculators.
Yes. Both are plays that ended in an out, so they sit in the numerator. Errors are the only failures in the standard formula.
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Content updated: September 2026