Blasts

Definition

A blast, in Statcast terms, is when a batter squares up a ball and does so with a high bat speed. (To best understand, please review the definition for a squared-up ball, or the efficiency of a batter��s contact, first.)

While "squared-up" contact reflects a batter getting close to the maximum possible exit velocity for a given swing, based on the speed of that swing and the pitch velocity, it does not strictly have a bat speed minimum requirement. A *"blast,"* then, is a more valuable and rarer kind of swing, taking only the most valuable combinations of hard swings and efficient contact.

Due to the combination of squared-up rate and swing speed, the qualifications for a blast are on a rolling scale based on the interaction of one metric with the other. The strict definition of a blast is [squared-up percentage] x 100 + [bat speed] >= 164, but an easier shorthand way to consider it is that the average between the hitter's squared-up percentage and bat speed on a swing has to be at least 82 in order for that swing to be a blast.

So, for example, this Shohei Ohtani home run counts as a blast, because his bat speed was an excellent 82.8 MPH, and it was 93% squared-up. The resulting average of 88 exceeds our threshold of 82.

But this Ohtani flyout, despite being similarly well squared-up (92%), does not count as a blast, because his bat speed was a mere 71 MPH -- and the resulting average of 81 does not cross our threshold.

Squaring a ball up is important. Squaring it up with high bat speed is even better.

Why do "blasts" matter?

During the 2024 season, 10% of competitive swings and 27% of batted balls across the Major Leagues qualified as blasts.

The value for hitters on blasts vs. non-blasts was about as large as you can get.

Blasts (i.e., squared-up contact with a high swing speed)

.563 BA // 1.182 SLG // .727 wOBA
103.5 mph exit velocity // 99.9% hard-hit rate // 28% barrel rate
+34 run value per 100 pitches

Non-blast batted balls

.231 BA // .295 SLG // .225 wOBA
84.1 mph exit velocity // 17% hard-hit rate // 0.7% barrel rate
-5 run value per 100 pitches

The Statcast blasts leaderboard for the current season is viewable here.