MLB's .360 hitter & .370 hitter droughts

The last guy to bat .360 or higher with 400+ PAs was Joe Mauer (.365, 2009-400+ PAs will be the cutoff for all cases in this post). All data from Stathead.

So we have not had a .360+ batter in 14 years (I am not counting 2020, the Covid year). How many did we have in the previous 14 years, 1996-2009? 13. Yes, an average of almost 1 per year.

This table shows how many guys hit .360+ in each preceding 14 year period.

Period	.360 Hitters
2010-2024	0
1996-2009	13
1982-1995	10
1968-1981	5
1954-1967	4
1940-1953	5
1926-1939	50
1912-1925	47
1898-1911	24

The longest previous droughts since 1898 before 2010-2024 were 1961-70 and 1948-1957. Norm Cash hit .361 in 1961 and then next guy was Rico Carty with .366 in 1970. Musial hit .376 in 1948 while Williams hit .369. No one hit .360+ again until 1957 when Williams hit .388 and Mantle hit .365. Almost every year before WWII had at least one .360+ hitter.

Since Mauer batted .365 in 2009, only 2 guys have even batted .350+. Josh Hamilton with .359 in 2010 and Luis Arraez with .354 in 2023.  There have been only a total of 5 .330+ seasons from 2021-2024. The total for .320+ is just 11.

What about the Rockies? Their highest average since 2010 was .348 by LaMahieu in 2016. Including him, they have had only 4 guys bat .330+ since 2010.

Ichiro Suzuki was the last guy to hit .370+ (.372, 2004). So that is 19 years (again, I am not including 2020). How many guys hit .370+ in the previous 19 years, 1986-2004? 9. 

This table shows how many guys hit .370+ in each preceding 19 year period.

Period	.370 Hitters
2005-2024	0
1986-2004	9
1967-1985	2
1948-1966	2
1929-1947	22
1910-1928	56
1891-1909	38

There was a 20 year drought from 1957-1977. Williams hit .388 in 1957 and Carew hit .388 in 1977. Williams was 9 years after Musial hit .376 in 1948, which was 7 years after Williams hit .406 in 1941.

Most years before WWII had a .370 hitter. The only big gaps were a 3 year gap, 1913-1916, a 4 year gap, 1905-1909 and a 4 year gap, 1931-1935.