What is an assist in baseball?

An assist in baseball is awarded to a defensive player who makes a play that helps a teammate record an out. For example, if a ground ball is hit to a third baseman who throws the ball to the first baseman to get the runner out, the third baseman is credited with an assist. In addition to throws, fielders can also earn assists by catching fly balls or line drives that are then thrown to another player to record an out. The number of assists a player has is often used as a measure of their defensive performance over the course of a season.