Hank Aaron vs Harmon Killebrew: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Aaron has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Hank Aaron played 1954–1976 as a hitter; Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Hank Aaron (1954–1976) and Harmon Killebrew (1954–1975) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Hank Aaron finished with 3,771 hits and 755 home runs; Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Aaron, with 755 to Harmon Killebrew's 573.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Aaron, with .928 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Aaron, with .305 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Harmon Killebrew's 1,584.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Aaron, with 78,640 career PIV to Harmon Killebrew's 48,240.
- Who won more championships? Hank Aaron, with 1 World Series title to Harmon Killebrew's 0.
Hank Aaron
Harmon Killebrew
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Harmon Killebrew. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hank Aaron | Harmon Killebrew |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,298 | 2,435 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 12,364 | 8,147 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,174 | 1,283 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,771 | 2,086 |
| Doubles | Leads: 624 | 290 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 24 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 573 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,584 |
| Walks | 1,402 | Leads: 1,559 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,383 | 1,699 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 240 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .256 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .555 | .509 |
| OPS | Leads: .928 | .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Aaron outpaces Harmon Killebrew 78,640 to 48,240 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,419 PIV per season to 2,193, across 23 seasons to 22. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Hank Aaron — top 3 seasons by OPS
Harmon Killebrew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hank Aaron leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Harmon Killebrew owns OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hank Aaron. PIV agrees: Hank Aaron grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hank Aaron and Harmon Killebrew careers compare
From 1954 through 1975, Hank Aaron and Harmon Killebrew were in the majors together. With 3,298 games against 2,435 across 23 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Harmon Killebrew's edges on the table are walks (1,559 to 1,402) and on-base percentage (.376 to .374). Plate discipline differs: Hank Aaron walked more often than struck out (1,402 walks, 1,383 strikeouts), but Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559). Home runs make up a larger share of Harmon Killebrew's hits: 755 of 3,771 for Hank Aaron, 573 of 2,086 for Harmon Killebrew. Hank Aaron was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Hank Aaron vs Harmon Killebrew: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Aaron or Harmon Killebrew?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Aaron leads Harmon Killebrew in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Hank Aaron or Harmon Killebrew hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Harmon Killebrew's 573.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Aaron, with .928 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Aaron, with .305 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.