Hank Aaron vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Hank Aaron has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Hank Aaron played 1954–1976 as a hitter; Carl Yastrzemski played 1961–1983 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 Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 16 seasons. Hank Aaron finished with 3,771 hits and 755 home runs; Carl Yastrzemski finished with 3,419 hits and 452 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Hank Aaron, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Hank Aaron, with 755 to Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS? Hank Aaron, with .928 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Hank Aaron, with .305 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits? Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Carl Yastrzemski's 3,419.
- Who drove in more runs? Hank Aaron, with 2,297 to Carl Yastrzemski's 1,844.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Hank Aaron, with 78,640 career PIV to Carl Yastrzemski's 54,310.
Hank Aaron
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Hank Aaron and Carl Yastrzemski. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 3,298 | 3,308 |
| At-Bats not scored | 12,364 | 11,988 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,174 | 1,816 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,771 | 3,419 |
| Doubles | 624 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 59 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 755 | 452 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,297 | 1,844 |
| Walks | 1,402 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,383 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 240 | 168 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .285 |
| On-Base % | .374 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .555 | .462 |
| OPS | Leads: .928 | .841 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hank Aaron outpaces Carl Yastrzemski 78,640 to 54,310 — driven by per-season impact — 3,419 PIV per season to 2,361 — rather than by longevity, since Hank Aaron played 23 seasons to Carl Yastrzemski's 23. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Hank Aaron leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, triples, home runs, and others. Carl Yastrzemski leads 3: doubles, walks, and on-base percentage. 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 Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
Hank Aaron and Carl Yastrzemski were active at the same time between 1961 and 1976. The two careers are close in length, 3,298 games for Hank Aaron and 3,308 for Carl Yastrzemski across 23 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Carl Yastrzemski are doubles (646 to 624), walks (1,845 to 1,402), and on-base percentage (.379 to .374). Hank Aaron walked more often than struck out (1,402 walks, 1,383 strikeouts); Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Hank Aaron's hits: 755 of 3,771 for Hank Aaron, 452 of 3,419 for Carl Yastrzemski.
Hank Aaron vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hank Aaron or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hank Aaron leads Carl Yastrzemski in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Hank Aaron or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Hank Aaron, with 755 to Carl Yastrzemski's 452.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Hank Aaron, with .928 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Hank Aaron, with .305 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Hank Aaron, with 3,771 to Carl Yastrzemski's 3,419.