Cap Anson vs Matt Olson: Career Stats Comparison
Cap Anson has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Cap Anson played 1871–1897 as a hitter; Matt Olson has played 2016–present 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
Cap Anson (1871–1897) and Matt Olson (2016–present) — they broke in during the 1870s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cap Anson finished with 3,435 hits and 97 home runs; Matt Olson has 1,312 hits and 329 home runs through October 6, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Matt Olson, with 329 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS? Matt Olson, with .855 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Cap Anson, with .334 to Matt Olson's .256.
- Who had more hits? Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Matt Olson's 1,312.
- Who drove in more runs? Cap Anson, with 2,075 to Matt Olson's 901.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Cap Anson, with 52,242 career PIV to Matt Olson's 17,319.
Matt Olson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cap Anson and Matt Olson. 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, and the 1870s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Matt Olson is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Cap Anson | Matt Olson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,524 | 1,385 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,281 | 5,121 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,999 | 811 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,435 | 1,312 |
| Doubles | Leads: 582 | 284 |
| Triples | Leads: 142 | 7 |
| Home Runs | 97 | Leads: 329 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,075 | 901 |
| Walks | Leads: 984 | 677 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 330 | 1,409 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 277 | 13 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .334 | .256 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .347 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .507 |
| OPS | .841 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cap Anson outpaces Matt Olson 52,242 to 17,319 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,935 PIV per season to 1,732, across 27 seasons to 10. 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).
Cap Anson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Matt Olson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cap Anson leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Matt Olson owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cap Anson. PIV agrees: Cap Anson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cap Anson and Matt Olson careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Cap Anson's ended in 1897, and Matt Olson debuted in 2016. The table compares 2,524 games of Cap Anson with 1,385 of Matt Olson across 27 and 10 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Matt Olson comes out ahead, it is in home runs (329 to 97), slugging percentage (.507 to .447), and OPS (.855 to .841). Plate discipline differs: Cap Anson walked more often than struck out (984 walks, 330 strikeouts), but Matt Olson struck out more than walked (1,409 to 677). Home runs make up a larger share of Matt Olson's hits: 97 of 3,435 for Cap Anson, 329 of 1,312 for Matt Olson. Because Matt Olson is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Cap Anson vs Matt Olson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cap Anson or Matt Olson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cap Anson leads Matt Olson in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cap Anson or Matt Olson hit more home runs?
- Matt Olson, with 329 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Matt Olson, with .855 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Cap Anson, with .334 to Matt Olson's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Matt Olson's 1,312.