Nolan Arenado vs John McGraw: Career Stats Comparison
Nolan Arenado has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Nolan Arenado has played 2013–present as a hitter; John McGraw played 1891–1907 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
Nolan Arenado (2013–present) and John McGraw (1891–1907) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1890s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nolan Arenado has 2,057 hits and 383 home runs through October 6, 2026; John McGraw finished with 1,309 hits and 13 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Nolan Arenado, with 383 to John McGraw's 13.
- Who had the higher OPS? John McGraw, with .876 to Nolan Arenado's .843.
- Who had the higher batting average? John McGraw, with .334 to Nolan Arenado's .280.
- Who had more hits? Nolan Arenado, with 2,057 to John McGraw's 1,309.
- Who drove in more runs? Nolan Arenado, with 1,270 to John McGraw's 462.
- Who has the higher career PIV? John McGraw, with 22,730 career PIV to Nolan Arenado's 21,230.
- Who won more championships? John McGraw, with 1 World Series title to Nolan Arenado's 0.
Nolan Arenado
John McGraw
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nolan Arenado and John McGraw. 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 2010s and the 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Nolan Arenado is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Nolan Arenado | John McGraw |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,939 | 1,100 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,340 | 3,924 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,072 | 1,024 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,057 | 1,309 |
| Doubles | Leads: 430 | 121 |
| Triples | 35 | Leads: 70 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 383 | 13 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,270 | 462 |
| Walks | 629 | Leads: 836 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 155 |
| Stolen Bases | 35 | Leads: 436 |
| Batting Avg | .280 | Leads: .334 |
| On-Base % | .338 | Leads: .466 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .505 | .410 |
| OPS | .843 | Leads: .876 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John McGraw edges Nolan Arenado 22,730 to 21,230 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: John McGraw played 18 seasons to Nolan Arenado's 13, while Nolan Arenado carries the higher per-season figure (1,633 to 1,263). 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).
Nolan Arenado — top 3 seasons by OPS
John McGraw — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John McGraw leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Nolan Arenado owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John McGraw. PIV agrees: John McGraw grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nolan Arenado and John McGraw careers compare
John McGraw (1891–1907) was finished before Nolan Arenado (2013–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Nolan Arenado has appeared in 1,939 games to John McGraw's 1,100. At the plate, Nolan Arenado struck out more than walked (1,214 to 629), while John McGraw walked more often than struck out (836 walks, 155 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Nolan Arenado's hits: 383 of 2,057 for Nolan Arenado, 13 of 1,309 for John McGraw. John McGraw was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Nolan Arenado's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Nolan Arenado vs John McGraw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nolan Arenado or John McGraw?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nolan Arenado leads John McGraw in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nolan Arenado or John McGraw hit more home runs?
- Nolan Arenado, with 383 to John McGraw's 13.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- John McGraw, with .876 to Nolan Arenado's .843.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- John McGraw, with .334 to Nolan Arenado's .280.
- Who had more hits?
- Nolan Arenado, with 2,057 to John McGraw's 1,309.