Jeff Bagwell vs Miguel Cabrera: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Cabrera 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). Jeff Bagwell played 1991–2005 as a hitter; Miguel Cabrera played 2003–2023 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
Jeff Bagwell (1991–2005) and Miguel Cabrera (2003–2023) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jeff Bagwell finished with 2,314 hits and 449 home runs; Miguel Cabrera finished with 3,174 hits and 511 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 511 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Bagwell, with .948 to Miguel Cabrera's .901.
- Who had the higher batting average? Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Jeff Bagwell's .297.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 1,881 to Jeff Bagwell's 1,529.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Miguel Cabrera, with 49,680 career PIV to Jeff Bagwell's 47,120.
- Who won more championships? Miguel Cabrera, with 1 World Series title to Jeff Bagwell's 0.
Jeff Bagwell
Miguel Cabrera
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Bagwell and Miguel Cabrera. 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 1990s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jeff Bagwell | Miguel Cabrera |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,150 | Leads: 2,797 |
| At-Bats | 7,797 | Leads: 10,356 |
| Runs | 1,517 | Leads: 1,551 |
| Hits | 2,314 | Leads: 3,174 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 627 |
| Triples | Leads: 32 | 17 |
| Home Runs | 449 | Leads: 511 |
| RBI | 1,529 | Leads: 1,881 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,401 | 1,258 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,558 | 2,105 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 202 | 40 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .408 | .382 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .540 | .518 |
| OPS | Leads: .948 | .901 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Miguel Cabrera edges Jeff Bagwell 49,680 to 47,120 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Miguel Cabrera played 21 seasons to Jeff Bagwell's 15, while Jeff Bagwell carries the higher per-season figure (3,141 to 2,366). 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).
Jeff Bagwell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Miguel Cabrera — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Miguel Cabrera leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jeff Bagwell owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Miguel Cabrera. PIV agrees: Miguel Cabrera grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jeff Bagwell and Miguel Cabrera careers compare
The careers of Jeff Bagwell (1991–2005) and Miguel Cabrera (2003–2023) overlapped from 2003 to 2005, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,150 games against 2,797 across 15 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jeff Bagwell struck out more than walked (1,558 to 1,401); Miguel Cabrera struck out more than walked (2,105 to 1,258). Jeff Bagwell was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Jeff Bagwell holds the edge, .540 to .518. On the peak-season lists, Jeff Bagwell's best year is 1994 at 1.201 OPS and Miguel Cabrera's is 2013 at 1.078 OPS; Jeff Bagwell has the stronger single season.
Jeff Bagwell vs Miguel Cabrera: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Bagwell or Miguel Cabrera?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Miguel Cabrera leads Jeff Bagwell in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Bagwell or Miguel Cabrera hit more home runs?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 511 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Bagwell, with .948 to Miguel Cabrera's .901.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Jeff Bagwell's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.