Jeff Bagwell vs Harmon Killebrew: Career Stats Comparison
Jeff Bagwell has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; 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
Jeff Bagwell (1991–2005) and Harmon Killebrew (1954–1975) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jeff Bagwell finished with 2,314 hits and 449 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? Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Bagwell, with .948 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jeff Bagwell, with .297 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Jeff Bagwell, with 2,314 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Jeff Bagwell's 1,529.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Jeff Bagwell's 47,120.
Jeff Bagwell
Harmon Killebrew
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Bagwell 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, and the 1990s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jeff Bagwell | Harmon Killebrew |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,150 | Leads: 2,435 |
| At-Bats | 7,797 | Leads: 8,147 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,517 | 1,283 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,314 | 2,086 |
| Doubles | Leads: 488 | 290 |
| Triples | Leads: 32 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 449 | Leads: 573 |
| RBI | 1,529 | Leads: 1,584 |
| Walks | 1,401 | Leads: 1,559 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,558 | 1,699 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 202 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .256 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .408 | .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .540 | .509 |
| OPS | Leads: .948 | .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew edges Jeff Bagwell 48,240 to 47,120 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harmon Killebrew played 22 seasons to Jeff Bagwell's 15, while Jeff Bagwell carries the higher per-season figure (3,141 to 2,193). 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
Harmon Killebrew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jeff Bagwell leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Harmon Killebrew owns home runs and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jeff Bagwell. Note that PIV actually grades Harmon Killebrew ahead, which means Jeff Bagwell's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jeff Bagwell and Harmon Killebrew careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Harmon Killebrew's ended in 1975, and Jeff Bagwell debuted in 1991. With 2,150 games against 2,435 across 15 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Jeff Bagwell struck out more than walked (1,558 to 1,401), and Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559). Home runs make up a larger share of Harmon Killebrew's hits: 449 of 2,314 for Jeff Bagwell, 573 of 2,086 for Harmon Killebrew. Jeff Bagwell was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Jeff Bagwell holds the edge, .540 to .509.
Jeff Bagwell vs Harmon Killebrew: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Bagwell or Harmon Killebrew?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jeff Bagwell leads Harmon Killebrew in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Bagwell or Harmon Killebrew hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Bagwell, with .948 to Harmon Killebrew's .884.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jeff Bagwell, with .297 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Jeff Bagwell, with 2,314 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.