Jeff Bagwell vs Willie Mays: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Mays has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Willie Mays played 1951–1973 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 Willie Mays (1951–1973) — 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; Willie Mays finished with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Mays, with 660 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Bagwell, with .948 to Willie Mays's .940.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Mays, with .301 to Jeff Bagwell's .297.
- Who had more hits? Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Mays, with 1,909 to Jeff Bagwell's 1,529.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Mays, with 74,062 career PIV to Jeff Bagwell's 47,120.
- Who won more championships? Willie Mays, with 1 World Series title to Jeff Bagwell's 0.
Jeff Bagwell
Willie Mays
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Bagwell and Willie Mays. 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 | Willie Mays |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,150 | Leads: 3,005 |
| At-Bats | 7,797 | Leads: 10,924 |
| Runs | 1,517 | Leads: 2,068 |
| Hits | 2,314 | Leads: 3,293 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 525 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 141 |
| Home Runs | 449 | Leads: 660 |
| RBI | 1,529 | Leads: 1,909 |
| Walks | 1,401 | Leads: 1,468 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,558 | 1,526 |
| Stolen Bases | 202 | Leads: 339 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .301 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .408 | .384 |
| Slugging % | .540 | Leads: .557 |
| OPS | Leads: .948 | .940 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Mays outpaces Jeff Bagwell 74,062 to 47,120 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie Mays played 24 seasons to Jeff Bagwell's 15, while Jeff Bagwell carries the higher per-season figure (3,141 to 3,086). 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
Willie Mays — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Mays leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jeff Bagwell owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Mays. PIV agrees: Willie Mays 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 Willie Mays careers compare
No season is shared: Willie Mays played 1951–1973, Jeff Bagwell 1991–2005. With 2,150 games against 3,005 across 15 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Jeff Bagwell comes out ahead, it is in on-base percentage (.408 to .384) and OPS (.948 to .940). At the plate, Jeff Bagwell struck out more than walked (1,558 to 1,401), and Willie Mays struck out more than walked (1,526 to 1,468). Willie Mays was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Jeff Bagwell owns the better peak by OPS: 1.201 OPS in 1994 for Jeff Bagwell against 1.078 OPS in 1954 for Willie Mays.
Jeff Bagwell vs Willie Mays: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Bagwell or Willie Mays?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Mays leads Jeff Bagwell in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Bagwell or Willie Mays hit more home runs?
- Willie Mays, with 660 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Bagwell, with .948 to Willie Mays's .940.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Mays, with .301 to Jeff Bagwell's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.