Jeff Bagwell vs Albert Pujols: Career Stats Comparison
Albert Pujols 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; Albert Pujols played 2001–2022 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 Albert Pujols (2001–2022) — 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; Albert Pujols finished with 3,384 hits and 703 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Albert Pujols, with 703 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Bagwell, with .948 to Albert Pujols's .918.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jeff Bagwell, with .297 to Albert Pujols's .296.
- Who had more hits? Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.
- Who drove in more runs? Albert Pujols, with 2,218 to Jeff Bagwell's 1,529.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Albert Pujols, with 58,591 career PIV to Jeff Bagwell's 47,120.
- Who won more championships? Albert Pujols, with 2 World Series titles to Jeff Bagwell's 0.
Jeff Bagwell
Albert Pujols
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Bagwell and Albert Pujols. 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 | Albert Pujols |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,150 | Leads: 3,080 |
| At-Bats | 7,797 | Leads: 11,421 |
| Runs | 1,517 | Leads: 1,914 |
| Hits | 2,314 | Leads: 3,384 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 686 |
| Triples | Leads: 32 | 16 |
| Home Runs | 449 | Leads: 703 |
| RBI | 1,529 | Leads: 2,218 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,401 | 1,373 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,558 | 1,404 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 202 | 117 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .296 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .408 | .374 |
| Slugging % | .540 | Leads: .544 |
| OPS | Leads: .948 | .918 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Albert Pujols leads Jeff Bagwell 58,591 to 47,120 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Albert Pujols played 23 seasons to Jeff Bagwell's 15, while Jeff Bagwell carries the higher per-season figure (3,141 to 2,547). 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
Albert Pujols — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Albert Pujols leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Jeff Bagwell owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Albert Pujols. PIV agrees: Albert Pujols 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 Albert Pujols careers compare
From 2001 through 2005, Jeff Bagwell and Albert Pujols were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,150 games for Jeff Bagwell and 3,080 for Albert Pujols across 15 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jeff Bagwell struck out more than walked (1,558 to 1,401); Albert Pujols struck out more than walked (1,404 to 1,373). Jeff Bagwell was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Jeff Bagwell holds the edge, .408 to .374. Best seasons: 1994 for Jeff Bagwell (1.201 OPS, 39 HR, 116 RBI, .367 avg) and 2008 for Albert Pujols (1.114 OPS, 37 HR, 116 RBI, .357 avg).
Jeff Bagwell vs Albert Pujols: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Bagwell or Albert Pujols?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Albert Pujols leads Jeff Bagwell in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Bagwell or Albert Pujols hit more home runs?
- Albert Pujols, with 703 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Bagwell, with .948 to Albert Pujols's .918.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jeff Bagwell, with .297 to Albert Pujols's .296.
- Who had more hits?
- Albert Pujols, with 3,384 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.