Jeff Bagwell vs Jim Thome: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Thome has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jeff Bagwell played 1991–2005 as a hitter; Jim Thome played 1991–2012 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 Jim Thome (1991–2012) — both debuted in the 1990s. Jeff Bagwell finished with 2,314 hits and 449 home runs; Jim Thome finished with 2,328 hits and 612 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Jim Thome, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Jim Thome, with 612 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jim Thome, with .956 to Jeff Bagwell's .948.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jeff Bagwell, with .297 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits? Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.
- Who drove in more runs? Jim Thome, with 1,699 to Jeff Bagwell's 1,529.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jim Thome, with 51,664 career PIV to Jeff Bagwell's 47,120.
Jeff Bagwell
Jim Thome
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Bagwell and Jim Thome. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jeff Bagwell | Jim Thome |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,150 | 2,543 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,797 | 8,422 |
| Runs | 1,517 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Hits | 2,314 | Leads: 2,328 |
| Doubles | Leads: 488 | 451 |
| Triples | Leads: 32 | 26 |
| Home Runs | 449 | Leads: 612 |
| RBI | 1,529 | Leads: 1,699 |
| Walks | 1,401 | Leads: 1,747 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,558 | 2,548 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 202 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .276 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .408 | .402 |
| Slugging % | .540 | Leads: .554 |
| OPS | .948 | Leads: .956 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Thome leads Jeff Bagwell 51,664 to 47,120 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jim Thome played 22 seasons to Jeff Bagwell's 15, while Jeff Bagwell carries the higher per-season figure (3,141 to 2,348). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
Jim Thome — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Jim Thome leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, home runs, RBI, and others. Jeff Bagwell leads 5: doubles, triples, stolen bases, batting average, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Thome. PIV agrees: Jim Thome 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 Jim Thome careers compare
The careers of Jeff Bagwell (1991–2005) and Jim Thome (1991–2012) overlapped from 1991 to 2005, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,150 games for Jeff Bagwell and 2,543 for Jim Thome across 15 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Jeff Bagwell struck out more than walked (1,558 to 1,401), and Jim Thome struck out more than walked (2,548 to 1,747). Home runs make up a larger share of Jim Thome's hits: 449 of 2,314 for Jeff Bagwell, 612 of 2,328 for Jim Thome.
Jeff Bagwell vs Jim Thome: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Bagwell or Jim Thome?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Thome leads Jeff Bagwell in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Bagwell or Jim Thome hit more home runs?
- Jim Thome, with 612 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jim Thome, with .956 to Jeff Bagwell's .948.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jeff Bagwell, with .297 to Jim Thome's .276.
- Who had more hits?
- Jim Thome, with 2,328 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.