Jeff Bagwell vs Honus Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Honus Wagner 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; Honus Wagner played 1897–1917 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 Honus Wagner (1897–1917) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 1890s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jeff Bagwell finished with 2,314 hits and 449 home runs; Honus Wagner finished with 3,420 hits and 101 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jeff Bagwell, with 449 to Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Bagwell, with .948 to Honus Wagner's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average? Honus Wagner, with .328 to Jeff Bagwell's .297.
- Who had more hits? Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.
- Who drove in more runs? Honus Wagner, with 1,733 to Jeff Bagwell's 1,529.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Honus Wagner, with 59,177 career PIV to Jeff Bagwell's 47,120.
- Who won more championships? Honus Wagner, with 1 World Series title to Jeff Bagwell's 0.
Jeff Bagwell
Honus Wagner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Bagwell and Honus Wagner. 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 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jeff Bagwell | Honus Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,150 | Leads: 2,794 |
| At-Bats | 7,797 | Leads: 10,439 |
| Runs | 1,517 | Leads: 1,739 |
| Hits | 2,314 | Leads: 3,420 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 643 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 252 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 449 | 101 |
| RBI | 1,529 | Leads: 1,733 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,401 | 963 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,558 | 735 |
| Stolen Bases | 202 | Leads: 723 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .328 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .408 | .391 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .540 | .467 |
| OPS | Leads: .948 | .858 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Honus Wagner leads Jeff Bagwell 59,177 to 47,120 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Honus Wagner played 21 seasons to Jeff Bagwell's 15, while Jeff Bagwell carries the higher per-season figure (3,141 to 2,818). 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
Honus Wagner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Honus Wagner leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Jeff Bagwell owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Honus Wagner. PIV agrees: Honus Wagner 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 Honus Wagner careers compare
No season is shared: Honus Wagner played 1897–1917, Jeff Bagwell 1991–2005. The two careers are close in length, 2,150 games for Jeff Bagwell and 2,794 for Honus Wagner across 15 and 21 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), while Honus Wagner walked more often than struck out (963 walks, 735 strikeouts). Jeff Bagwell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 449 of 2,314 hits leaving the park. Honus Wagner was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Jeff Bagwell holds the edge, .408 to .391.
Jeff Bagwell vs Honus Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Bagwell or Honus Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Honus Wagner leads Jeff Bagwell in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jeff Bagwell or Honus Wagner hit more home runs?
- Jeff Bagwell, with 449 to Honus Wagner's 101.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Bagwell, with .948 to Honus Wagner's .858.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Honus Wagner, with .328 to Jeff Bagwell's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Honus Wagner, with 3,420 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.