Harold Baines vs Kevin Mitchell: Career Stats Comparison
Harold Baines has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Harold Baines played 1980–2001 as a hitter; Kevin Mitchell played 1984–1998 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
Harold Baines (1980–2001) and Kevin Mitchell (1984–1998) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Harold Baines finished with 2,866 hits and 384 home runs; Kevin Mitchell finished with 1,173 hits and 234 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Harold Baines, with 384 to Kevin Mitchell's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Kevin Mitchell, with .880 to Harold Baines's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average? Harold Baines, with .289 to Kevin Mitchell's .284.
- Who had more hits? Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Kevin Mitchell's 1,173.
- Who drove in more runs? Harold Baines, with 1,628 to Kevin Mitchell's 760.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harold Baines, with 25,497 career PIV to Kevin Mitchell's 17,577.
- Who won more championships? Kevin Mitchell, with 1 World Series title to Harold Baines's 0.
Harold Baines
Kevin Mitchell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Harold Baines and Kevin Mitchell. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Harold Baines | Kevin Mitchell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,830 | 1,223 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,908 | 4,134 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,299 | 630 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,866 | 1,173 |
| Doubles | Leads: 488 | 224 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 384 | 234 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,628 | 760 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,062 | 491 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 719 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 34 | 30 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .289 | .284 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | .465 | Leads: .520 |
| OPS | .820 | Leads: .880 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harold Baines outpaces Kevin Mitchell 25,497 to 17,577 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Harold Baines played 27 seasons to Kevin Mitchell's 15, while Kevin Mitchell carries the higher per-season figure (1,172 to 944). 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).
Harold Baines — top 3 seasons by OPS
Kevin Mitchell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harold Baines leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Kevin Mitchell owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harold Baines. PIV agrees: Harold Baines grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Harold Baines and Kevin Mitchell careers compare
From 1984 through 1998, Harold Baines and Kevin Mitchell were in the majors together. Harold Baines has the far longer record, 2,830 games against 1,223 across 27 and 15 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Kevin Mitchell's edges on the table are on-base percentage (.360 to .356), slugging percentage (.520 to .465), and OPS (.880 to .820). At the plate, Harold Baines struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,062), and Kevin Mitchell struck out more than walked (719 to 491). Home runs make up a larger share of Kevin Mitchell's hits: 384 of 2,866 for Harold Baines, 234 of 1,173 for Kevin Mitchell.
Harold Baines vs Kevin Mitchell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Harold Baines or Kevin Mitchell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harold Baines leads Kevin Mitchell in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Harold Baines or Kevin Mitchell hit more home runs?
- Harold Baines, with 384 to Kevin Mitchell's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Kevin Mitchell, with .880 to Harold Baines's .820.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Harold Baines, with .289 to Kevin Mitchell's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Harold Baines, with 2,866 to Kevin Mitchell's 1,173.