Ernie Banks vs Yogi Berra: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks 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). Ernie Banks played 1953–1971 as a hitter; Yogi Berra played 1946–1965 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
Ernie Banks (1953–1971) and Yogi Berra (1946–1965) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; Yogi Berra finished with 2,150 hits and 358 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ernie Banks, with 512 to Yogi Berra's 358.
- Who had the higher OPS? Neither — both are at .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Yogi Berra, with .285 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Yogi Berra's 2,150.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Yogi Berra's 1,430.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ernie Banks, with 30,636 career PIV to Yogi Berra's 21,371.
- Who won more championships? Yogi Berra, with 10 World Series titles to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Yogi Berra
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Yogi Berra. 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 1950s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Yogi Berra |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 2,120 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 7,555 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,305 | 1,175 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 2,150 |
| Doubles | Leads: 407 | 321 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 49 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 358 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,430 |
| Walks | Leads: 763 | 704 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 414 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 50 | 30 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .285 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .500 | .482 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .830 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ernie Banks outpaces Yogi Berra 30,636 to 21,371 — driven by per-season impact — 1,612 PIV per season to 1,125 — rather than by longevity, since Ernie Banks played 19 seasons to Yogi Berra's 19. 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).
Ernie Banks — top 3 seasons by OPS
Yogi Berra — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ernie Banks leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Yogi Berra owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ernie Banks. PIV agrees: Ernie Banks grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ernie Banks and Yogi Berra careers compare
From 1953 through 1965, Ernie Banks and Yogi Berra were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,528 games for Ernie Banks and 2,120 for Yogi Berra across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Yogi Berra are batting average (.285 to .274), on-base percentage (.348 to .330), and OPS (.830 to .830). At the plate, Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763), while Yogi Berra walked more often than struck out (704 walks, 414 strikeouts). In on-base percentage, Yogi Berra holds the edge, .348 to .330.
Ernie Banks vs Yogi Berra: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Yogi Berra?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ernie Banks leads Yogi Berra in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Yogi Berra hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Yogi Berra's 358.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Neither — both are at .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Yogi Berra, with .285 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Yogi Berra's 2,150.