Ernie Banks vs Miguel Cabrera: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Cabrera 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; Miguel Cabrera played 2003–2023 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 Miguel Cabrera (2003–2023) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ernie Banks finished with 2,583 hits and 512 home runs; Miguel Cabrera finished with 3,174 hits and 511 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 Miguel Cabrera's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS? Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 1,881 to Ernie Banks's 1,636.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Miguel Cabrera, with 49,680 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
- Who won more championships? Miguel Cabrera, with 1 World Series title to Ernie Banks's 0.
Ernie Banks
Miguel Cabrera
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Miguel Cabrera. 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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ernie Banks | Miguel Cabrera |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,528 | Leads: 2,797 |
| At-Bats | 9,421 | Leads: 10,356 |
| Runs | 1,305 | Leads: 1,551 |
| Hits | 2,583 | Leads: 3,174 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 627 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 17 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 511 |
| RBI | 1,636 | Leads: 1,881 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 1,258 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 2,105 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 50 | 40 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .382 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .518 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .901 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Miguel Cabrera outpaces Ernie Banks 49,680 to 30,636 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,366 PIV per season to 1,612, across 21 seasons to 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
Miguel Cabrera — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Miguel Cabrera leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Ernie Banks owns home runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Miguel Cabrera. PIV agrees: Miguel Cabrera 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 Miguel Cabrera careers compare
No season is shared: Ernie Banks played 1953–1971, Miguel Cabrera 2003–2023. The two careers are close in length, 2,528 games for Ernie Banks and 2,797 for Miguel Cabrera across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Ernie Banks's edges on the table are triples (90 to 17), home runs (512 to 511), and stolen bases (50 to 40). Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763); Miguel Cabrera struck out more than walked (2,105 to 1,258). Miguel Cabrera's slugging percentage of .518 tops Ernie Banks's .500.
Ernie Banks vs Miguel Cabrera: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ernie Banks or Miguel Cabrera?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Miguel Cabrera leads Ernie Banks in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ernie Banks or Miguel Cabrera hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Miguel Cabrera's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Ernie Banks's 2,583.