Ernie Banks vs Joey Votto: Career Stats Comparison
Ernie Banks and Joey Votto are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ernie Banks played 1953–1971 as a hitter; Joey Votto played 2007–2023 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 Joey Votto (2007–2023) — 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; Joey Votto finished with 2,135 hits and 356 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 Joey Votto's 356.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joey Votto, with .920 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joey Votto, with .294 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits? Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Joey Votto's 2,135.
- Who drove in more runs? Ernie Banks, with 1,636 to Joey Votto's 1,144.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joey Votto, with 43,852 career PIV to Ernie Banks's 30,636.
Ernie Banks
Joey Votto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ernie Banks and Joey Votto. 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 | Joey Votto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,528 | 2,056 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,421 | 7,252 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,305 | 1,171 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,583 | 2,135 |
| Doubles | 407 | Leads: 459 |
| Triples | Leads: 90 | 22 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 512 | 356 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,636 | 1,144 |
| Walks | 763 | Leads: 1,365 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,236 | 1,640 |
| Stolen Bases | 50 | Leads: 80 |
| Batting Avg | .274 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .330 | Leads: .409 |
| Slugging % | .500 | Leads: .511 |
| OPS | .830 | Leads: .920 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joey Votto outpaces Ernie Banks 43,852 to 30,636 — driven by per-season impact — 2,580 PIV per season to 1,612 — rather than by longevity, since Joey Votto played 17 seasons to Ernie Banks'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
Joey Votto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joey Votto leads in stolen bases, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Ernie Banks owns hits, home runs, and RBI. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joey Votto. PIV agrees: Joey Votto 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 Joey Votto careers compare
No season is shared: Ernie Banks played 1953–1971, Joey Votto 2007–2023. With 2,528 games against 2,056 across 19 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Ernie Banks struck out more than walked (1,236 to 763); Joey Votto struck out more than walked (1,640 to 1,365). Joey Votto owns the better peak by OPS: .980 OPS in 1958 for Ernie Banks against 1.041 OPS in 2012 for Joey Votto.
Ernie Banks vs Joey Votto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Ernie Banks or Joey Votto hit more home runs?
- Ernie Banks, with 512 to Joey Votto's 356.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joey Votto, with .920 to Ernie Banks's .830.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joey Votto, with .294 to Ernie Banks's .274.
- Who had more hits?
- Ernie Banks, with 2,583 to Joey Votto's 2,135.