Cody Bellinger vs Kirby Puckett: Career Stats Comparison
Kirby Puckett 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). Cody Bellinger has played 2017–present as a hitter; Kirby Puckett played 1984–1995 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
Cody Bellinger (2017–present) and Kirby Puckett (1984–1995) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cody Bellinger has 1,233 hits and 242 home runs through October 12, 2026; Kirby Puckett finished with 2,304 hits and 207 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Cody Bellinger, with 242 to Kirby Puckett's 207.
- Who had the higher OPS? Kirby Puckett, with .837 to Cody Bellinger's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average? Kirby Puckett, with .318 to Cody Bellinger's .261.
- Who had more hits? Kirby Puckett, with 2,304 to Cody Bellinger's 1,233.
- Who drove in more runs? Kirby Puckett, with 1,085 to Cody Bellinger's 768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Kirby Puckett, with 22,719 career PIV to Cody Bellinger's 10,298.
- Who won more championships? Kirby Puckett, with 2 World Series titles to Cody Bellinger's 1.
Cody Bellinger
Kirby Puckett
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cody Bellinger and Kirby Puckett. 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 2010s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Cody Bellinger is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Cody Bellinger | Kirby Puckett |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,289 | Leads: 1,783 |
| At-Bats | 4,726 | Leads: 7,244 |
| Runs | 763 | Leads: 1,071 |
| Hits | 1,233 | Leads: 2,304 |
| Doubles | 236 | Leads: 414 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 57 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 242 | 207 |
| RBI | 768 | Leads: 1,085 |
| Walks | Leads: 528 | 450 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,046 | 965 |
| Stolen Bases | 116 | Leads: 134 |
| Batting Avg | .261 | Leads: .318 |
| On-Base % | .334 | Leads: .360 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .478 | .477 |
| OPS | .812 | Leads: .837 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kirby Puckett outpaces Cody Bellinger 22,719 to 10,298 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,893 PIV per season to 1,144, across 12 seasons to 9. 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).
Cody Bellinger — top 3 seasons by OPS
Kirby Puckett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Kirby Puckett leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Cody Bellinger owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kirby Puckett. PIV agrees: Kirby Puckett grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cody Bellinger and Kirby Puckett careers compare
Kirby Puckett (1984–1995) was finished before Cody Bellinger (2017–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 1,289 games for Cody Bellinger and 1,783 for Kirby Puckett across 9 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Cody Bellinger are home runs (242 to 207), walks (528 to 450), and slugging percentage (.478 to .477). At the plate, Cody Bellinger struck out more than walked (1,046 to 528), and Kirby Puckett struck out more than walked (965 to 450). Cody Bellinger is the more power-leaning hitter, with 242 of 1,233 hits leaving the park. Because Cody Bellinger is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Cody Bellinger vs Kirby Puckett: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cody Bellinger or Kirby Puckett?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Kirby Puckett leads Cody Bellinger in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cody Bellinger or Kirby Puckett hit more home runs?
- Cody Bellinger, with 242 to Kirby Puckett's 207.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Kirby Puckett, with .837 to Cody Bellinger's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Kirby Puckett, with .318 to Cody Bellinger's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Kirby Puckett, with 2,304 to Cody Bellinger's 1,233.