Craig Biggio vs Mike Piazza: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Biggio has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Craig Biggio played 1988–2007 as a hitter; Mike Piazza played 1992–2007 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
Craig Biggio (1988–2007) and Mike Piazza (1992–2007) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Craig Biggio finished with 3,060 hits and 291 home runs; Mike Piazza finished with 2,127 hits and 427 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Piazza, with 427 to Craig Biggio's 291.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mike Piazza, with .922 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mike Piazza, with .308 to Craig Biggio's .281.
- Who had more hits? Craig Biggio, with 3,060 to Mike Piazza's 2,127.
- Who drove in more runs? Mike Piazza, with 1,335 to Craig Biggio's 1,175.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mike Piazza, with 30,988 career PIV to Craig Biggio's 18,390.
Craig Biggio
Mike Piazza
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Craig Biggio and Mike Piazza. 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 1980s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Craig Biggio | Mike Piazza |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,850 | 1,912 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,876 | 6,911 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,844 | 1,048 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,060 | 2,127 |
| Doubles | Leads: 668 | 344 |
| Triples | Leads: 55 | 8 |
| Home Runs | 291 | Leads: 427 |
| RBI | 1,175 | Leads: 1,335 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,160 | 759 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,753 | 1,113 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 414 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .308 |
| On-Base % | .363 | Leads: .377 |
| Slugging % | .433 | Leads: .545 |
| OPS | .796 | Leads: .922 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Piazza outpaces Craig Biggio 30,988 to 18,390 — driven by per-season impact — 1,722 PIV per season to 919 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Piazza played 18 seasons to Craig Biggio's 20. 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).
Craig Biggio — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mike Piazza — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Piazza leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Craig Biggio owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mike Piazza. PIV agrees: Mike Piazza grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Craig Biggio and Mike Piazza careers compare
From 1992 through 2007, Craig Biggio and Mike Piazza were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,850 games for Craig Biggio and 1,912 for Mike Piazza across 20 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Craig Biggio struck out more than walked (1,753 to 1,160), and Mike Piazza struck out more than walked (1,113 to 759). Mike Piazza is the more power-leaning hitter, with 427 of 2,127 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Craig Biggio stole more often per game played (414 steals in 2,850 games for Craig Biggio, 17 in 1,912 for Mike Piazza).
Craig Biggio vs Mike Piazza: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Craig Biggio or Mike Piazza?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Craig Biggio leads Mike Piazza in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Craig Biggio or Mike Piazza hit more home runs?
- Mike Piazza, with 427 to Craig Biggio's 291.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mike Piazza, with .922 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mike Piazza, with .308 to Craig Biggio's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Craig Biggio, with 3,060 to Mike Piazza's 2,127.