Craig Biggio vs Joey Votto: 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; 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
Craig Biggio (1988–2007) and Joey Votto (2007–2023) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Craig Biggio finished with 3,060 hits and 291 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? Joey Votto, with 356 to Craig Biggio's 291.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joey Votto, with .920 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joey Votto, with .294 to Craig Biggio's .281.
- Who had more hits? Craig Biggio, with 3,060 to Joey Votto's 2,135.
- Who drove in more runs? Craig Biggio, with 1,175 to Joey Votto's 1,144.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joey Votto, with 43,852 career PIV to Craig Biggio's 18,390.
Craig Biggio
Joey Votto
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Craig Biggio 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 1980s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Craig Biggio | Joey Votto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,850 | 2,056 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,876 | 7,252 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,844 | 1,171 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,060 | 2,135 |
| Doubles | Leads: 668 | 459 |
| Triples | Leads: 55 | 22 |
| Home Runs | 291 | Leads: 356 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,175 | 1,144 |
| Walks | 1,160 | Leads: 1,365 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,753 | 1,640 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 414 | 80 |
| Batting Avg | .281 | Leads: .294 |
| On-Base % | .363 | Leads: .409 |
| Slugging % | .433 | Leads: .511 |
| OPS | .796 | Leads: .920 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joey Votto outpaces Craig Biggio 43,852 to 18,390 — driven by per-season impact — 2,580 PIV per season to 919 — rather than by longevity, since Joey Votto played 17 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
Joey Votto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joey Votto leads in home runs, batting average, OBP, and OPS, while Craig Biggio owns hits, RBI, and runs. 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 Craig Biggio and Joey Votto careers compare
Craig Biggio and Joey Votto were active at the same time between 2007 and 2007. The two careers are close in length, 2,850 games for Craig Biggio and 2,056 for Joey Votto across 20 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Craig Biggio struck out more than walked (1,753 to 1,160); Joey Votto struck out more than walked (1,640 to 1,365). Joey Votto is the more power-leaning hitter, with 356 of 2,135 hits leaving the park. Craig Biggio was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Joey Votto's on-base percentage of .409 tops Craig Biggio's .363.
Craig Biggio vs Joey Votto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Craig Biggio or Joey Votto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Craig Biggio leads Joey Votto in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Craig Biggio or Joey Votto hit more home runs?
- Joey Votto, with 356 to Craig Biggio's 291.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joey Votto, with .920 to Craig Biggio's .796.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joey Votto, with .294 to Craig Biggio's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Craig Biggio, with 3,060 to Joey Votto's 2,135.