Ryan Braun vs Josh Donaldson: Career Stats Comparison
Ryan Braun has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ryan Braun played 2007–2020 as a hitter; Josh Donaldson played 2010–2023 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
Ryan Braun (2007–2020) and Josh Donaldson (2010–2023) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ryan Braun finished with 1,963 hits and 352 home runs; Josh Donaldson finished with 1,310 hits and 279 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ryan Braun, with 352 to Josh Donaldson's 279.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ryan Braun, with .891 to Josh Donaldson's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ryan Braun, with .296 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits? Ryan Braun, with 1,963 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.
- Who drove in more runs? Ryan Braun, with 1,154 to Josh Donaldson's 816.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ryan Braun, with 27,762 career PIV to Josh Donaldson's 18,424.
Ryan Braun
Josh Donaldson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ryan Braun and Josh Donaldson. 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 2000s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ryan Braun | Josh Donaldson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,766 | 1,384 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,622 | 5,022 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,080 | 816 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,963 | 1,310 |
| Doubles | Leads: 408 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 12 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 352 | 279 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,154 | 816 |
| Walks | 586 | Leads: 725 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,363 | 1,221 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 216 | 40 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .261 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .358 | .358 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .532 | .489 |
| OPS | Leads: .891 | .847 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ryan Braun outpaces Josh Donaldson 27,762 to 18,424 — driven by per-season impact — 1,983 PIV per season to 1,228 — rather than by longevity, since Ryan Braun played 14 seasons to Josh Donaldson's 15. 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).
Ryan Braun — top 3 seasons by OPS
Josh Donaldson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ryan Braun leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Josh Donaldson owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ryan Braun. PIV agrees: Ryan Braun grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ryan Braun and Josh Donaldson careers compare
The careers of Ryan Braun (2007–2020) and Josh Donaldson (2010–2023) overlapped from 2010 to 2020, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,766 games for Ryan Braun and 1,384 for Josh Donaldson across 14 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Josh Donaldson's edges on the table are walks (725 to 586). Ryan Braun struck out more than walked (1,363 to 586); Josh Donaldson struck out more than walked (1,221 to 725). On the bases, Ryan Braun stole more often per game played (216 steals in 1,766 games for Ryan Braun, 40 in 1,384 for Josh Donaldson).
Ryan Braun vs Josh Donaldson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ryan Braun or Josh Donaldson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ryan Braun leads Josh Donaldson in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ryan Braun or Josh Donaldson hit more home runs?
- Ryan Braun, with 352 to Josh Donaldson's 279.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ryan Braun, with .891 to Josh Donaldson's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ryan Braun, with .296 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Ryan Braun, with 1,963 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.