Ryan Braun vs Brian McCann: 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; Brian McCann played 2005–2019 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 Brian McCann (2005–2019) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ryan Braun finished with 1,963 hits and 352 home runs; Brian McCann finished with 1,590 hits and 282 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 Brian McCann's 282.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ryan Braun, with .891 to Brian McCann's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ryan Braun, with .296 to Brian McCann's .262.
- Who had more hits? Ryan Braun, with 1,963 to Brian McCann's 1,590.
- Who drove in more runs? Ryan Braun, with 1,154 to Brian McCann's 1,018.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ryan Braun, with 27,762 career PIV to Brian McCann's 9,133.
- Who won more championships? Brian McCann, with 1 World Series title to Ryan Braun's 0.
Ryan Braun
Brian McCann
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ryan Braun and Brian McCann. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ryan Braun | Brian McCann |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,766 | 1,755 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,622 | 6,067 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,080 | 742 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,963 | 1,590 |
| Doubles | Leads: 408 | 294 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 5 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 352 | 282 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,154 | 1,018 |
| Walks | 586 | Leads: 640 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,363 | 1,054 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 216 | 25 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .262 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .358 | .337 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .532 | .452 |
| OPS | Leads: .891 | .789 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ryan Braun outpaces Brian McCann 27,762 to 9,133 — driven by per-season impact — 1,983 PIV per season to 609 — rather than by longevity, since Ryan Braun played 14 seasons to Brian McCann'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
Brian McCann — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ryan Braun leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Brian McCann 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 Brian McCann careers compare
The careers of Ryan Braun (2007–2020) and Brian McCann (2005–2019) overlapped from 2007 to 2019, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,766 games against 1,755 across 14 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Brian McCann comes out ahead, it is in walks (640 to 586). Ryan Braun struck out more than walked (1,363 to 586); Brian McCann struck out more than walked (1,054 to 640). On the bases, Ryan Braun stole more often per game played (216 steals in 1,766 games for Ryan Braun, 25 in 1,755 for Brian McCann). In slugging percentage, Ryan Braun holds the edge, .532 to .452.
Ryan Braun vs Brian McCann: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ryan Braun or Brian McCann?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ryan Braun leads Brian McCann in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ryan Braun or Brian McCann hit more home runs?
- Ryan Braun, with 352 to Brian McCann's 282.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ryan Braun, with .891 to Brian McCann's .789.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ryan Braun, with .296 to Brian McCann's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Ryan Braun, with 1,963 to Brian McCann's 1,590.