Ryan Braun vs Hunter Pence: 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; Hunter Pence played 2007–2020 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 Hunter Pence (2007–2020) — 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; Hunter Pence finished with 1,791 hits and 244 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 Hunter Pence's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ryan Braun, with .891 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ryan Braun, with .296 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits? Ryan Braun, with 1,963 to Hunter Pence's 1,791.
- Who drove in more runs? Ryan Braun, with 1,154 to Hunter Pence's 942.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ryan Braun, with 27,762 career PIV to Hunter Pence's 10,190.
- Who won more championships? Hunter Pence, with 2 World Series titles to Ryan Braun's 0.
Ryan Braun
Hunter Pence
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ryan Braun and Hunter Pence. 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 | Hunter Pence |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,766 | 1,707 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,622 | 6,420 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,080 | 891 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,963 | 1,791 |
| Doubles | Leads: 408 | 324 |
| Triples | 49 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 352 | 244 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,154 | 942 |
| Walks | Leads: 586 | 520 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,363 | 1,335 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 216 | 120 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .296 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .358 | .334 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .532 | .461 |
| OPS | Leads: .891 | .794 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ryan Braun outpaces Hunter Pence 27,762 to 10,190 — driven by per-season impact — 1,983 PIV per season to 637 — rather than by longevity, since Ryan Braun played 14 seasons to Hunter Pence's 16. 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
Hunter Pence — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ryan Braun leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Hunter Pence 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 Hunter Pence careers compare
Ryan Braun and Hunter Pence were active at the same time between 2007 and 2020. With 1,766 games against 1,707 across 14 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Hunter Pence comes out ahead, it is in triples (55 to 49). Ryan Braun struck out more than walked (1,363 to 586); Hunter Pence struck out more than walked (1,335 to 520). Home runs make up a larger share of Ryan Braun's hits: 352 of 1,963 for Ryan Braun, 244 of 1,791 for Hunter Pence. Ryan Braun was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Ryan Braun's slugging percentage of .532 tops Hunter Pence's .461.
Ryan Braun vs Hunter Pence: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ryan Braun or Hunter Pence?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ryan Braun leads Hunter Pence in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ryan Braun or Hunter Pence hit more home runs?
- Ryan Braun, with 352 to Hunter Pence's 244.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ryan Braun, with .891 to Hunter Pence's .794.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ryan Braun, with .296 to Hunter Pence's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Ryan Braun, with 1,963 to Hunter Pence's 1,791.