Roger Bresnahan vs Mike Donlin: Career Stats Comparison
Mike Donlin 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). Roger Bresnahan played 1897–1915 as a hitter; Mike Donlin played 1899–1914 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
Roger Bresnahan (1897–1915) and Mike Donlin (1899–1914) — both broke in during the 1890s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Roger Bresnahan finished with 1,252 hits and 26 home runs; Mike Donlin finished with 1,282 hits and 51 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Donlin, with 51 to Roger Bresnahan's 26.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mike Donlin, with .854 to Roger Bresnahan's .764.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mike Donlin, with .333 to Roger Bresnahan's .279.
- Who had more hits? Mike Donlin, with 1,282 to Roger Bresnahan's 1,252.
- Who drove in more runs? Mike Donlin, with 543 to Roger Bresnahan's 530.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mike Donlin, with 20,363 career PIV to Roger Bresnahan's 18,191.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Roger Bresnahan
Mike Donlin
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roger Bresnahan and Mike Donlin. 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 | Roger Bresnahan | Mike Donlin |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,446 | 1,049 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 4,481 | 3,854 |
| Runs | Leads: 682 | 669 |
| Hits | 1,252 | Leads: 1,282 |
| Doubles | Leads: 218 | 176 |
| Triples | 71 | Leads: 97 |
| Home Runs | 26 | Leads: 51 |
| RBI | 530 | Leads: 543 |
| Walks | Leads: 714 | 312 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 403 | 311 |
| Stolen Bases | 212 | Leads: 213 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .333 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .386 | .386 |
| Slugging % | .377 | Leads: .468 |
| OPS | .764 | Leads: .854 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Donlin leads Roger Bresnahan 20,363 to 18,191 — driven by per-season impact — 1,454 PIV per season to 1,011 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Donlin played 14 seasons to Roger Bresnahan's 18. 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).
Roger Bresnahan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mike Donlin — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Donlin leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and stolen bases, while Roger Bresnahan owns runs and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mike Donlin. PIV agrees: Mike Donlin grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roger Bresnahan and Mike Donlin careers compare
Roger Bresnahan and Mike Donlin were active at the same time between 1899 and 1914. With 1,446 games against 1,049 across 18 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Roger Bresnahan walked more often than struck out (714 walks, 403 strikeouts), and Mike Donlin walked more often than struck out (312 walks, 311 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mike Donlin's hits: 26 of 1,252 for Roger Bresnahan, 51 of 1,282 for Mike Donlin. Mike Donlin was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Roger Bresnahan vs Mike Donlin: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Bresnahan or Mike Donlin?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mike Donlin leads Roger Bresnahan in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roger Bresnahan or Mike Donlin hit more home runs?
- Mike Donlin, with 51 to Roger Bresnahan's 26.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mike Donlin, with .854 to Roger Bresnahan's .764.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mike Donlin, with .333 to Roger Bresnahan's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Mike Donlin, with 1,282 to Roger Bresnahan's 1,252.