George Brett vs Reggie Jackson: Career Stats Comparison
George Brett 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). George Brett played 1973–1993 as a hitter; Reggie Jackson played 1967–1987 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
George Brett (1973–1993) and Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. George Brett finished with 3,154 hits and 317 home runs; Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Reggie Jackson, with 563 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS? George Brett, with .857 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Brett, with .305 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? George Brett, with 3,154 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.
- Who drove in more runs? Reggie Jackson, with 1,702 to George Brett's 1,596.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Reggie Jackson, with 41,801 career PIV to George Brett's 41,511.
- Who won more championships? Reggie Jackson, with 5 World Series titles to George Brett's 1.
George Brett
Reggie Jackson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Brett and Reggie Jackson. 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 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | George Brett | Reggie Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,707 | Leads: 2,820 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,349 | 9,864 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,583 | 1,551 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,154 | 2,584 |
| Doubles | Leads: 665 | 463 |
| Triples | Leads: 137 | 49 |
| Home Runs | 317 | Leads: 563 |
| RBI | 1,596 | Leads: 1,702 |
| Walks | 1,096 | Leads: 1,375 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 908 | 2,597 |
| Stolen Bases | 201 | Leads: 228 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .262 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .369 | .356 |
| Slugging % | .487 | Leads: .490 |
| OPS | Leads: .857 | .846 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Reggie Jackson edges George Brett 41,801 to 41,511 — driven by per-season impact — 1,991 PIV per season to 1,977 — rather than by longevity, since Reggie Jackson played 21 seasons to George Brett's 21. 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).
George Brett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Reggie Jackson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, George Brett leads in hits, runs, batting average, and OBP, while Reggie Jackson owns home runs, RBI, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to George Brett. Note that PIV actually grades Reggie Jackson ahead, which means George Brett's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Brett and Reggie Jackson careers compare
George Brett and Reggie Jackson were active at the same time between 1973 and 1987. The two careers are close in length, 2,707 games for George Brett and 2,820 for Reggie Jackson across 21 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: George Brett walked more often than struck out (1,096 walks, 908 strikeouts), but Reggie Jackson struck out more than walked (2,597 to 1,375). Reggie Jackson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 563 of 2,584 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Reggie Jackson stole more often per game played (201 steals in 2,707 games for George Brett, 228 in 2,820 for Reggie Jackson).
George Brett vs Reggie Jackson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Brett or Reggie Jackson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, George Brett leads Reggie Jackson in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Brett or Reggie Jackson hit more home runs?
- Reggie Jackson, with 563 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- George Brett, with .857 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Brett, with .305 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- George Brett, with 3,154 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.