George Brett vs Mike Piazza: Career Stats Comparison
George Brett has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Mike Piazza played 1992–2007 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 Mike Piazza (1992–2007) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. George Brett finished with 3,154 hits and 317 home runs; Mike Piazza finished with 2,127 hits and 427 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Piazza, with 427 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mike Piazza, with .922 to George Brett's .857.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mike Piazza, with .308 to George Brett's .305.
- Who had more hits? George Brett, with 3,154 to Mike Piazza's 2,127.
- Who drove in more runs? George Brett, with 1,596 to Mike Piazza's 1,335.
- Who has the higher career PIV? George Brett, with 41,511 career PIV to Mike Piazza's 30,988.
- Who won more championships? George Brett, with 1 World Series title to Mike Piazza's 0.
George Brett
Mike Piazza
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Brett and Mike Piazza. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | George Brett | Mike Piazza |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,707 | 1,912 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,349 | 6,911 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,583 | 1,048 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,154 | 2,127 |
| Doubles | Leads: 665 | 344 |
| Triples | Leads: 137 | 8 |
| Home Runs | 317 | Leads: 427 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,596 | 1,335 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,096 | 759 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 908 | 1,113 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 201 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | .305 | Leads: .308 |
| On-Base % | .369 | Leads: .377 |
| Slugging % | .487 | Leads: .545 |
| OPS | .857 | Leads: .922 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), George Brett outpaces Mike Piazza 41,511 to 30,988 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,977 PIV per season to 1,722, across 21 seasons to 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).
George Brett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mike Piazza — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, George Brett leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Mike Piazza owns home runs, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to George Brett. PIV agrees: George Brett grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Brett and Mike Piazza careers compare
From 1992 through 1993, George Brett and Mike Piazza were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,707 games for George Brett and 1,912 for Mike Piazza across 21 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, George Brett walked more often than struck out (1,096 walks, 908 strikeouts), while Mike Piazza struck out more than walked (1,113 to 759). Mike Piazza is the more power-leaning hitter, with 427 of 2,127 hits leaving the park. On the bases, George Brett stole more often per game played (201 steals in 2,707 games for George Brett, 17 in 1,912 for Mike Piazza).
George Brett vs Mike Piazza: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Brett or Mike Piazza?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, George Brett leads Mike Piazza in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Brett or Mike Piazza hit more home runs?
- Mike Piazza, with 427 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mike Piazza, with .922 to George Brett's .857.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mike Piazza, with .308 to George Brett's .305.
- Who had more hits?
- George Brett, with 3,154 to Mike Piazza's 2,127.