Miguel Cabrera vs Ken Griffey: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Cabrera and Ken Griffey are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Miguel Cabrera played 2003–2023 as a hitter; Ken Griffey played 1989–2010 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
Miguel Cabrera (2003–2023) and Ken Griffey (1989–2010) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Miguel Cabrera finished with 3,174 hits and 511 home runs; Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Griffey, with 630 to Miguel Cabrera's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Griffey, with .907 to Miguel Cabrera's .901.
- Who had the higher batting average? Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 1,881 to Ken Griffey's 1,836.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Miguel Cabrera, with 49,680 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 43,975.
- Who won more championships? Miguel Cabrera, with 1 World Series title to Ken Griffey's 0.
Miguel Cabrera
Ken Griffey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Miguel Cabrera and Ken Griffey. 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 2000s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Miguel Cabrera | Ken Griffey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,797 | 2,671 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,356 | 9,801 |
| Runs | 1,551 | Leads: 1,662 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,174 | 2,781 |
| Doubles | Leads: 627 | 524 |
| Triples | 17 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | 511 | Leads: 630 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,881 | 1,836 |
| Walks | 1,258 | Leads: 1,312 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,105 | 1,779 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 184 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .382 | .370 |
| Slugging % | .518 | Leads: .538 |
| OPS | .901 | Leads: .907 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Miguel Cabrera leads Ken Griffey 49,680 to 43,975 — driven by per-season impact — 2,366 PIV per season to 1,912 — rather than by longevity, since Miguel Cabrera played 21 seasons to Ken Griffey's 23. 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).
Miguel Cabrera — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Miguel Cabrera leads in hits, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Ken Griffey owns home runs, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Miguel Cabrera. PIV agrees: Miguel Cabrera grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Miguel Cabrera and Ken Griffey careers compare
From 2003 through 2010, Miguel Cabrera and Ken Griffey were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,797 games for Miguel Cabrera and 2,671 for Ken Griffey across 21 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Miguel Cabrera struck out more than walked (2,105 to 1,258), and Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312). Home runs make up a larger share of Ken Griffey's hits: 511 of 3,174 for Miguel Cabrera, 630 of 2,781 for Ken Griffey.
Miguel Cabrera vs Ken Griffey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Miguel Cabrera or Ken Griffey hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Miguel Cabrera's 511.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Griffey, with .907 to Miguel Cabrera's .901.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .306 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.