Miguel Cabrera vs Joe Mauer: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Cabrera has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Miguel Cabrera played 2003–2023 as a hitter; Joe Mauer played 2004–2018 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 Joe Mauer (2004–2018) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Miguel Cabrera finished with 3,174 hits and 511 home runs; Joe Mauer finished with 2,123 hits and 143 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 511 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS? Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Joe Mauer's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .306.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Cabrera, with 1,881 to Joe Mauer's 923.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Miguel Cabrera, with 49,680 career PIV to Joe Mauer's 20,061.
- Who won more championships? Miguel Cabrera, with 1 World Series title to Joe Mauer's 0.
Miguel Cabrera
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Miguel Cabrera and Joe Mauer. 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 | Miguel Cabrera | Joe Mauer |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,797 | 1,858 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,356 | 6,930 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,551 | 1,018 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,174 | 2,123 |
| Doubles | Leads: 627 | 428 |
| Triples | 17 | Leads: 30 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 511 | 143 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,881 | 923 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,258 | 939 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 2,105 | 1,034 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 52 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .306 |
| On-Base % | .382 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .518 | .439 |
| OPS | Leads: .901 | .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Miguel Cabrera outpaces Joe Mauer 49,680 to 20,061 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,366 PIV per season to 1,337, across 21 seasons to 15. 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
Joe Mauer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Miguel Cabrera leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Joe Mauer owns stolen bases and OBP. 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 Joe Mauer careers compare
Miguel Cabrera and Joe Mauer were active at the same time between 2004 and 2018. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Miguel Cabrera appeared in 2,797 games to Joe Mauer's 1,858. Where Joe Mauer comes out ahead, it is in triples (30 to 17), stolen bases (52 to 40), and on-base percentage (.388 to .382). Miguel Cabrera struck out more than walked (2,105 to 1,258); Joe Mauer struck out more than walked (1,034 to 939). Home runs make up a larger share of Miguel Cabrera's hits: 511 of 3,174 for Miguel Cabrera, 143 of 2,123 for Joe Mauer.
Miguel Cabrera vs Joe Mauer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Miguel Cabrera or Joe Mauer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Miguel Cabrera leads Joe Mauer in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Miguel Cabrera or Joe Mauer hit more home runs?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 511 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Miguel Cabrera, with .901 to Joe Mauer's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .306.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Cabrera, with 3,174 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.