Roy Campanella vs Joe Medwick: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Medwick 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). Roy Campanella played 1948–1957 as a hitter; Joe Medwick played 1932–1948 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
Roy Campanella (1948–1957) and Joe Medwick (1932–1948) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roy Campanella finished with 1,427 hits and 260 home runs; Joe Medwick finished with 2,471 hits and 205 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Roy Campanella, with 260 to Joe Medwick's 205.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Medwick, with .867 to Roy Campanella's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Medwick, with .324 to Roy Campanella's .283.
- Who had more hits? Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Roy Campanella's 1,427.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Medwick, with 1,383 to Roy Campanella's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Medwick, with 28,897 career PIV to Roy Campanella's 19,598.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Roy Campanella
Joe Medwick
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roy Campanella and Joe Medwick. 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 1940s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roy Campanella | Joe Medwick |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,455 | Leads: 1,984 |
| At-Bats | 5,050 | Leads: 7,635 |
| Runs | 787 | Leads: 1,198 |
| Hits | 1,427 | Leads: 2,471 |
| Doubles | 235 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 260 | 205 |
| RBI | 1,015 | Leads: 1,383 |
| Walks | Leads: 608 | 437 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 514 | 551 |
| Stolen Bases | 39 | Leads: 42 |
| Batting Avg | .283 | Leads: .324 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .363 | .362 |
| Slugging % | .496 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .859 | Leads: .867 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Medwick outpaces Roy Campanella 28,897 to 19,598 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,445 PIV per season to 1,031, across 20 seasons to 19. 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).
Roy Campanella — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joe Medwick — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Medwick leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Roy Campanella owns home runs and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Medwick. PIV agrees: Joe Medwick grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roy Campanella and Joe Medwick careers compare
From 1948 through 1948, Roy Campanella and Joe Medwick were in the majors together. With 1,455 games against 1,984 across 19 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Roy Campanella's edges on the table are home runs (260 to 205), walks (608 to 437), and on-base percentage (.363 to .362). At the plate, Roy Campanella walked more often than struck out (608 walks, 514 strikeouts), while Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437). Roy Campanella is the more power-leaning hitter, with 260 of 1,427 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Joe Medwick holds the edge, .505 to .496.
Roy Campanella vs Joe Medwick: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Campanella or Joe Medwick?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Medwick leads Roy Campanella in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roy Campanella or Joe Medwick hit more home runs?
- Roy Campanella, with 260 to Joe Medwick's 205.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Medwick, with .867 to Roy Campanella's .859.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Medwick, with .324 to Roy Campanella's .283.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Medwick, with 2,471 to Roy Campanella's 1,427.