Jose Canseco vs Andre Dawson: Career Stats Comparison
Andre Dawson 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). Jose Canseco played 1985–2001 as a hitter; Andre Dawson played 1976–1996 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
Jose Canseco (1985–2001) and Andre Dawson (1976–1996) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jose Canseco finished with 1,877 hits and 462 home runs; Andre Dawson finished with 2,774 hits and 438 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jose Canseco, with 462 to Andre Dawson's 438.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jose Canseco, with .867 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Andre Dawson, with .279 to Jose Canseco's .266.
- Who had more hits? Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Jose Canseco's 1,877.
- Who drove in more runs? Andre Dawson, with 1,591 to Jose Canseco's 1,407.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jose Canseco, with 24,754 career PIV to Andre Dawson's 20,948.
- Who won more championships? Jose Canseco, with 2 World Series titles to Andre Dawson's 0.
Jose Canseco
Andre Dawson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jose Canseco and Andre Dawson. 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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jose Canseco | Andre Dawson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,887 | Leads: 2,627 |
| At-Bats | 7,057 | Leads: 9,927 |
| Runs | 1,186 | Leads: 1,373 |
| Hits | 1,877 | Leads: 2,774 |
| Doubles | 340 | Leads: 503 |
| Triples | 14 | Leads: 98 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 462 | 438 |
| RBI | 1,407 | Leads: 1,591 |
| Walks | Leads: 906 | 589 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,942 | 1,509 |
| Stolen Bases | 200 | Leads: 314 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .353 | .323 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .482 |
| OPS | Leads: .867 | .806 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jose Canseco leads Andre Dawson 24,754 to 20,948 — driven by per-season impact — 1,303 PIV per season to 998 — rather than by longevity, since Jose Canseco played 19 seasons to Andre Dawson'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).
Jose Canseco — top 3 seasons by OPS
Andre Dawson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Andre Dawson leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Jose Canseco owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Andre Dawson. Note that PIV actually grades Jose Canseco ahead, which means Andre Dawson's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jose Canseco and Andre Dawson careers compare
The careers of Jose Canseco (1985–2001) and Andre Dawson (1976–1996) overlapped from 1985 to 1996, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,887 games for Jose Canseco and 2,627 for Andre Dawson across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jose Canseco struck out more than walked (1,942 to 906); Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589). Jose Canseco is the more power-leaning hitter, with 462 of 1,877 hits leaving the park.
Jose Canseco vs Andre Dawson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jose Canseco or Andre Dawson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Andre Dawson leads Jose Canseco in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jose Canseco or Andre Dawson hit more home runs?
- Jose Canseco, with 462 to Andre Dawson's 438.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jose Canseco, with .867 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Andre Dawson, with .279 to Jose Canseco's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Andre Dawson, with 2,774 to Jose Canseco's 1,877.