Jose Canseco vs Ken Griffey: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Ken Griffey played 1973–1991 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 Ken Griffey (1973–1991) — 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; Ken Griffey finished with 2,143 hits and 152 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 Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jose Canseco, with .867 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ken Griffey, with .296 to Jose Canseco's .266.
- Who had more hits? Ken Griffey, with 2,143 to Jose Canseco's 1,877.
- Who drove in more runs? Jose Canseco, with 1,407 to Ken Griffey's 859.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jose Canseco, with 24,754 career PIV to Ken Griffey's 15,957.
- Who won more championships? Ken Griffey, with 3 World Series titles to Jose Canseco's 2.
Jose Canseco
Ken Griffey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jose Canseco 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 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 | Ken Griffey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,887 | Leads: 2,097 |
| At-Bats | 7,057 | Leads: 7,229 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,186 | 1,129 |
| Hits | 1,877 | Leads: 2,143 |
| Doubles | 340 | Leads: 364 |
| Triples | 14 | Leads: 77 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 462 | 152 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,407 | 859 |
| Walks | Leads: 906 | 719 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,942 | 898 |
| Stolen Bases | 200 | 200 |
| Batting Avg | .266 | Leads: .296 |
| On-Base % | .353 | Leads: .359 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .431 |
| OPS | Leads: .867 | .790 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jose Canseco outpaces Ken Griffey 24,754 to 15,957 — driven by per-season impact — 1,303 PIV per season to 725 — rather than by longevity, since Jose Canseco played 19 seasons to Ken Griffey's 22. 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
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jose Canseco leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OPS, while Ken Griffey owns hits, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jose Canseco. PIV agrees: Jose Canseco grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jose Canseco and Ken Griffey careers compare
From 1985 through 1991, Jose Canseco and Ken Griffey were in the majors together. With 1,887 games against 2,097 across 19 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Jose Canseco struck out more than walked (1,942 to 906), and Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (898 to 719). Home runs make up a larger share of Jose Canseco's hits: 462 of 1,877 for Jose Canseco, 152 of 2,143 for Ken Griffey. On the bases, Jose Canseco stole more often per game played (200 steals in 1,887 games for Jose Canseco, 200 in 2,097 for Ken Griffey).
Jose Canseco vs Ken Griffey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jose Canseco or Ken Griffey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Jose Canseco in 7 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jose Canseco or Ken Griffey hit more home runs?
- Jose Canseco, with 462 to Ken Griffey's 152.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jose Canseco, with .867 to Ken Griffey's .790.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ken Griffey, with .296 to Jose Canseco's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Ken Griffey, with 2,143 to Jose Canseco's 1,877.