Jose Canseco vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Jose Canseco has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 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 Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — they broke in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jose Canseco finished with 1,877 hits and 462 home runs; Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 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 Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jose Canseco, with .867 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jose Canseco, with .266 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Jose Canseco's 1,877.
- Who drove in more runs? Jose Canseco, with 1,407 to Graig Nettles's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jose Canseco, with 24,754 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Jose Canseco
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jose Canseco and Graig Nettles. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jose Canseco | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,887 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | 7,057 | Leads: 8,986 |
| Runs | 1,186 | Leads: 1,193 |
| Hits | 1,877 | Leads: 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 340 | 328 |
| Triples | 14 | Leads: 28 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 462 | 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,407 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 906 | Leads: 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,942 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 200 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .266 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .353 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .515 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .867 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jose Canseco outpaces Graig Nettles 24,754 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 1,303 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Jose Canseco played 19 seasons to Graig Nettles'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
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jose Canseco leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and batting average, while Graig Nettles owns hits and runs. 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 Graig Nettles careers compare
From 1985 through 1988, Jose Canseco and Graig Nettles were in the majors together. With 1,887 games against 2,700 across 19 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jose Canseco struck out more than walked (1,942 to 906); Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). Home runs make up a larger share of Jose Canseco's hits: 462 of 1,877 for Jose Canseco, 390 of 2,225 for Graig Nettles. On the bases, Jose Canseco stole more often per game played (200 steals in 1,887 games for Jose Canseco, 32 in 2,700 for Graig Nettles).
Jose Canseco vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jose Canseco or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jose Canseco leads Graig Nettles in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jose Canseco or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Jose Canseco, with 462 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jose Canseco, with .867 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jose Canseco, with .266 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Graig Nettles, with 2,225 to Jose Canseco's 1,877.