Gary Carter vs Willson Contreras: Career Stats Comparison
Gary Carter has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Gary Carter played 1974–1992 as a hitter; Willson Contreras has played 2016–present 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
Gary Carter (1974–1992) and Willson Contreras (2016–present) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Gary Carter finished with 2,092 hits and 324 home runs; Willson Contreras has 1,077 hits and 199 home runs through October 12, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Gary Carter, with 324 to Willson Contreras's 199.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willson Contreras, with .821 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average? Gary Carter, with .262 to Willson Contreras's .260.
- Who had more hits? Gary Carter, with 2,092 to Willson Contreras's 1,077.
- Who drove in more runs? Gary Carter, with 1,225 to Willson Contreras's 629.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Gary Carter, with 14,141 career PIV to Willson Contreras's 8,983.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Gary Carter
Willson Contreras
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Gary Carter and Willson Contreras. 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 1970s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Willson Contreras is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Gary Carter | Willson Contreras |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,296 | 1,208 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,971 | 4,148 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,025 | 594 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,092 | 1,077 |
| Doubles | Leads: 371 | 229 |
| Triples | Leads: 31 | 14 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 324 | 199 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,225 | 629 |
| Walks | Leads: 848 | 478 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 997 | 1,170 |
| Stolen Bases | 39 | Leads: 40 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .262 | .260 |
| On-Base % | .335 | Leads: .356 |
| Slugging % | .439 | Leads: .466 |
| OPS | .773 | Leads: .821 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gary Carter outpaces Willson Contreras 14,141 to 8,983 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Gary Carter played 19 seasons to Willson Contreras's 10, while Willson Contreras carries the higher per-season figure (898 to 744). 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).
Gary Carter — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willson Contreras — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gary Carter leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Willson Contreras owns stolen bases, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gary Carter. PIV agrees: Gary Carter grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gary Carter and Willson Contreras careers compare
No season is shared: Gary Carter played 1974–1992, Willson Contreras 2016–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Gary Carter appeared in 2,296 games to Willson Contreras's 1,208. Where Willson Contreras comes out ahead, it is in stolen bases (40 to 39), on-base percentage (.356 to .335), and slugging percentage (.466 to .439). Gary Carter struck out more than walked (997 to 848); Willson Contreras struck out more than walked (1,170 to 478). In slugging percentage, Willson Contreras holds the edge, .466 to .439. Willson Contreras's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Gary Carter vs Willson Contreras: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gary Carter or Willson Contreras?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gary Carter leads Willson Contreras in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Gary Carter or Willson Contreras hit more home runs?
- Gary Carter, with 324 to Willson Contreras's 199.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willson Contreras, with .821 to Gary Carter's .773.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Gary Carter, with .262 to Willson Contreras's .260.
- Who had more hits?
- Gary Carter, with 2,092 to Willson Contreras's 1,077.