Orlando Cepeda vs Roberto Clemente: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente 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). Orlando Cepeda played 1958–1974 as a hitter; Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 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
Orlando Cepeda (1958–1974) and Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Orlando Cepeda finished with 2,351 hits and 379 home runs; Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Orlando Cepeda, with 379 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Orlando Cepeda, with .849 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Orlando Cepeda's .297.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Orlando Cepeda's 2,351.
- Who drove in more runs? Orlando Cepeda, with 1,365 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Orlando Cepeda's 32,785.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Orlando Cepeda
Roberto Clemente
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Orlando Cepeda and Roberto Clemente. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Orlando Cepeda | Roberto Clemente |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,124 | Leads: 2,433 |
| At-Bats | 7,927 | Leads: 9,454 |
| Runs | 1,131 | Leads: 1,416 |
| Hits | 2,351 | Leads: 3,000 |
| Doubles | 417 | Leads: 440 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 166 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 379 | 240 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,365 | 1,305 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 621 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,169 | 1,230 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 142 | 83 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .317 |
| On-Base % | .350 | Leads: .359 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .499 | .475 |
| OPS | Leads: .849 | .834 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente edges Orlando Cepeda 34,131 to 32,785 — driven by per-season impact — 1,896 PIV per season to 1,726 — rather than by longevity, since Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Orlando Cepeda's 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).
Orlando Cepeda — top 3 seasons by OPS
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, runs, batting average, and OBP, while Orlando Cepeda owns home runs, RBI, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roberto Clemente. PIV agrees: Roberto Clemente grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Orlando Cepeda and Roberto Clemente careers compare
From 1958 through 1972, Orlando Cepeda and Roberto Clemente were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,124 games for Orlando Cepeda and 2,433 for Roberto Clemente across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Orlando Cepeda struck out more than walked (1,169 to 588); Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621). Orlando Cepeda is the more power-leaning hitter, with 379 of 2,351 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Orlando Cepeda stole more often per game played (142 steals in 2,124 games for Orlando Cepeda, 83 in 2,433 for Roberto Clemente).
Orlando Cepeda vs Roberto Clemente: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orlando Cepeda or Roberto Clemente?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Orlando Cepeda in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Orlando Cepeda or Roberto Clemente hit more home runs?
- Orlando Cepeda, with 379 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Orlando Cepeda, with .849 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Orlando Cepeda's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Orlando Cepeda's 2,351.