Orlando Cepeda vs Nellie Fox: Career Stats Comparison
Orlando Cepeda 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). Orlando Cepeda played 1958–1974 as a hitter; Nellie Fox played 1947–1965 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 Nellie Fox (1947–1965) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Orlando Cepeda finished with 2,351 hits and 379 home runs; Nellie Fox finished with 2,663 hits and 35 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 Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS? Orlando Cepeda, with .849 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average? Orlando Cepeda, with .297 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits? Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Orlando Cepeda's 2,351.
- Who drove in more runs? Orlando Cepeda, with 1,365 to Nellie Fox's 790.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Orlando Cepeda, with 32,785 career PIV to Nellie Fox's 1,100.
- Who won more championships? Orlando Cepeda, with 2 World Series titles to Nellie Fox's 0.
Orlando Cepeda
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Orlando Cepeda and Nellie Fox. 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 1950s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Orlando Cepeda | Nellie Fox |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,124 | Leads: 2,367 |
| At-Bats | 7,927 | Leads: 9,232 |
| Runs | 1,131 | Leads: 1,279 |
| Hits | 2,351 | Leads: 2,663 |
| Doubles | Leads: 417 | 355 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 112 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 379 | 35 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,365 | 790 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 719 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,169 | 216 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 142 | 76 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .350 | .348 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .499 | .363 |
| OPS | Leads: .849 | .710 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Orlando Cepeda outpaces Nellie Fox 32,785 to 1,100 — driven by per-season impact — 1,726 PIV per season to 58 — rather than by longevity, since Orlando Cepeda played 19 seasons to Nellie Fox'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
Nellie Fox — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Orlando Cepeda leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and batting average, while Nellie Fox owns hits and runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Orlando Cepeda. PIV agrees: Orlando Cepeda 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 Nellie Fox careers compare
From 1958 through 1965, Orlando Cepeda and Nellie Fox were in the majors together. With 2,124 games against 2,367 across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Orlando Cepeda struck out more than walked (1,169 to 588), while Nellie Fox walked more often than struck out (719 walks, 216 strikeouts). 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, 76 in 2,367 for Nellie Fox). Orlando Cepeda's slugging percentage of .499 tops Nellie Fox's .363.
Orlando Cepeda vs Nellie Fox: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orlando Cepeda or Nellie Fox?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orlando Cepeda leads Nellie Fox in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Orlando Cepeda or Nellie Fox hit more home runs?
- Orlando Cepeda, with 379 to Nellie Fox's 35.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Orlando Cepeda, with .849 to Nellie Fox's .710.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Orlando Cepeda, with .297 to Nellie Fox's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Nellie Fox, with 2,663 to Orlando Cepeda's 2,351.