Orlando Cepeda vs Roger Maris: Career Stats Comparison
Orlando Cepeda has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Roger Maris played 1957–1968 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 Roger Maris (1957–1968) — 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; Roger Maris finished with 1,325 hits and 275 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 Roger Maris's 275.
- Who had the higher OPS? Orlando Cepeda, with .849 to Roger Maris's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average? Orlando Cepeda, with .297 to Roger Maris's .260.
- Who had more hits? Orlando Cepeda, with 2,351 to Roger Maris's 1,325.
- Who drove in more runs? Orlando Cepeda, with 1,365 to Roger Maris's 851.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Orlando Cepeda, with 32,785 career PIV to Roger Maris's 17,267.
- Who won more championships? Roger Maris, with 3 World Series titles to Orlando Cepeda's 2.
Orlando Cepeda
Roger Maris
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Orlando Cepeda and Roger Maris. 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 | Roger Maris |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,124 | 1,463 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,927 | 5,101 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,131 | 826 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,351 | 1,325 |
| Doubles | Leads: 417 | 195 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 42 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 379 | 275 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,365 | 851 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 652 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,169 | 733 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 142 | 21 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .260 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .350 | .345 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .499 | .476 |
| OPS | Leads: .849 | .822 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Orlando Cepeda outpaces Roger Maris 32,785 to 17,267 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,726 PIV per season to 1,328, across 19 seasons to 13. 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
Roger Maris — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Orlando Cepeda leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Roger Maris owns no headline categories. 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 Roger Maris careers compare
From 1958 through 1968, Orlando Cepeda and Roger Maris were in the majors together. With 2,124 games against 1,463 across 19 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Roger Maris are triples (42 to 27) and walks (652 to 588). Orlando Cepeda struck out more than walked (1,169 to 588); Roger Maris struck out more than walked (733 to 652). On the bases, Orlando Cepeda stole more often per game played (142 steals in 2,124 games for Orlando Cepeda, 21 in 1,463 for Roger Maris).
Orlando Cepeda vs Roger Maris: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orlando Cepeda or Roger Maris?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orlando Cepeda leads Roger Maris in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Orlando Cepeda or Roger Maris hit more home runs?
- Orlando Cepeda, with 379 to Roger Maris's 275.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Orlando Cepeda, with .849 to Roger Maris's .822.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Orlando Cepeda, with .297 to Roger Maris's .260.
- Who had more hits?
- Orlando Cepeda, with 2,351 to Roger Maris's 1,325.