Orlando Cepeda vs Graig Nettles: 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; 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
Orlando Cepeda (1958–1974) and Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Orlando Cepeda finished with 2,351 hits and 379 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? Graig Nettles, with 390 to Orlando Cepeda's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS? Orlando Cepeda, with .849 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Orlando Cepeda, with .297 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Orlando Cepeda, with 2,351 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Orlando Cepeda, with 1,365 to Graig Nettles's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Orlando Cepeda, with 32,785 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Orlando Cepeda
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Orlando Cepeda 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 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Orlando Cepeda | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,124 | Leads: 2,700 |
| At-Bats | 7,927 | Leads: 8,986 |
| Runs | 1,131 | Leads: 1,193 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,351 | 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 417 | 328 |
| Triples | 27 | Leads: 28 |
| Home Runs | 379 | Leads: 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,365 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 588 | Leads: 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,169 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 142 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .350 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .499 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .849 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Orlando Cepeda outpaces Graig Nettles 32,785 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 1,726 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Orlando Cepeda 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).
Orlando Cepeda — top 3 seasons by OPS
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Orlando Cepeda leads in hits, RBI, stolen bases, and batting average, while Graig Nettles owns home runs 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 Graig Nettles careers compare
From 1967 through 1974, Orlando Cepeda and Graig Nettles were in the majors together. With 2,124 games against 2,700 across 19 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Orlando Cepeda struck out more than walked (1,169 to 588); Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). On the bases, Orlando Cepeda stole more often per game played (142 steals in 2,124 games for Orlando Cepeda, 32 in 2,700 for Graig Nettles). In slugging percentage, Orlando Cepeda holds the edge, .499 to .421.
Orlando Cepeda vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orlando Cepeda or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orlando Cepeda leads Graig Nettles in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Orlando Cepeda or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Graig Nettles, with 390 to Orlando Cepeda's 379.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Orlando Cepeda, with .849 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Orlando Cepeda, with .297 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Orlando Cepeda, with 2,351 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.