Ron Cey vs Josh Donaldson: Career Stats Comparison
Ron Cey 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). Ron Cey played 1971–1987 as a hitter; Josh Donaldson played 2010–2023 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
Ron Cey (1971–1987) and Josh Donaldson (2010–2023) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ron Cey finished with 1,868 hits and 316 home runs; Josh Donaldson finished with 1,310 hits and 279 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ron Cey, with 316 to Josh Donaldson's 279.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Ron Cey's .799.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .261.
- Who had more hits? Ron Cey, with 1,868 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.
- Who drove in more runs? Ron Cey, with 1,139 to Josh Donaldson's 816.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ron Cey, with 19,506 career PIV to Josh Donaldson's 18,424.
- Who won more championships? Ron Cey, with 1 World Series title to Josh Donaldson's 0.
Josh Donaldson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ron Cey and Josh Donaldson. 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.
| Statistic | Ron Cey | Josh Donaldson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,073 | 1,384 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,162 | 5,022 |
| Runs | Leads: 977 | 816 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,868 | 1,310 |
| Doubles | Leads: 328 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 21 | 12 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 316 | 279 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,139 | 816 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,012 | 725 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,235 | 1,221 |
| Stolen Bases | 24 | Leads: 40 |
| Batting Avg | .261 | Leads: .261 |
| On-Base % | .354 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | .445 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | .799 | Leads: .847 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ron Cey edges Josh Donaldson 19,506 to 18,424 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ron Cey played 17 seasons to Josh Donaldson's 15, while Josh Donaldson carries the higher per-season figure (1,228 to 1,147). 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).
Ron Cey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Josh Donaldson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ron Cey leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Josh Donaldson owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ron Cey. PIV agrees: Ron Cey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ron Cey and Josh Donaldson careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Ron Cey's ended in 1987, and Josh Donaldson debuted in 2010. With 2,073 games against 1,384 across 17 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Ron Cey struck out more than walked (1,235 to 1,012), and Josh Donaldson struck out more than walked (1,221 to 725). On the peak-season lists, Ron Cey's best year is 1979 at .888 OPS and Josh Donaldson's is 2016 at .953 OPS; Josh Donaldson has the stronger single season.
Ron Cey vs Josh Donaldson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ron Cey or Josh Donaldson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ron Cey leads Josh Donaldson in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ron Cey or Josh Donaldson hit more home runs?
- Ron Cey, with 316 to Josh Donaldson's 279.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Ron Cey's .799.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Ron Cey, with 1,868 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.