Jack Clark vs Kirby Puckett: Career Stats Comparison
Jack Clark and Kirby Puckett are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jack Clark played 1975–1992 as a hitter; Kirby Puckett played 1984–1995 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
Jack Clark (1975–1992) and Kirby Puckett (1984–1995) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jack Clark finished with 1,826 hits and 340 home runs; Kirby Puckett finished with 2,304 hits and 207 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jack Clark, with 340 to Kirby Puckett's 207.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jack Clark, with .854 to Kirby Puckett's .837.
- Who had the higher batting average? Kirby Puckett, with .318 to Jack Clark's .267.
- Who had more hits? Kirby Puckett, with 2,304 to Jack Clark's 1,826.
- Who drove in more runs? Jack Clark, with 1,180 to Kirby Puckett's 1,085.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jack Clark, with 30,243 career PIV to Kirby Puckett's 22,719.
- Who won more championships? Kirby Puckett, with 2 World Series titles to Jack Clark's 0.
Jack Clark
Kirby Puckett
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jack Clark and Kirby Puckett. 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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jack Clark | Kirby Puckett |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,994 | 1,783 |
| At-Bats | 6,847 | Leads: 7,244 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,118 | 1,071 |
| Hits | 1,826 | Leads: 2,304 |
| Doubles | 332 | Leads: 414 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 57 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 340 | 207 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,180 | 1,085 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,262 | 450 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,441 | 965 |
| Stolen Bases | 77 | Leads: 134 |
| Batting Avg | .267 | Leads: .318 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .379 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .476 | Leads: .477 |
| OPS | Leads: .854 | .837 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jack Clark leads Kirby Puckett 30,243 to 22,719 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jack Clark played 18 seasons to Kirby Puckett's 12, while Kirby Puckett carries the higher per-season figure (1,893 to 1,680). 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).
Jack Clark — top 3 seasons by OPS
Kirby Puckett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jack Clark leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and OBP, while Kirby Puckett owns hits, stolen bases, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jack Clark. PIV agrees: Jack Clark grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jack Clark and Kirby Puckett careers compare
From 1984 through 1992, Jack Clark and Kirby Puckett were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,994 games for Jack Clark and 1,783 for Kirby Puckett across 18 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Jack Clark struck out more than walked (1,441 to 1,262), and Kirby Puckett struck out more than walked (965 to 450). Jack Clark is the more power-leaning hitter, with 340 of 1,826 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Kirby Puckett stole more often per game played (77 steals in 1,994 games for Jack Clark, 134 in 1,783 for Kirby Puckett).
Jack Clark vs Kirby Puckett: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Jack Clark or Kirby Puckett hit more home runs?
- Jack Clark, with 340 to Kirby Puckett's 207.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jack Clark, with .854 to Kirby Puckett's .837.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Kirby Puckett, with .318 to Jack Clark's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Kirby Puckett, with 2,304 to Jack Clark's 1,826.