Will Clark vs Mark Grace: Career Stats Comparison
Will Clark 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). Will Clark played 1986–2000 as a hitter; Mark Grace played 1988–2003 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
Will Clark (1986–2000) and Mark Grace (1988–2003) — both broke in during the 1980s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Will Clark finished with 2,176 hits and 284 home runs; Mark Grace finished with 2,445 hits and 173 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Will Clark, with 284 to Mark Grace's 173.
- Who had the higher OPS? Will Clark, with .880 to Mark Grace's .825.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .303.
- Who had more hits? Mark Grace, with 2,445 to Will Clark's 2,176.
- Who drove in more runs? Will Clark, with 1,205 to Mark Grace's 1,146.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Will Clark, with 29,924 career PIV to Mark Grace's 21,759.
- Who won more championships? Mark Grace, with 1 World Series title to Will Clark's 0.
Will Clark
Mark Grace
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Will Clark and Mark Grace. 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 | Will Clark | Mark Grace |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,976 | Leads: 2,245 |
| At-Bats | 7,173 | Leads: 8,065 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,186 | 1,179 |
| Hits | 2,176 | Leads: 2,445 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 511 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 45 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 284 | 173 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,205 | 1,146 |
| Walks | 937 | Leads: 1,075 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,190 | 642 |
| Stolen Bases | 67 | Leads: 70 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .303 | .303 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .384 | .383 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .497 | .442 |
| OPS | Leads: .880 | .825 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Will Clark outpaces Mark Grace 29,924 to 21,759 — driven by per-season impact — 1,870 PIV per season to 1,360 — rather than by longevity, since Will Clark played 16 seasons to Mark Grace's 16. 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).
Will Clark — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mark Grace — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Will Clark leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Mark Grace owns hits and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Will Clark. PIV agrees: Will Clark grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Will Clark and Mark Grace careers compare
From 1988 through 2000, Will Clark and Mark Grace were in the majors together. With 1,976 games against 2,245 across 16 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Will Clark struck out more than walked (1,190 to 937), but Mark Grace walked more often than struck out (1,075 walks, 642 strikeouts). Will Clark is the more power-leaning hitter, with 284 of 2,176 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Will Clark holds the edge, .497 to .442. Will Clark owns the better peak by OPS: .953 OPS in 1989 for Will Clark against .911 OPS in 1995 for Mark Grace.
Will Clark vs Mark Grace: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Will Clark or Mark Grace?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Will Clark leads Mark Grace in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Will Clark or Mark Grace hit more home runs?
- Will Clark, with 284 to Mark Grace's 173.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Will Clark, with .880 to Mark Grace's .825.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .303.
- Who had more hits?
- Mark Grace, with 2,445 to Will Clark's 2,176.