Will Clark vs Kevin Mitchell: Career Stats Comparison
Will Clark has the better career line of the two, leading 13 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; Kevin Mitchell played 1984–1998 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 Kevin Mitchell (1984–1998) — 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; Kevin Mitchell finished with 1,173 hits and 234 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 Kevin Mitchell's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS? Neither — both are at .880.
- Who had the higher batting average? Will Clark, with .303 to Kevin Mitchell's .284.
- Who had more hits? Will Clark, with 2,176 to Kevin Mitchell's 1,173.
- Who drove in more runs? Will Clark, with 1,205 to Kevin Mitchell's 760.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Will Clark, with 29,924 career PIV to Kevin Mitchell's 17,577.
- Who won more championships? Kevin Mitchell, with 1 World Series title to Will Clark's 0.
Will Clark
Kevin Mitchell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Will Clark and Kevin Mitchell. 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 | Kevin Mitchell |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,976 | 1,223 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,173 | 4,134 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,186 | 630 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,176 | 1,173 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 224 |
| Triples | Leads: 47 | 25 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 284 | 234 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,205 | 760 |
| Walks | Leads: 937 | 491 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,190 | 719 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 67 | 30 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .303 | .284 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .384 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .497 | Leads: .520 |
| OPS | Leads: .880 | .880 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Will Clark outpaces Kevin Mitchell 29,924 to 17,577 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,870 PIV per season to 1,172, across 16 seasons to 15. 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
Kevin Mitchell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Will Clark leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Kevin Mitchell owns no headline categories. 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 Kevin Mitchell careers compare
Will Clark and Kevin Mitchell were active at the same time between 1986 and 1998. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Will Clark appeared in 1,976 games to Kevin Mitchell's 1,223. The green cells for Kevin Mitchell are slugging percentage (.520 to .497). At the plate, Will Clark struck out more than walked (1,190 to 937), and Kevin Mitchell struck out more than walked (719 to 491). Kevin Mitchell is the more power-leaning hitter, with 234 of 1,173 hits leaving the park. In on-base percentage, Will Clark holds the edge, .384 to .360.
Will Clark vs Kevin Mitchell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Will Clark or Kevin Mitchell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Will Clark leads Kevin Mitchell in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Will Clark or Kevin Mitchell hit more home runs?
- Will Clark, with 284 to Kevin Mitchell's 234.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Neither — both are at .880.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Will Clark, with .303 to Kevin Mitchell's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Will Clark, with 2,176 to Kevin Mitchell's 1,173.