Roberto Clemente vs Rocky Colavito: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 as a hitter; Rocky Colavito played 1955–1968 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
Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Rocky Colavito (1955–1968) — both debuted in the 1950s. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Rocky Colavito finished with 1,730 hits and 374 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Roberto Clemente, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Rocky Colavito, with 374 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Rocky Colavito, with .848 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Rocky Colavito's .266.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Rocky Colavito's 1,730.
- Who drove in more runs? Roberto Clemente, with 1,305 to Rocky Colavito's 1,159.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Rocky Colavito's 28,223.
Roberto Clemente
Rocky Colavito
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Rocky Colavito. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Roberto Clemente | Rocky Colavito |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,433 | 1,841 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,454 | 6,503 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 971 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 1,730 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 283 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 21 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 374 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,305 | 1,159 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 951 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 880 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .266 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .359 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .848 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente leads Rocky Colavito 34,131 to 28,223 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Rocky Colavito's 14, while Rocky Colavito carries the higher per-season figure (2,016 to 1,896). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rocky Colavito — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Roberto Clemente leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Rocky Colavito leads 4: home runs, walks, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roberto Clemente. PIV agrees: Roberto Clemente grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roberto Clemente and Rocky Colavito careers compare
The careers of Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Rocky Colavito (1955–1968) overlapped from 1955 to 1968, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente and 1,841 for Rocky Colavito across 18 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Rocky Colavito are home runs (374 to 240), walks (951 to 621), and slugging percentage (.489 to .475). Plate discipline differs: Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), but Rocky Colavito walked more often than struck out (951 walks, 880 strikeouts).
Roberto Clemente vs Rocky Colavito: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Rocky Colavito?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Rocky Colavito in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Rocky Colavito hit more home runs?
- Rocky Colavito, with 374 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Rocky Colavito, with .848 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Rocky Colavito's .266.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Rocky Colavito's 1,730.