Roberto Clemente vs Ken Griffey: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Griffey has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 as a hitter; Ken Griffey played 1989–2010 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 Ken Griffey (1989–2010) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1980s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Ken Griffey finished with 2,781 hits and 630 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ken Griffey, with 630 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ken Griffey, with .907 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.
- Who drove in more runs? Ken Griffey, with 1,836 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ken Griffey, with 43,975 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Ken Griffey's 0.
Roberto Clemente
Ken Griffey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Ken Griffey. 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 1950s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Ken Griffey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,433 | Leads: 2,671 |
| At-Bats | 9,454 | Leads: 9,801 |
| Runs | 1,416 | Leads: 1,662 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,781 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 524 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 38 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 630 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,836 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 1,312 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,779 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 184 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .284 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .370 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .538 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .907 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Griffey leads Roberto Clemente 43,975 to 34,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,912 PIV per season to 1,896, across 23 seasons to 18. 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).
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ken Griffey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Griffey leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Roberto Clemente owns hits and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Griffey. PIV agrees: Ken Griffey 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 Ken Griffey careers compare
No season is shared: Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972, Ken Griffey 1989–2010. With 2,433 games against 2,671 across 18 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Roberto Clemente comes out ahead, it is in hits (3,000 to 2,781), triples (166 to 38), and batting average (.317 to .284). At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), and Ken Griffey struck out more than walked (1,779 to 1,312). Home runs make up a larger share of Ken Griffey's hits: 240 of 3,000 for Roberto Clemente, 630 of 2,781 for Ken Griffey. Ken Griffey was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Roberto Clemente vs Ken Griffey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Ken Griffey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Griffey leads Roberto Clemente in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Ken Griffey hit more home runs?
- Ken Griffey, with 630 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ken Griffey, with .907 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Ken Griffey's .284.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Ken Griffey's 2,781.