Roberto Clemente vs Harmon Killebrew: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente and Harmon Killebrew are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 as a hitter; Harmon Killebrew played 1954–1975 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 Harmon Killebrew (1954–1975) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Harmon Killebrew finished with 2,086 hits and 573 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.
- Who drove in more runs? Harmon Killebrew, with 1,584 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harmon Killebrew, with 48,240 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Harmon Killebrew's 0.
Roberto Clemente
Harmon Killebrew
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Harmon Killebrew. 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 | Roberto Clemente | Harmon Killebrew |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,433 | Leads: 2,435 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 8,147 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 1,283 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,086 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 290 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 24 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 573 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,584 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 1,559 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,699 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 83 | 19 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .256 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .884 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harmon Killebrew outpaces Roberto Clemente 48,240 to 34,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,193 PIV per season to 1,896, across 22 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
Harmon Killebrew — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Harmon Killebrew leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Roberto Clemente owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harmon Killebrew. PIV agrees: Harmon Killebrew 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 Harmon Killebrew careers compare
Roberto Clemente and Harmon Killebrew were active at the same time between 1955 and 1972. The two careers are close in length, 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente and 2,435 for Harmon Killebrew across 18 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), and Harmon Killebrew struck out more than walked (1,699 to 1,559). Home runs make up a larger share of Harmon Killebrew's hits: 240 of 3,000 for Roberto Clemente, 573 of 2,086 for Harmon Killebrew. In on-base percentage, Harmon Killebrew holds the edge, .376 to .359.
Roberto Clemente vs Harmon Killebrew: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Roberto Clemente or Harmon Killebrew hit more home runs?
- Harmon Killebrew, with 573 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harmon Killebrew, with .884 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Harmon Killebrew's .256.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Harmon Killebrew's 2,086.