Roberto Clemente vs Joe Morgan: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente and Joe Morgan 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; Joe Morgan played 1963–1984 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 Joe Morgan (1963–1984) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Joe Morgan finished with 2,517 hits and 268 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Joe Morgan, with 268 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Joe Morgan's 2,517.
- Who drove in more runs? Roberto Clemente, with 1,305 to Joe Morgan's 1,133.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Morgan, with 39,255 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Roberto Clemente
Joe Morgan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Joe Morgan. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Joe Morgan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,433 | Leads: 2,649 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 9,277 |
| Runs | 1,416 | Leads: 1,650 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,517 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 449 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 96 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 268 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,305 | 1,133 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 1,865 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,015 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 689 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .271 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .392 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .475 | .427 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .819 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Morgan leads Roberto Clemente 39,255 to 34,131 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Joe Morgan played 22 seasons to Roberto Clemente's 18, while Roberto Clemente carries the higher per-season figure (1,896 to 1,784). 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
Joe Morgan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Morgan leads in home runs, runs, stolen bases, and OBP, while Roberto Clemente owns hits, RBI, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Morgan. PIV agrees: Joe Morgan 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 Joe Morgan careers compare
The careers of Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Joe Morgan (1963–1984) overlapped from 1963 to 1972, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente and 2,649 for Joe Morgan 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), while Joe Morgan walked more often than struck out (1,865 walks, 1,015 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Joe Morgan's hits: 240 of 3,000 for Roberto Clemente, 268 of 2,517 for Joe Morgan.
Roberto Clemente vs Joe Morgan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Roberto Clemente or Joe Morgan hit more home runs?
- Joe Morgan, with 268 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Joe Morgan's 2,517.