Roberto Clemente vs Alfonso Soriano: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Alfonso Soriano played 1999–2014 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 Alfonso Soriano (1999–2014) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Alfonso Soriano finished with 2,095 hits and 412 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Alfonso Soriano, with 412 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Alfonso Soriano's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Alfonso Soriano's .270.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Alfonso Soriano's 2,095.
- Who drove in more runs? Roberto Clemente, with 1,305 to Alfonso Soriano's 1,159.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Alfonso Soriano's 13,727.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 2 World Series titles.
Roberto Clemente
Alfonso Soriano
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Alfonso Soriano. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Alfonso Soriano |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,433 | 1,975 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 7,750 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 1,152 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 2,095 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 481 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 31 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 412 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,305 | 1,159 |
| Walks | Leads: 621 | 496 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,803 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 289 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .270 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .359 | .319 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .500 |
| OPS | Leads: .834 | .819 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente outpaces Alfonso Soriano 34,131 to 13,727 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,896 PIV per season to 807, across 18 seasons to 17. 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
Alfonso Soriano — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Alfonso Soriano owns home runs and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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 Alfonso Soriano careers compare
No season is shared: Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972, Alfonso Soriano 1999–2014. With 2,433 games against 1,975 across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Alfonso Soriano comes out ahead, it is in doubles (481 to 440), home runs (412 to 240), and stolen bases (289 to 83). At the plate, Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), and Alfonso Soriano struck out more than walked (1,803 to 496). Alfonso Soriano is the more power-leaning hitter, with 412 of 2,095 hits leaving the park.
Roberto Clemente vs Alfonso Soriano: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Alfonso Soriano?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Alfonso Soriano in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Alfonso Soriano hit more home runs?
- Alfonso Soriano, with 412 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Roberto Clemente, with .834 to Alfonso Soriano's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Alfonso Soriano's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Alfonso Soriano's 2,095.