Roberto Clemente vs Juan Soto: Career Stats Comparison
Roberto Clemente has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Juan Soto has played 2018–present 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 Juan Soto (2018–present) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 home runs; Juan Soto has 1,196 hits and 271 home runs through October 12, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Juan Soto, with 271 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Juan Soto, with .945 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Juan Soto's .281.
- Who had more hits? Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Juan Soto's 1,196.
- Who drove in more runs? Roberto Clemente, with 1,305 to Juan Soto's 765.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Roberto Clemente, with 34,131 career PIV to Juan Soto's 27,584.
- Who won more championships? Roberto Clemente, with 2 World Series titles to Juan Soto's 1.
Roberto Clemente
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Juan Soto. 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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Juan Soto is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Juan Soto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,433 | 1,207 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,454 | 4,257 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,416 | 838 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,000 | 1,196 |
| Doubles | Leads: 440 | 210 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 18 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 271 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,305 | 765 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 974 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 898 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 104 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .281 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .415 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .530 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .945 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roberto Clemente leads Juan Soto 34,131 to 27,584 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Roberto Clemente played 18 seasons to Juan Soto's 9, while Juan Soto carries the higher per-season figure (3,065 to 1,896). 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
Juan Soto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roberto Clemente leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Juan Soto owns home runs, stolen bases, and OBP. 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 Juan Soto careers compare
Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) was finished before Juan Soto (2018–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 2,433 games of Roberto Clemente with 1,207 of Juan Soto across 18 and 9 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Plate discipline differs: Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), but Juan Soto walked more often than struck out (974 walks, 898 strikeouts). Juan Soto is the more power-leaning hitter, with 271 of 1,196 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Juan Soto stole more often per game played (83 steals in 2,433 games for Roberto Clemente, 104 in 1,207 for Juan Soto). Because Juan Soto is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Roberto Clemente vs Juan Soto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Juan Soto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roberto Clemente leads Juan Soto in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Juan Soto hit more home runs?
- Juan Soto, with 271 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Juan Soto, with .945 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Juan Soto's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Roberto Clemente, with 3,000 to Juan Soto's 1,196.