Ty Cobb vs Robin Yount: Career Stats Comparison
Ty Cobb has the better career line of the two, leading 13 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ty Cobb played 1905–1928 as a hitter; Robin Yount played 1974–1993 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
Ty Cobb (1905–1928) and Robin Yount (1974–1993) — they broke in during the 1900s and the 1970s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Ty Cobb finished with 4,189 hits and 117 home runs; Robin Yount finished with 3,142 hits and 251 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Robin Yount, with 251 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ty Cobb, with .945 to Robin Yount's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ty Cobb, with .366 to Robin Yount's .285.
- Who had more hits? Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Robin Yount's 3,142.
- Who drove in more runs? Ty Cobb, with 1,944 to Robin Yount's 1,406.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ty Cobb, with 87,488 career PIV to Robin Yount's 18,665.
Robin Yount
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ty Cobb and Robin Yount. 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 1900s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ty Cobb | Robin Yount |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 3,035 | 2,856 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,436 | 11,008 |
| Runs | Leads: 2,247 | 1,632 |
| Hits | Leads: 4,189 | 3,142 |
| Doubles | Leads: 724 | 583 |
| Triples | Leads: 295 | 126 |
| Home Runs | 117 | Leads: 251 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,944 | 1,406 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,249 | 966 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 680 | 1,350 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 896 | 271 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .366 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .433 | .342 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .512 | .430 |
| OPS | Leads: .945 | .772 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ty Cobb outpaces Robin Yount 87,488 to 18,665 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,645 PIV per season to 933, across 24 seasons to 20. 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).
Ty Cobb — top 3 seasons by OPS
Robin Yount — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ty Cobb leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Robin Yount owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ty Cobb. PIV agrees: Ty Cobb grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ty Cobb and Robin Yount careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Ty Cobb's ended in 1928, and Robin Yount debuted in 1974. With 3,035 games against 2,856 across 24 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Robin Yount comes out ahead, it is in home runs (251 to 117). Plate discipline differs: Ty Cobb walked more often than struck out (1,249 walks, 680 strikeouts), but Robin Yount struck out more than walked (1,350 to 966). Robin Yount is the more power-leaning hitter, with 251 of 3,142 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Ty Cobb stole more often per game played (896 steals in 3,035 games for Ty Cobb, 271 in 2,856 for Robin Yount).
Ty Cobb vs Robin Yount: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ty Cobb or Robin Yount?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ty Cobb leads Robin Yount in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Ty Cobb or Robin Yount hit more home runs?
- Robin Yount, with 251 to Ty Cobb's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ty Cobb, with .945 to Robin Yount's .772.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ty Cobb, with .366 to Robin Yount's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Ty Cobb, with 4,189 to Robin Yount's 3,142.