Jimmy Collins vs Josh Donaldson: Career Stats Comparison
Jimmy Collins has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jimmy Collins played 1895–1908 as a hitter; Josh Donaldson played 2010–2023 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
Jimmy Collins (1895–1908) and Josh Donaldson (2010–2023) — they broke in during the 1890s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jimmy Collins finished with 1,999 hits and 65 home runs; Josh Donaldson finished with 1,310 hits and 279 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Jimmy Collins's 65.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Jimmy Collins's .752.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jimmy Collins, with .294 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits? Jimmy Collins, with 1,999 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.
- Who drove in more runs? Jimmy Collins, with 983 to Josh Donaldson's 816.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Josh Donaldson, with 18,424 career PIV to Jimmy Collins's 13,677.
- Who won more championships? Jimmy Collins, with 1 World Series title to Josh Donaldson's 0.
Jimmy Collins
Josh Donaldson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jimmy Collins and Josh Donaldson. 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 1890s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jimmy Collins | Josh Donaldson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,725 | 1,384 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,795 | 5,022 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,055 | 816 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,999 | 1,310 |
| Doubles | Leads: 352 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 116 | 12 |
| Home Runs | 65 | Leads: 279 |
| RBI | Leads: 983 | 816 |
| Walks | 426 | Leads: 725 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 266 | 1,221 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 194 | 40 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .294 | .261 |
| On-Base % | .343 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | .409 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | .752 | Leads: .847 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Josh Donaldson outpaces Jimmy Collins 18,424 to 13,677 — driven by per-season impact — 1,228 PIV per season to 855 — rather than by longevity, since Josh Donaldson played 15 seasons to Jimmy Collins's 16. 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).
Jimmy Collins — top 3 seasons by OPS
Josh Donaldson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jimmy Collins leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Josh Donaldson owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jimmy Collins. Note that PIV actually grades Josh Donaldson ahead, which means Jimmy Collins's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jimmy Collins and Josh Donaldson careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Jimmy Collins's ended in 1908, and Josh Donaldson debuted in 2010. With 1,725 games against 1,384 across 16 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Jimmy Collins walked more often than struck out (426 walks, 266 strikeouts), while Josh Donaldson struck out more than walked (1,221 to 725). Josh Donaldson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 279 of 1,310 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Jimmy Collins stole more often per game played (194 steals in 1,725 games for Jimmy Collins, 40 in 1,384 for Josh Donaldson). In slugging percentage, Josh Donaldson holds the edge, .489 to .409.
Jimmy Collins vs Josh Donaldson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jimmy Collins or Josh Donaldson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jimmy Collins leads Josh Donaldson in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jimmy Collins or Josh Donaldson hit more home runs?
- Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Jimmy Collins's 65.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Jimmy Collins's .752.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jimmy Collins, with .294 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Jimmy Collins, with 1,999 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.