Willson Contreras vs Buck Ewing: Career Stats Comparison
Buck Ewing 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). Willson Contreras has played 2016–present as a hitter; Buck Ewing played 1880–1897 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
Willson Contreras (2016–present) and Buck Ewing (1880–1897) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1880s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willson Contreras has 1,077 hits and 199 home runs through October 12, 2026; Buck Ewing finished with 1,625 hits and 71 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Willson Contreras, with 199 to Buck Ewing's 71.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willson Contreras, with .821 to Buck Ewing's .807.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buck Ewing, with .303 to Willson Contreras's .260.
- Who had more hits? Buck Ewing, with 1,625 to Willson Contreras's 1,077.
- Who drove in more runs? Buck Ewing, with 883 to Willson Contreras's 629.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Buck Ewing, with 17,919 career PIV to Willson Contreras's 8,983.
- Who won more championships? Buck Ewing, with 2 World Series titles to Willson Contreras's 1.
Willson Contreras
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willson Contreras and Buck Ewing. 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 2010s and the 1880s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Willson Contreras is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Willson Contreras | Buck Ewing |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,208 | Leads: 1,315 |
| At-Bats | 4,148 | Leads: 5,363 |
| Runs | 594 | Leads: 1,129 |
| Hits | 1,077 | Leads: 1,625 |
| Doubles | 229 | Leads: 250 |
| Triples | 14 | Leads: 178 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 199 | 71 |
| RBI | 629 | Leads: 883 |
| Walks | Leads: 478 | 392 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,170 | 294 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 354 |
| Batting Avg | .260 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .356 | .351 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .466 | .456 |
| OPS | Leads: .821 | .807 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Buck Ewing outpaces Willson Contreras 17,919 to 8,983 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 995 PIV per season to 898, across 18 seasons to 10. 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).
Willson Contreras — top 3 seasons by OPS
Buck Ewing — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Buck Ewing leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Willson Contreras owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Buck Ewing. PIV agrees: Buck Ewing grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willson Contreras and Buck Ewing careers compare
Buck Ewing (1880–1897) was finished before Willson Contreras (2016–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 1,208 games against 1,315 across 10 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Willson Contreras struck out more than walked (1,170 to 478), but Buck Ewing walked more often than struck out (392 walks, 294 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Willson Contreras's hits: 199 of 1,077 for Willson Contreras, 71 of 1,625 for Buck Ewing. On the bases, Buck Ewing stole more often per game played (40 steals in 1,208 games for Willson Contreras, 354 in 1,315 for Buck Ewing). Willson Contreras's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Willson Contreras vs Buck Ewing: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willson Contreras or Buck Ewing?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Buck Ewing leads Willson Contreras in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Willson Contreras or Buck Ewing hit more home runs?
- Willson Contreras, with 199 to Buck Ewing's 71.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willson Contreras, with .821 to Buck Ewing's .807.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buck Ewing, with .303 to Willson Contreras's .260.
- Who had more hits?
- Buck Ewing, with 1,625 to Willson Contreras's 1,077.