Willson Contreras vs Thurman Munson: Career Stats Comparison
Thurman Munson 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). Willson Contreras has played 2016–present as a hitter; Thurman Munson played 1969–1979 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 Thurman Munson (1969–1979) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Willson Contreras has 1,077 hits and 199 home runs through October 12, 2026; Thurman Munson finished with 1,558 hits and 113 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 Thurman Munson's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willson Contreras, with .821 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average? Thurman Munson, with .292 to Willson Contreras's .260.
- Who had more hits? Thurman Munson, with 1,558 to Willson Contreras's 1,077.
- Who drove in more runs? Thurman Munson, with 701 to Willson Contreras's 629.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willson Contreras, with 8,983 career PIV to Thurman Munson's 8,466.
- Who won more championships? Thurman Munson, with 2 World Series titles to Willson Contreras's 1.
Willson Contreras
Thurman Munson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Willson Contreras and Thurman Munson. 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 1960s 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 | Thurman Munson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,208 | Leads: 1,423 |
| At-Bats | 4,148 | Leads: 5,344 |
| Runs | 594 | Leads: 696 |
| Hits | 1,077 | Leads: 1,558 |
| Doubles | 229 | 229 |
| Triples | 14 | Leads: 32 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 199 | 113 |
| RBI | 629 | Leads: 701 |
| Walks | Leads: 478 | 438 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,170 | 571 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 48 |
| Batting Avg | .260 | Leads: .292 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .356 | .346 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .466 | .410 |
| OPS | Leads: .821 | .756 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willson Contreras edges Thurman Munson 8,983 to 8,466 — driven by per-season impact — 898 PIV per season to 770 — rather than by longevity, since Willson Contreras played 10 seasons to Thurman Munson's 11. 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
Thurman Munson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Thurman Munson 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 Thurman Munson. Note that PIV actually grades Willson Contreras ahead, which means Thurman Munson's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willson Contreras and Thurman Munson careers compare
Thurman Munson (1969–1979) was finished before Willson Contreras (2016–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 1,208 games for Willson Contreras and 1,423 for Thurman Munson across 10 and 11 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Willson Contreras struck out more than walked (1,170 to 478); Thurman Munson struck out more than walked (571 to 438). Home runs make up a larger share of Willson Contreras's hits: 199 of 1,077 for Willson Contreras, 113 of 1,558 for Thurman Munson. Willson Contreras's slugging percentage of .466 tops Thurman Munson's .410. Because Willson Contreras is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Willson Contreras vs Thurman Munson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willson Contreras or Thurman Munson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Thurman Munson leads Willson Contreras in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Willson Contreras or Thurman Munson hit more home runs?
- Willson Contreras, with 199 to Thurman Munson's 113.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willson Contreras, with .821 to Thurman Munson's .756.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Thurman Munson, with .292 to Willson Contreras's .260.
- Who had more hits?
- Thurman Munson, with 1,558 to Willson Contreras's 1,077.