Nelson Cruz vs Marcell Ozuna: Career Stats Comparison
Nelson Cruz 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). Nelson Cruz played 2005–2023 as a hitter; Marcell Ozuna has played 2013–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
Nelson Cruz (2005–2023) and Marcell Ozuna (2013–present) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Nelson Cruz finished with 2,053 hits and 464 home runs; Marcell Ozuna has 1,678 hits and 304 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? Nelson Cruz, with 464 to Marcell Ozuna's 304.
- Who had the higher OPS? Nelson Cruz, with .856 to Marcell Ozuna's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average? Nelson Cruz, with .274 to Marcell Ozuna's .267.
- Who had more hits? Nelson Cruz, with 2,053 to Marcell Ozuna's 1,678.
- Who drove in more runs? Nelson Cruz, with 1,325 to Marcell Ozuna's 977.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Nelson Cruz, with 25,334 career PIV to Marcell Ozuna's 13,327.
- Who won more championships? Marcell Ozuna, with 1 World Series title to Nelson Cruz's 0.
Nelson Cruz
Marcell Ozuna
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Nelson Cruz and Marcell Ozuna. 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 2000s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Marcell Ozuna is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Nelson Cruz | Marcell Ozuna |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,055 | 1,684 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,501 | 6,296 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,090 | 845 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,053 | 1,678 |
| Doubles | Leads: 372 | 287 |
| Triples | 15 | Leads: 21 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 464 | 304 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,325 | 977 |
| Walks | Leads: 738 | 631 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,916 | 1,570 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 84 | 29 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .274 | .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .343 | .334 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .513 | .464 |
| OPS | Leads: .856 | .798 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nelson Cruz outpaces Marcell Ozuna 25,334 to 13,327 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,267 PIV per season to 1,025, across 20 seasons to 13. 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).
Nelson Cruz — top 3 seasons by OPS
Marcell Ozuna — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nelson Cruz leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Marcell Ozuna owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nelson Cruz. PIV agrees: Nelson Cruz grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nelson Cruz and Marcell Ozuna careers compare
From 2013 through 2023, Nelson Cruz and Marcell Ozuna were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,055 games for Nelson Cruz and 1,684 for Marcell Ozuna across 20 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Marcell Ozuna's edges on the table are triples (21 to 15). Nelson Cruz struck out more than walked (1,916 to 738); Marcell Ozuna struck out more than walked (1,570 to 631). In slugging percentage, Nelson Cruz holds the edge, .513 to .464. Best seasons: 2019 for Nelson Cruz (1.031 OPS, 41 HR, 108 RBI, .311 avg) and 2024 for Marcell Ozuna (.925 OPS, 39 HR, 104 RBI, .302 avg). Because Marcell Ozuna is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Nelson Cruz vs Marcell Ozuna: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nelson Cruz or Marcell Ozuna?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nelson Cruz leads Marcell Ozuna in 13 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Nelson Cruz or Marcell Ozuna hit more home runs?
- Nelson Cruz, with 464 to Marcell Ozuna's 304.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Nelson Cruz, with .856 to Marcell Ozuna's .798.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Nelson Cruz, with .274 to Marcell Ozuna's .267.
- Who had more hits?
- Nelson Cruz, with 2,053 to Marcell Ozuna's 1,678.