Josh Donaldson vs Derek Jeter: Career Stats Comparison
Derek Jeter has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Josh Donaldson played 2010–2023 as a hitter; Derek Jeter played 1995–2014 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
Josh Donaldson (2010–2023) and Derek Jeter (1995–2014) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Josh Donaldson finished with 1,310 hits and 279 home runs; Derek Jeter finished with 3,465 hits and 260 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 Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average? Derek Jeter, with .310 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits? Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.
- Who drove in more runs? Derek Jeter, with 1,311 to Josh Donaldson's 816.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Derek Jeter, with 24,469 career PIV to Josh Donaldson's 18,424.
- Who won more championships? Derek Jeter, with 5 World Series titles to Josh Donaldson's 0.
Josh Donaldson
Derek Jeter
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Josh Donaldson and Derek Jeter. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Josh Donaldson | Derek Jeter |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,384 | Leads: 2,747 |
| At-Bats | 5,022 | Leads: 11,195 |
| Runs | 816 | Leads: 1,923 |
| Hits | 1,310 | Leads: 3,465 |
| Doubles | 287 | Leads: 544 |
| Triples | 12 | Leads: 66 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 279 | 260 |
| RBI | 816 | Leads: 1,311 |
| Walks | 725 | Leads: 1,082 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,221 | 1,840 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 358 |
| Batting Avg | .261 | Leads: .310 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .377 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .489 | .440 |
| OPS | Leads: .847 | .817 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Derek Jeter leads Josh Donaldson 24,469 to 18,424 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Derek Jeter played 20 seasons to Josh Donaldson's 15, while Josh Donaldson carries the higher per-season figure (1,228 to 1,223). 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).
Josh Donaldson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Derek Jeter — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Derek Jeter leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Josh Donaldson owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Derek Jeter. PIV agrees: Derek Jeter grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Josh Donaldson and Derek Jeter careers compare
From 2010 through 2014, Josh Donaldson and Derek Jeter were in the majors together. The table compares 1,384 games of Josh Donaldson with 2,747 of Derek Jeter across 15 and 20 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Josh Donaldson comes out ahead, it is in home runs (279 to 260), slugging percentage (.489 to .440), and OPS (.847 to .817). Josh Donaldson struck out more than walked (1,221 to 725); Derek Jeter struck out more than walked (1,840 to 1,082). Josh Donaldson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 279 of 1,310 hits leaving the park.
Josh Donaldson vs Derek Jeter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Donaldson or Derek Jeter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Derek Jeter leads Josh Donaldson in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Josh Donaldson or Derek Jeter hit more home runs?
- Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Derek Jeter's 260.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Derek Jeter's .817.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Derek Jeter, with .310 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Derek Jeter, with 3,465 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.