Josh Donaldson vs Buster Posey: Career Stats Comparison
Josh Donaldson has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Buster Posey played 2009–2021 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 Buster Posey (2009–2021) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Josh Donaldson finished with 1,310 hits and 279 home runs; Buster Posey finished with 1,500 hits and 158 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 Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Buster Posey's .831.
- Who had the higher batting average? Buster Posey, with .302 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits? Buster Posey, with 1,500 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.
- Who drove in more runs? Josh Donaldson, with 816 to Buster Posey's 729.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Josh Donaldson, with 18,424 career PIV to Buster Posey's 15,615.
- Who won more championships? Buster Posey, with 3 World Series titles to Josh Donaldson's 0.
Josh Donaldson
Buster Posey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Josh Donaldson and Buster Posey. 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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Josh Donaldson | Buster Posey |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,384 | 1,371 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,022 | 4,970 |
| Runs | Leads: 816 | 663 |
| Hits | 1,310 | Leads: 1,500 |
| Doubles | 287 | Leads: 293 |
| Triples | Leads: 12 | 9 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 279 | 158 |
| RBI | Leads: 816 | 729 |
| Walks | Leads: 725 | 540 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,221 | 721 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 40 | 23 |
| Batting Avg | .261 | Leads: .302 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .372 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .489 | .460 |
| OPS | Leads: .847 | .831 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Josh Donaldson leads Buster Posey 18,424 to 15,615 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Josh Donaldson played 15 seasons to Buster Posey's 12, while Buster Posey carries the higher per-season figure (1,301 to 1,228). 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
Buster Posey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Josh Donaldson leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Buster Posey owns hits, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Josh Donaldson. PIV agrees: Josh Donaldson 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 Buster Posey careers compare
Josh Donaldson and Buster Posey were active at the same time between 2010 and 2021. With 1,384 games against 1,371 across 15 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Buster Posey comes out ahead, it is in hits (1,500 to 1,310), doubles (293 to 287), and batting average (.302 to .261). Josh Donaldson struck out more than walked (1,221 to 725); Buster Posey struck out more than walked (721 to 540). Josh Donaldson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 279 of 1,310 hits leaving the park.
Josh Donaldson vs Buster Posey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Donaldson or Buster Posey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Josh Donaldson leads Buster Posey in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Josh Donaldson or Buster Posey hit more home runs?
- Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Buster Posey's 158.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Buster Posey's .831.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Buster Posey, with .302 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Buster Posey, with 1,500 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.