Josh Donaldson vs Brooks Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Brooks Robinson 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). Josh Donaldson played 2010–2023 as a hitter; Brooks Robinson played 1955–1977 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 Brooks Robinson (1955–1977) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Josh Donaldson finished with 1,310 hits and 279 home runs; Brooks Robinson finished with 2,848 hits and 268 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 Brooks Robinson's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average? Brooks Robinson, with .267 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits? Brooks Robinson, with 2,848 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.
- Who drove in more runs? Brooks Robinson, with 1,357 to Josh Donaldson's 816.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Josh Donaldson, with 18,424 career PIV to Brooks Robinson's 9,441.
- Who won more championships? Brooks Robinson, with 2 World Series titles to Josh Donaldson's 0.
Josh Donaldson
Brooks Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Josh Donaldson and Brooks Robinson. 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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Josh Donaldson | Brooks Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,384 | Leads: 2,896 |
| At-Bats | 5,022 | Leads: 10,654 |
| Runs | 816 | Leads: 1,232 |
| Hits | 1,310 | Leads: 2,848 |
| Doubles | 287 | Leads: 482 |
| Triples | 12 | Leads: 68 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 279 | 268 |
| RBI | 816 | Leads: 1,357 |
| Walks | 725 | Leads: 860 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,221 | 990 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 40 | 28 |
| Batting Avg | .261 | Leads: .267 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .358 | .322 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .489 | .401 |
| OPS | Leads: .847 | .723 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Josh Donaldson outpaces Brooks Robinson 18,424 to 9,441 — driven by per-season impact — 1,228 PIV per season to 410 — rather than by longevity, since Josh Donaldson played 15 seasons to Brooks Robinson's 23. 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
Brooks Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Josh Donaldson leads in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, and OPS, while Brooks Robinson owns hits, RBI, and runs. 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 Brooks Robinson careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Brooks Robinson's ended in 1977, and Josh Donaldson debuted in 2010. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Josh Donaldson appeared in 1,384 games to Brooks Robinson's 2,896. At the plate, Josh Donaldson struck out more than walked (1,221 to 725), and Brooks Robinson struck out more than walked (990 to 860). Josh Donaldson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 279 of 1,310 hits leaving the park. In slugging percentage, Josh Donaldson holds the edge, .489 to .401.
Josh Donaldson vs Brooks Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Donaldson or Brooks Robinson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Brooks Robinson leads Josh Donaldson in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Josh Donaldson or Brooks Robinson hit more home runs?
- Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Brooks Robinson's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Brooks Robinson's .723.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Brooks Robinson, with .267 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Brooks Robinson, with 2,848 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.